[This thread started as a review of the JSC 1/24 Spitfire, then branched out into other kits, so I changed the heading. Here's the original review that started it off:]
The JSC kit of the Spitfire Vb is two or three years old now, but remains, as far as I have been able to find out, the only Spitfire kit in a reasonably large (1/24) scale, and remarkably seems to be the sole large paper model of this classic aircraft, at least the for the versions representing its most glorious period.
(If anybody knows of a current high-quality Spitfire Mk. I-V kit in 1/33 or larger scale, please let me know. There is a Geli 1/33 model, which I don't believe in, and I have noticed a "tanie hobby" 1/33 model of a Mk.II, but do not know anything about the quality, level of detail, etc. I also notice that even the JSC model under review here has disappeared from Moduni; should still be available from other sources though; Spishop has it, for 8.90 euros.)
The JSC kit comes in a handy, roughly A4-sized booklet with eight-plus pages of parts (half of them coloured, half formers, etc.), and two pages of instructional diagrams (plus some three pages of written instructions in Polish; be sure to get the English translation from the Parts Bin on this site!
The method of construction for me is fairly unorthodox, but appealing, with no thick cardboard required, just backing up of certain parts on 0.5 mm card. This is one reason why you need the English instructions; the parts to be backed up are not distinguished by any special marks, asterixes or such, only refered to in the text of the instructions!.
The main reason why you need the instructions, however, is the fairly complicated method of construction, with boxed frames for the wings, several inset boxes in the fuselage, etc. I still have to study the instructions more closely, but it appears that you will really have to do things in the correct order here!
The quality of the print is very high. Extremely sharp printing, with fine black lines, and a lot of rivets. The good thing about this is that details and markings stand out very clearly. The not so good thing is that there is no shading. Rivets and seams are full black dots and lines (albeit very thin, which I appreciate). Likewise, no shading, ageing, or dirt anywhere. You are building a most pristine aircraft here.
Choice of camouflage nuances could have been better, in my opinion - although I am not fully qualified to judge that in detail. What I do know, however, is that the choice of a blueish nuance for aircraft markings, fuselage roundel, as well as spinner, is dead wrong. It should be egg white. I know for sure, because I've just bought an expensive book with a 1941 colour photo of the particular aicraft modeled. (The assumption that these markings were bluish is not very educated, and must have come from the designer studying an aged colour photograph.)
So, if you want to be at all true to the original, scan the kit, go into your computer, and recolour at least these parts. Use the cover of the kit for determining the correct colour, if nothing better is available (notably, the colouring on the cover is absolutely correct, which makes the disappointment when opening the kit even greater!)
While you're at it, tone down the red on the exhaust stubs as well. Should probably be more like rust-coloured.
The bubble canopy needs heat-shaping of a suitable acetate sheet (drawing, vacuum-forming, or otherwise shaping). No way you could get an acceptable result otherwise. Note that you need to get it bubbly, not only upwards, but also sideways.
For me, this kit will form valuable raw material for the skin of an even larger (1/16) model, whenever I get to it. I've found no better raw material for that, and will be happy to use it. It remains to be seen how much of recolouring I will manage eventually. I know I will make some considerable redesigning of the nose, where the bulbuous underside is poorly represented. Likewise, the top of the engine cowling could do with some redesigning, although the method used in the kit certainly is ingenious in its own right (se instruction sketches for an idea how it is accomplished).
With some minimum amendements (colour of markings) I don't hesitate to recommend the kit for a build "as is". It has a very nice and comfortable level of detail (full interior of cockpit, with pedals, levers and such, albeit not to the extreme that e.g. Halinski goes), and would make a very clean, reasonably true to scale, late Battle of Britain Spitfire. It would also be reasonably simple to increase the level of detail based on additional photography (which the builder of course will have to research on his/her own).
As long as none other is available (in the nice 1/24 scale or possibly even in the reasonable 1/33), this is it. I also think you could scale down to 1/33 without problems, if you wish to keep to that scale. Details would be crisper, and the black lines might even be less protruding.
