1:72 Spitfire Floatplane (Brengun)

1:72 Spitfire Floatplane resin set (Brengun)

The item is an aftermarket accessory for a Spitfire model in 1:72 scale, which the builder obtains to go with the Brengun kit. The aircraft model itself is not included in the package. The parts are cast in resin, a material that handles shapes too complex for the parting planes typical of injected plastic. The accessory is made by the Czech company Brengun.

The real subject

Converting the Spitfire into a floatplane is among the lesser-known chapters of the type's development. Several were tried, as a response to the need to operate a fighter from water where airfields were lacking. The floatplane version never entered regular service, which makes it all the more interesting on a shelf among the usual land-based machines. The builder gets an aircraft with a familiar silhouette but a completely different lower half.

Tips for working it

First wash the castings in soapy water to remove the mold release agent. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw rather than breaking them, and sand the area wet with respiratory protection. The conversion changes the center of gravity of the model, so dry-fit the floats and their struts as you build and keep checking that the aircraft stands level and symmetrically, ideally against a line on the base. It is bonded with super glue, and on larger joints epoxy with a longer setting time helps. Apply a primer before painting, which will also reveal fine sanding scratches.

Who the set is for

• modelers who want a Spitfire in a configuration not usually seen at a show
• collectors of floatplane and seaplane types
• anyone interested in development offshoots and prototypes
• modelers with experience of resin and of building struts

This is an accessory, not a model. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the package.