Jays Spitfire Mk22 1/72

[delmonteman]

Why do I keep biting off more than I can chew? I've only completed a couple of Tamiya bikes so far (I was quite impressed with myself with the outcome of these!) but felt like "a change" a couple of weeks ago, nipped to the model shop & came back with a 1/225 HMS Victory. This is going OK but BUGGER ME it's fiddly! So fiddly, it's getting on my nerves a bit, so thought I'd get something simple to occupy myself before I throw it accross the room. Another "nip to the model shop" later I'd got myself a 1/72 Spitfire. Now I'd got the choice of Airfix, Tamiya or Jays. I'd not heard of Jays and after being told that the shop was the only retailer of these in the UK he had me sold. Turns out, again more than I can chew!

You get two main sprues and a couple of little ones, a piece of metal mesh for the radiator, a metal control stick, two canopies and VERY basic instructions.

Excuse the photo's (missus had swiped the camera so had to make do with my phone.)

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The detailing on the parts does look really good and very crisp, however there is a load of crap on the edges and insides that needs cutting out or sanding. I do mean LOTS. The parts are nice and thick and have a good weight to them and do seem to go together well. The cockpit had next to nothing in it. The instructions even tell you to buy a detailing set from Coopers or somewhere! And speaking of instructions, they are terrible, so there will be questions asked on here if I can't find the answer on tinterweb.

Admittedly, it does say "for experienced moddellers" on the instructions and does look like there's the potential for a cracking little plane here. However, I am far from an "experienced modeller", have a very short fuse, a good throwing arm and what's the chuffin' point of telling you that you need to know exactly what you're doing to build this inside the box? To see the inside of the box, chances are you've already bought the sod!

To be continued...........

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[Bunkerbarge]

I've never seen or heard of Jays before but looking at the pictures you are going to have to be very careful to remove the parts from the sprue as the attachment tabs seem very heavy. I would use a pair of small electrical side cutters to snip the tabs close to the part before some careful dressing up and sanding.

 

[delmonteman]

Apparently, they are a re-boxing of Ventura's kit. Took the parts off the sprues with Stanley blade cus pulling 'em off would have ripped the whole lot to pieces. More sanding to look forward to tonight! It's actually quite theraputic! (that may not be spelt right!)

 

[stona]

Jays models are another New Zealand based company (as was Ventura) and did indeed acquire the Ventura molds recently. Ventura did a shed load of 1/72 Spitfires,I don't know whether Jays will re-pop them all.

I've never built one but opinion seems to be that, bearing in mind the usual limitations of limited run kits (flash,some slight fit issues etc), they are decent little kits and look very much like the 1/1 versions once finished.

BTW I'm with Richard (Bunkerbarge) on removal from sprue,get a decent pair of side cutters and don't use them for anything else,they'll last for years.

Cheers

Steve

 

[delmonteman]

Getting there slowly. Bit more filler & sanding and I might actually be ready for paint. Cockpit is very basic but you won't be able to see much of it once canopy is on there. The only bits that have been a true pain in the arse have been where the wings meet the fuselage. Massive gap. Other than that, it's gone together fine.

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Now, I've got a question to ask. I had a thought of mounting it on a piece of crashed Spitfire. After arsing about on evilbay, I managed to get a bit that should look nice for only a few quid. Trouble is, I don't know what it is! Apparently, it's an artificial horizon but other than any dial being missing, I would have thought there would be more complex parts for one of these, not just a couple of pieces of flappy metal! Any ideas, much appreciated.

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Gav.

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[1275GT]

That looks like good work there, from my limited experience, the wing / fuselage join is a common problem on spits.

I also wanted to say I love the idea of mounting the subject on a peice of itself, as it were.......I might nick that sometime, if you don't mind?

Cheers, Neil

 

[backonthecase]

Looks like if it is the AI instrument, part of the gyro is missing, but it may be the shell that the indicator (aircraft shape) sits in..

HTH

Stuart

 

[stona]

I also wanted to say I love the idea of mounting the subject on a peice of itself, as it were.......

Love it too,certainly makes a talking point. You need to make sure that the artefact doesn't overwhelm the model. Here's a picture of a Fw190D ,made by no less than Jerry Crandall,sat on a genuine Fw190 wheel. I know I'm a bit sad but I found myself looking at the wheel rather than the model! I know this was done for a published article but it does illustrate the point.

Cheers

Steve

 

[delmonteman]

Nah, it's nowhere near as big as the wheel. This is the sort of thing I was thinking (allbeit stuck with a bit of Blu Tac at the min).View attachment 20632

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[stona]

That looks very,very cool. I'm trying to type cool. Okay I give up,it looks fantastic (and cool) Great idea.

Cheers

Steve

 

[delmonteman]

Cheers,

Gav.