This is the
excellent Grand Phoenix offering of the Seafire. It is based on Airfix styrene
and includes Aires Resin, PE and Cartograf decals. This kit was a joy to build
and went together more like a shake n' bake than a true multimedia kit. The
surgery required for the exposed engine bay is easy and straightforward as all
the cuts are on existing panel lines. Short work with a good razor saw and a
file. I only added some minor detail to the beautiful Griffon engine with
various size solder and copper wire. I also added Moskit Exhausts. The camera detail
on the port side is non-existant on the styrene and needed to be added for
this variant. I opened up the camera window and scribed the panel around it.
I
made the glass for the window with Formula 500 Canopy Glue.
Click on
images below to see larger images
The decals were probably
the best I've ever used. They are thin, opaque and fit amazingly well.
They even held up under a brutal assault with Solvaset when Micro Sol
wasn't enough to snuggle into all those rivets. It is finished with Polly
Scale Acrylics using my Iwata HP-C with Tamiya rattle-can gloss to
prep for the decals and weathering. I used an oil wash of Raw Umber and
finished off with Polly Scale Satin Varnish.
I bought this kit for $15 at a
scratch and dent sale making it one of my best "scores" as far as
bang-for-your-buck. There was only a small dent in the corner of the box!
Thanks for looking
Aaron D. Bennett
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