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Pavla 1/48 PR Mk IC, IG, VI Spitfire Conversion Set

By Chris Banyai-Riepl

Photo reconnaissance Spitfires are some of the more interesting aircraft in this famous line, often wearing some fascinating color schemes.  Unfortunately, kit manufacturers tend to overlook these lesser known types, which is a pity given that they generally only require a few additional parts.  Pavla has decided to cover these with their latest set, though, designed for the Tamiya Spitfire kit.

This set provides decals for three aircraft, plus a handful of resin pieces and two vacuformed canopies to allow the modeler to build a PR Spitfire.  The resin pieces include underwing fairings, a new seat with separate armor plating, a fuselage camera hatch, a new chin fairing, and a new intake front.  The two canopies provided include both styles of windscreens.

The first option is a Spitfire PR Mk IC, R6903, flown by P/O Gordon Green.  This plane is overall PRU Blue, with light gray LY codes on the fuselage.  This aircraft requires the underwing fairings, the seat without armor, and the canopy with an unframed windscreen.  It also takes the new chin fairing.

The second option is a Spitfire PR Mk IG, R7059.  This aircraft is overall PRU Pink, with no fuselage codes.  The upper wing roundels are inboard, for a decidedly different look than most Spitfires.  This aircraft gets the seat with armor plating, framed windscreen, and the side camera insert, along with the new chin fairing.

Option number three is a Spitfire PR Mk VI, BR880, from 681 SEAC Squadron in India.  Marked with a Sky S on the fuselage and carrying the name "The Flying Scotsman" on the nose, this plane is finished in overall PRU Blue and has the two-tone blue roundels found on SEAC aircraft.  This aircraft gets the new intake, the seat without armor plating, and an unframed canopy.  As this aircraft has the larger tropical filter, it does not need the new chin fairing.

This is an excellent upgrade for the Tamiya Spitfire, and one which should provide little difficulty for even the novice modeler.  That said, this set could have been significantly improved with the addition of just four more parts.  With four additional pieces (two more seats, one more canopy, and one more chin fairing), the modeler could build all three of these options from this one set.  As it sits now, only one could be made, with a large number of leftover parts.  Still, for those wanting to add a PR Spitfire to their collection, you cannot go wrong with this set.  My thanks to Pavla Models for the review sample.