Czech Master Resin 1/72 Supermarine Seafires (IB, IIC, & III)

Overview

The Seafire line grew from the successful Spitfire lineage and quickly found its way into many FAA units. The early Merlin-engined Seafires were based off of the successful Spitfire Mk. V and shared similar performance. Working off of a carrier deck, however, added a bit of excitement. Seafires found their way around the world, flying in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific theaters.

The Kits

These latest releases from Czech Master Resin build on their other Spitfire and Seafire kits, and I'm not entirely sure but I believe with these kits it is now possible to build every single Spitfire and Seafire variant in 1/72 scale, with no conversions necessary. Since the Seafire Mk. IB, Mk. IIC and Mk. III share much in common, many of the parts in these kits are the same. The castings throughout are nice, with recessed panel lines throughout. Construction is much simplified through the use of single-piece castings, such as the solid wing and tailplanes. The decal sheets in all three kits offer more than one option as well, providing some interesting choices.

The interior for all three kits is fairly simple in terms of construction, consisting of just a seat, floor channel, rear bulkhead, instrument panel and rudder pedals. The detail on these parts will have you busy with the paintbrush and magnifying glass, though, and the sidewall detail molded onto the fuselage halves adds that extra touch for a great interior. The fuselage halves should go together with no problems. The exhaust stacks are molded separately, allowing for the different styles for the different variants. Also separate are the chin scoops, again for different options. The Mk. IB kit comes with a Vokes filter as well.

Moving to the underside, the tailhook is separate, allowing it to be displayed up or down. The landing gear consists of separate doors, struts and wheels, with two styles of hubs included. The tailwheel is one piece, fitting into a hole in the fuselage. The Mk. III and Mk. IB kits come with the 30 gallon saddle tank as an option. Another variation between the kits is with the wing armament. While the wings are generally the same through all three kits, they do have the different armament and resultant bulges associated with them. Also different are the propellers, with the Mk. IB and Mk. IIC coming with two styles of three-bladed props and the Mk. III featuring a four-bladed prop.

The decals in all three kits are well printed by MPD and have excellent registration and color saturation. The Mk. IB kit has markings for three planes, all of which are finished in a camouflage of extra dark sea gray and dark slate gray over sky. The first is MB348:7 of 880 NAS from Gibraltar in 1943. The second one is PA103, coded AC-B, of 736 NAS at Yeovilton I 1942. This plane is the only one without the Volkes filter. The final example for the Mk. IB is MB345 coded K, of 885 NAS off of the HMS Formidable in May of 1943.

The Mk. IIC planes are nearly all camouflaged the same as the Mk. IB. Three options are in this kit as well, with the first showing the only variation in camouflage colors, with the slate gray areas painted in a gray-green color instead. This plane is MB129, coded 6-H, of 899 NAS off of HMS Indomitable in Scapa Flow in 1943. The second one is coded C-A and is from 809 NAS off of HMS Stalker and took part in Operation Avalanche off of Salerno in July 1943. This plane features a sharkmouth on the lower cowling. The final example is in US markings, coded 06-G, and took part in Operation Torch off of HMS Formidable in November 1942.

Finally we have the Mk. III, again with three options. Two of these are finished in extra dark sea gray and slate gray over sky, while the third is in natural metal finish. This last example is NN300, coded D5-O, of 807 NAS off of the HMS Hunter in the British East Indies Fleet. To liven this one up, blue bands on the wings and tailplanes and a blue spinner add a splash of color. The second plane is coded S115 from 887 NAS off of the HMS Indefatigable in August 1945. The third plane is PR171, coded D5-J, of 807 NAS off of the HMS Hunter in early 1945. This plane has white SEAC bands on the wings and tailplanes.

Conclusion

These three kits are very nice little models and help fill a small hole in the Spitfire/Seafire lineage. If you've got an affinity for Supermarine's little fighter, these are kits you will want to pick up.