Eduard 1/72 Spitfire Mk.IXc early OVERTREES
By Jacob Russell
This is the Overtrees boxing of Eduard's 1/72nd scale Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc early version kit. It consists of 180 parts on 6 sprues, one of which is clear. This is a well detailed and comprehensive kit. Sprue A includes items such as fixed and retractable tail wheels, 3,4, and 5 spoke wheels, drop tank, under wing bomb racks and bombs, 3 different types of wing cannon barrels, and a very nice propeller, spinner, and backing plate.
On sprue B one finds items such as 2 types of drop tanks, 2 pairs of exhaust stacks, 3 pairs of landing gear, 2 pairs of landing gear doors, etc. Sprue C is for the fuselage, and it caters to the MK.VIII, IX and XVI variants. It includes the fuselage halves, 2 separate, 2 piece upper cowlings and 2 different rudders.
Sprues D and E have standard and pointed wing tips, broad and narrow ailerons (the latter are applicable to the Mk.VIII), standard and large horn balance tail planes (there are 2 different styles of large horn balance tail planes), etc.
The clear sprue includes clipped wingtips, the Mk.XVI bubble top canopy, and closed and open canopies applicable to the Mk.VIII and Mk.IX variants.
Because this is an Overtrees kit, you don't get decals and instructions. But you can download the instructions from Eduard's website, and there are a plethora of aftermarket decal sheets, from AeroMaster, Barracuda Decals, Eagle Strike, Fundekals, Xtradecals, etc.
Eduard's Spitfire kit is accurate and well detailed, albeit a bit complex. It's well detailed straight out of the box. You can get by with just a set of photo-etch seat belts. Or, you can take your pick from Eduard's "suite" of enhancements (photo-etch sets, canopy masks) or choose resin detail parts from their Brassin line (wheels, cockpit, engine, gun bays).
I recommend this Overtrees kit and I would like to thank Eduard for the review sample.