1:48 Spitfite VC

The universal wing over Malta

The letter after the designation of the fifth version of the Spitfire means the universal wing. Only the workshop decided whether a machine would carry eight machine guns or a pair of cannon, and the same airframe thus flew in two quite different armament forms. In this configuration Spitfires defended Malta and moved to North Africa, where a bulky dust filter was added under the nose, which changed the silhouette of the aircraft markedly.

The mask and the primer

The most advantageous moment for sticking it on is just before the filling primer. That shows whether a piece bears against the whole length of the frame and at the same time seals its edge, so the covering color can no longer get under it. Anyone who masks only over a finished coat usually pays extra by fixing a crisp edge with a brush.

Fitting it into the build

The cockpit of the fifth version is small and the frame has many bars, so the cut pieces belong on the model before the whole fuselage is assembled: on a loose canopy they are more comfortable to work with and tweezers have somewhere to reach. Have a fresh blade and a burnisher ready for pressing the edges down.

Box contents

Enclosed are two pieces for the cockpit canopy, one for the outside and the second for the inside, and two sets of insignia masks. The higher number of insignia sets gives a reserve when the first spraying does not come off.

When the paint runs under

Let the spraying dry thoroughly, trim the edge with a new blade and spray over only the affected place. Do not stick a piece on again once it has been lifted: it loses adhesion and at the second attempt it will run under again.