Hey guys,

I want to build an early Spitfire XIV like the one pictured below, and I'm not a fan of the Academy Spitfires.
As far as I can tell, I need the rudder and radiator housings from the IXc (or just use the IXc wing), need to remove the bulge between the rocker panels on the XII cowl (probably just use the Quickboost cowl), and obviously I'd just source a 5-blade prop from Quickboost.
Is there anything else significant that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance!
Brewer

the Academy fin and rudder are spot on as near as I can tell. Sadly that's the end of the good news regarding that kit IMHO. While taking that little bulge off the nose of your Mk.XII will likely pass I'm not sure that the Mk.XIV nose isn't a little different; possibly that scoop under the nose is different as well as overall nose length. Some "Boffinesque" detail master will likely give some definitive and better info soon. HTH, LL

So a friend says: "cheer up things could be worse; so I cheered up and sure as hell Things Got Worse!

If your building in 1/72nd scale, I have a spare Areo Club, white metel (Tin) Prop. We can work out something. Also have a Quick Boost Griphon conversion piece..

The Spit XII, Seafire XV and Seafire XVII used a Griffon with a single-stage supercharger IIRC, and the Spit XIV and other Griffon Spits used an engine with a 2-stage supercharger which needed a longer nose. Kinda like going from a Spit V to a Spit IX, the nose is longer.

and me before (ok waffled) have said the nose is clearly longer. cheers, LL

So a friend says: "cheer up things could be worse; so I cheered up and sure as hell Things Got Worse!

trying to build the "prettiest of 'em all" (IMHO) Spitfires. If I were you I'd seek an Aeroclub "MK.21" conversion set (for the Airfix 46/47) and use that fuselage, and prop along with your "C" wing to make my Mk.XIV/XIX. cheers, LL

So a friend says: "cheer up things could be worse; so I cheered up and sure as hell Things Got Worse!

Hi!
I have done a Spitfire FR.XIVe using an Airfix fuselage, Academy tail and ICM wings. The "highback" XIV is more difficult. The Academy nose will not go onto the ICM or other fuselage easily.
What I need to do is get another Airfix fuselage and try to graft a highback rear fuselage onto it.
OR, use the Aeroclub Mk.21 conversion set.
Other wise we need to wait for Airfix to do a decent XIV.

Bruce

... and quite enjoyed it, shape issues aside. It goes together well, and is a very pleasant building experience. No fit issues at all that I recall. Not sure of any other options that are injection molded.



Morehttp://goo.gl/IY3P8

Jon Bius
www.agapemodels.com
Modeling with a Higher Purpose

model kit; some of us just can't deal with the fatness and shape distortion. Sad really and it looks like you did a fine job on yours. FWIW I've got two of those Academy kits sitting on the shelf but, fortunately, I've got a couple of Aeroclub Mk.21 conversion sets in the boxes. cheers, LL

So a friend says: "cheer up things could be worse; so I cheered up and sure as hell Things Got Worse!

if their Spit 21 is the same fuselage as their "Seafire 45", which I assume it is, it is even taller (deeper) than the Academy XIV. Pity, because it was a well crafted kit. They just didn't craft the right shapes and details.

bob

sorry to disappoint here.

The Mk XII used a single stage supercharged Griffon, so although you have the rocker covers and "Griffon" shape, its actually shorter than the nose used for 2 stage Griffon engined Mk XIV.

The Radiators on the Griffon Mk XIV were different in shape from the MK IX too (and from the Mk 22/24 also - just in case you were thinking...)

The best Mk XIV I can come up with that doesnt involve TOO much frankenstein work would be Aeroclubs Mk XIV conversion, using the Hasegawa/Revell IX wings.

Failing that you can use the Academy kit, and reduce the depth of the fuselage, replace the prop and gun barrells/stubs, and either scratch or modify the radiators.

Needless to be said we lack a good MK XIV in 1/48th

Cheers

Jonners

PS I used a slimmed Academy fuselage, a spare Aeroclub nose and prop, and modified radiators, plus details from the Hasegawa Mk IX to get my Mk XVIII (similar to the XIV), so I speak with some experience here.

... will kill your project. Save yourself anguish and try an Aeroclub fuselage.
Fernando

the vertical part is still in the same place. The engine installation (firewall forward) is longer. Not to mention (here) the other changes.

bob

... possibly because that's the way it looks from the outside, seeing the panel lines.
Thanks for the precision.
Fernando

I'm not arguing with your use of the term "cranked firewall", I'm just saying that from the vertical part OF the firewall (which is in the same place as any other) to the front of the cowling is longer, in a similar way to the Mk.IX etc versus the Mk.I/II/V.

Sorry to belabor the precision!

bob

The longer nose results from measuring from the vertical lower part of the firewall to the spinner baseplate.
Fernando

Warning: The following post is a discussion of kit accuracy. If this type of thing irritates you, please feel free to skip it.

I hate to say it, but there is something wrong with the whole fuselage on the 48th Airfix Spit XII and Seafire 17. Unfortunately, they used some bad published drawings to design the kit. Its a bit dumpy, with the rear fuselage too deep, andn there is something wrong with the nose. I've seen it built up a number of times, and it always sets off my mark one eyeball radar in a big way. I'm looking at it more closely, and will report back when I get done.