Leif
The JSC kit of the Spitfire Vb is two or three years old now, but remains, as far as I have been able to find out, the only Spitfire kit in a reasonably large (1/24) scale, and remarkably seems to be the sole large paper model of this classic aircraft, at least the for the versions representing its most glorious period.
(If anybody knows of a current high-quality Spitfire Mk. I-V kit in 1/33 or larger scale, please let me know. There is a Geli 1/33 model, which I don't believe in, and I have noticed a "tanie hobby" 1/33 model of a Mk.II, but do not know anything about the quality, level of detail, etc. I also notice that even the JSC model under review here has disappeared from Moduni; should still be available from other sources though; Spishop has it, for 8.90 euros.)
The JSC kit comes in a handy, roughly A4-sized booklet with eight-plus pages of parts (half of them coloured, half formers, etc.), and two pages of instructional diagrams (plus some three pages of written instructions in Polish; be sure to get the English translation from the Parts Bin on this site!
The method of construction for me is fairly unorthodox, but appealing, with no thick cardboard required, just backing up of certain parts on 0.5 mm card. This is one reason why you need the English instructions; the parts to be backed up are not distinguished by any special marks, asterixes or such, only refered to in the text of the instructions!.
The main reason why you need the instructions, however, is the fairly complicated method of construction, with boxed frames for the wings, several inset boxes in the fuselage, etc. I still have to study the instructions more closely, but it appears that you will really have to do things in the correct order here!
The quality of the print is very high. Extremely sharp printing, with fine black lines, and a lot of rivets. The good thing about this is that details and markings stand out very clearly. The not so good thing is that there is no shading. Rivets and seams are full black dots and lines (albeit very thin, which I appreciate). Likewise, no shading, ageing, or dirt anywhere. You are building a most pristine aircraft here.
Choice of camouflage nuances could have been better, in my opinion - although I am not fully qualified to judge that in detail. What I do know, however, is that the choice of a blueish nuance for aircraft markings, fuselage roundel, as well as spinner, is dead wrong. It should be egg white. I know for sure, because I've just bought an expensive book with a 1941 colour photo of the particular aicraft modeled. (The assumption that these markings were bluish is not very educated, and must have come from the designer studying an aged colour photograph.)
So, if you want to be at all true to the original, scan the kit, go into your computer, and recolour at least these parts. Use the cover of the kit for determining the correct colour, if nothing better is available (notably, the colouring on the cover is absolutely correct, which makes the disappointment when opening the kit even greater!)
While you're at it, tone down the red on the exhaust stubs as well. Should probably be more like rust-coloured.
The bubble canopy needs heat-shaping of a suitable acetate sheet (drawing, vacuum-forming, or otherwise shaping). No way you could get an acceptable result otherwise. Note that you need to get it bubbly, not only upwards, but also sideways.
For me, this kit will form valuable raw material for the skin of an even larger (1/16) model, whenever I get to it. I've found no better raw material for that, and will be happy to use it. It remains to be seen how much of recolouring I will manage eventually. I know I will make some considerable redesigning of the nose, where the bulbuous underside is poorly represented. Likewise, the top of the engine cowling could do with some redesigning, although the method used in the kit certainly is ingenious in its own right (se instruction sketches for an idea how it is accomplished).
With some minimum amendements (colour of markings) I don't hesitate to recommend the kit for a build "as is". It has a very nice and comfortable level of detail (full interior of cockpit, with pedals, levers and such, albeit not to the extreme that e.g. Halinski goes), and would make a very clean, reasonably true to scale, late Battle of Britain Spitfire. It would also be reasonably simple to increase the level of detail based on additional photography (which the builder of course will have to research on his/her own).
As long as none other is available (in the nice 1/24 scale or possibly even in the reasonable 1/33), this is it. I also think you could scale down to 1/33 without problems, if you wish to keep to that scale. Details would be crisper, and the black lines might even be less protruding.
Leif
they seem to have done a great design job on it, as all the joints seem to be in the place of real ones. 