Reviews : Academy Spitfire Mk.XIV-C

This is one of Academy's relatively newer offerings, and is nearly flawless. The parts fit together extremely well, the shape is correct, the recessed surface detail is excellent. You will need very little to no putty to fill in the gaps on this kit. The cockpit is well-appointed, with a raised-relief instrument panel, sidewall detail, and full controls. Two canopies are included, a single-piece one for posing closed, and a three-piece affair for posing open to show off the superb cockpit. The landing gear are well-detailed, and the gear bays are adequate. The landing wheels are weighted, giving the appearance of bulged tires under the weight of the aircraft. The kit includes a full load of RP-60 rockets to go under the wings. The kit's only real drawback is the decals: Academy decals are generally extremely thick, making them hard to conform to the kit's contours. This bothers some modellers, but it does not put me off, as it means I'm less likely to break the decals during placement. A more serious issue is that the red on some of the markings is a bit transparent. You may want to paint a lighter color beneath the national markings, so the British Ocean Grey doesn't show through. Overall, an excellent kit, with more detail than the Hasegawa offerings, for much less money.