Aside from that, the landing gear is short and makes it sit noticeably low.

To get a good Mk XIV in 48th scale, I'd graft a highback upper fuselage onto a Airfix 22 and rework the fin. New rudder and tailplanes and put it all on a Hasegawa Mk IX wing. Simple? No. Cheap? No. Rewarding. Hmmmm....

Happy Modelling! Roy
Visit my blog at:
http://barracudacals.blogspot.com

Thanks for your adept commentary. You don't pull your punches and we're better off for it!

It was great seeing you at the Brookhurst book signing on October 15.

... they called me names, even "Gaston"!
What I saw was that the fuselage was too deep at cockpit level, forcing the nose to slope downwards too steeply towards a spinner with the correct diameter.
Fernando

locate an Aeroclub Mk.21 high-back fuselage conversion and use the Hasegawa "c" wing etc.. I suspect (don't claim to know without researching it) that some detail tweeking might be needed but the Aeroclub fuselage is nicely shaped if a bit more crudely molded than one might hope for. Hasten to add that the short run nature of the Aeroclub product is understood; a little fixing goes a long way on those. OF COURSE the only true way to complete the project is to use a Roy Sutherland cockpit set in there! cheers, Len

So a friend says: "cheer up things could be worse; so I cheered up and sure as hell Things Got Worse!

...mated to a Hasegawa IX wing it looks like this...





The alternative would involve mating an Airfix 22/24 nose and cowl to a suitable high-backed fuselage, the ICM IX is worth looking at as its flexibility will help with alignment, and the empennage from the Academy kit which is very good in outline but the rudder hinge needs rescribing as it doesn't include the horn balance.

The fin/rudder can be removed from the Academy fuselage just above the tailplane roots, don't use the fuselage transport join as the Academy fuselage is too deep anyway.

Mate that lot to a Hasegawa IX wing, rework some spare Spit 22 radiator fairings and you're most of the way there.

or you could try contacting John via his forum over at the BritModeller site. As I understand it he's a ill at the moment and may be difficult to reach.

I don't know if he has plans for a new run of the 21 conversion, or old/spare stock around but the Airfix Seafire 46/47 is due for re-release soon so it might be worth making an enquiry.

Like I said the alternative is a Frankenstein monster of a Spit made from at least 4 different kits! It can be done, I don't know if I'd have the patience for it though.

Have you tried contacting John over on Britmodeller in the Aeroclub forum?
Just a thought. Good luck.

Cheers,
John

I'm pretty sure I have a Falcon Mk XIV, but the only one on their website at the moment is an FR 18:

http://www.modelcraftsandhobbies.co.nz/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=4587&category_id=9af73185b6d041271e523be77a1756ac&

Hi
I have recently asked John Adams of Aeroclub about various Spitfire fuselages, "The Spitfire parts are still in the pipeline and won't be completed for some time." Is the answer.

So you can wait, or especially if you are in North America, look for the Hobbycraft XIV [or the Kitech rebox, despite what you may read, it's the same kit] which should be available cheap.

Now, the kit is a bit crude, lacks fine detail, and the prop blades are a little too short, the rear fuselage has NO panel lines, the radiators are off...
BUT, the main fuselage matches up with an Aeroclub 21 fuselage very well. The nose is very close overall, the rocker covers a little different IIRC.

You can either spend time detailing and correcting the basic HC kit, or just use it as nose and tail, or even just rudder donor for ICM mk IX.[it's not that hard to extend the front on the fin] but I'd guess you'd pick up one for under $10 if you hunt about.

Remember the ICM kit has only the side panels attached to the fuselage anyway, and a separate rudder.
The radiators would not be difficult to scratchbuild if you can't upgrade the HC kit ones [kits not to hand at mo, sorry]

As you can see there are plenty of opinions on the best way to do a XIV. All require work, but then so does making an accurate Merlin 60 series Spitfire as well.

Oh, the Falcon XVIII is still availablehttp://www.modelcraftsandhobbies.co.nz/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=4587&category_id=9af73185b6d041271e523be77a1756ac&I beleive, or falconmodels.co.nz, but the XIV conversion is very very old, and long gone, so old it's a conversion for the Monogram IX!!!!!

HTH
T

I believe that you'll find that the fuselage join is exactly the right place to remove the entire tail empennage for use. The Acad. fuselage starts to get fat at exactly that line but not before. I removed one for use in changing one of my Mk.22/24 fuselages into a low back Mk.XIVe. The two parts fit together exactly. cheers, LL

So a friend says: "cheer up things could be worse; so I cheered up and sure as hell Things Got Worse!

"You can't get there from here!"

The Hasegawa IXc wing and Aeroclub fuselage are probably the best place to start. The Hase wing will need some "backdating", but it is more Spitfireish than the Airfix IX wing is. And the Airfix XII fuselage isn't as svelte as it should be, either.

IX rads are not the same as XIV rads (or 22 etc rads). (I know you didn't mention the 22, but since it is another source of parts...)
The tail (fin/rudder) is different from either IX or 22.
Nose is longer than Spit XII nose, plus firewall has the "forward lean" at the top half.
5 blade prop, but different one from Spit 22.

bob

are not deep enough for a XIV; the nose of the XII is not long enough for a XIV.