Reviews : Tamiya Supermarine Spitfire VB Fighter Aircraft

I can honestly say that this is one of the nicest models I have put together recently. I used no filler whatsoever that is how well my copy of this classic fit together. Construction was straight forward and the instruction sheet clear. I chose to build my model with the cockpit drop down door in the closed position. You can choose to show it open but that will require cutting the moulded door out of the fuselage and then installing the separate piece open door. This would be considered had there been a tad more cockpit detail although I am not complaining as with this beauty all closed up the cockpit looks pretty good. There are a couple of options for canopy pieces so one must be cognizant of the exact aircraft one is building. Again, if you are building a later mark Vb you can snip off the radio mast on top of the tail as the aircraft would have had an UHF radio and therefore no antenna. On my model I did attach IFF wires. To do this I simply drilled holes across from each other through the fuselage and after applying the decals I threaded a needle and carefully threaded same through the holes and then attached the thread to the end os the elevators. I chose aftermarket decals and did my bird up in middle eastern colour scheme. I would have no hesitation in recommending this model as she does up very nicely. At some point in the future I would consider building another but with so many Spitfires out there.......

Did this after a very frustrating Revell B-17, whose parts didn't even come close to fitting together. The Spitfire, on the other hand is true Tamiya precision. The first thing you build is an exquisite cockpit, complete with pilot with feet on rudder pedals, which then disappears into the fuselage. Ahh, that's what makes Tamiya so much fun. And don't forget the decals. Incredibly detailed and fragile. I admit to not doing all the tiny labels. The wings and prop snapped into place and didn't need cement. That's quality molding of parts. Absolutely no flash! My recommendation, swear off the cheap or old kits like Revell and Lindberg. They only cause frustration. Stick to Tamiya, Academy, Trumpeter, AFVClub (if you love tiny parts) etc. I haven't tried all brands, but have learned the hard way to seek out quality and pay the price in money not in frustration. Don't end up with a finished product you want to hide!

I heard all of the comments about Tamiya and how well the kits fit, and this Spitfire was certainly no exception! It took me - in small spurts - just about an hour to put 95% of the kit together. The joint seam between the wing and fuselage is flawless!the wings have NO GAPS. the fuselage has no gaps. The whole kit fit like a GLOVE. no clamping, no tape, just a finger tight hold till the glue set. (I used Micro scale's Micro Weld liquid cement). I would recommend this kit to anyone.

This is another excellent kit by Tamiya. pros: The kit only has around 50 parts, but they fit great. No gaps. The instructions are 7 pages long and are great. They come with an extra paint guide sheet also. The decals went on with no problem. You can choose from 3 different squadrons. The kit comes with 2 different canopy styles. The best thing is that you can also make it the clipped off wing tip version. NICE. cons: NONE. All of this makes it great for a beginner.

Perfect fit on all pieces. Very accurate with small details. Great for beginners and experts alike! Would highly recommend

Typical quality from a Tamiya model. Very thorough in its painting schemes and history.

First Tamiya kit. All Revell’s until now. Great kit with wonderful fitting.