1:48 Spitfire Mk.I - interior set for Airfix

Spitfire Mk.I - an interior set 1:48 from CMK

A resin set intended for fitting out the cockpit of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter in the Mk.I version from the Airfix kit in 1:48 scale. It is an accessory for a kit, not a model of the aircraft: the castings replace the cockpit parts in plastic and add details that an injection mold cannot manage.

What makes the cockpit of the Mk.I special

Early Spitfires have their cockpit built around a tubular structure and sidewalls with pronounced lightening, so on both sides of the seat you can see in onto the framework. That is exactly the part a plastic kit solves with a smooth wall. A cast sidewall with the members rendered, an instrument panel and a seat therefore change the appearance of the cockpit more than any other accessory, above all on a model built with the canopy open.

Preparing the parts, safety and painting

Interior sets typically have several large castings and many small ones. First wash them all in lukewarm water with detergent and let them dry, as residues of the mold release agent are the main reason why paint peels off resin. The floor and sidewall parts are often cast on a thick plate: cut that off with a saw and level the surface by sanding wet on a sheet of glass with abrasive paper laid on it. Wet sanding keeps the dust down; dry resin dust is not to be inhaled and the working surface should be wiped with a damp cloth afterwards, never blown off. Pick up small levers and handles with tweezers. Paint and shade the cockpit completely before you glue the halves of the fuselage together, as afterwards you will not get inside. It is glued with cyanoacrylate glue; when testing dry, count on the walls of the fuselage having to be thinned from the inside.

Who the set is for

• Builders of the Spitfire Mk.I in 1:48 scale
• Modelers who are building a model with the canopy open
• More experienced builders used to resin and to adjusting mating surfaces
• Modelers for whom the empty cockpit from the Airfix kit is not enough

The accessory is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and other accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise. Before buying, check that the set will fit your kit.