1:48 Seat for supermarine spitfire mk.IX with separate belts and flares holder

The real subject

The Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX was the most numerously built version of the British Spitfire fighter and was deployed from 1942 until the end of the Second World War. Its cockpit is fairly cramped, and with the canopy slid back one can see well into it. The most conspicuous element of the interior is the shell-shaped pilot seat with side cutouts, and the equipment of the cockpit also includes the harness straps and a holder for signal flares.

What the set contains

The set replaces the pilot seat on a Spitfire Mk.IX model in 1:48 scale. According to its name the belts are in it as separate parts, so you can settle them draped loosely over the edge of the shell or laid flat into the seat pan, depending on whether a pilot figure is going into the cockpit. A holder for signal flares is included as well. The exact number of parts is given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

The parts are not polystyrene, and cement for plastic has no effect on them; glue them with cyanoacrylate glue and, on the thin belts, apply only small spots, so that the glue is not squeezed out onto the surface. Cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder away with fine abrasive. Before painting, wash the parts in lukewarm soapy water and let them dry through. The interior of British fighters of that time is sprayed with the green interior color, but the seat of a Spitfire also appears in period photographs in the reddish-brown shade of the pressed shell, so go by the sources for the particular machine. The belts come out when, after painting, you go over them with a dark glaze and take the edges with a dry brush.

Who it is for

For modelers who, with an open cockpit, are bothered by the coarse seat from the kit and by belts merely suggested in relief. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.