I just need to take a break after feeling frustrated with Airfix Spitfire Mk Vb.
I don’t need to show you my photos or to explain why I was frustrated since Jon wrote about his frustration on his blog.
Recap
Comparing 1/48 Spitfire Mk. Vb Kits: Airfix versus Tamiya- The Cockpit
This modeler is comparing two Spitfire Mk Vb, one made by Tamiya and the other one by Airfix. He encountered the same problems I had last week with the cockpit assembly. I always took for granted that model kit manufacturers do rigorous testing before putting model kits into production. It must have been apparent to someone that some parts were not fitting well leaving noticeable gaps as you can see here on Jon’s blog.
Also instructions can be sometimes vague and you have to figure out where some parts are to be glued which is causing some frustration even after dry fitting a few times. This had taken the fun out of building my Spitfire, but I guess that’s the challenging part of the hobby. Jon’s had a second and a third part where he had some more issues with the Spitfire…
https://www.jonbius.com/2016/10/26/comparing-148-spitfire-mk-vb-kits-airfix-versus-tamiya-winging-it/ https://www.jonbius.com/2016/11/26/comparing-148-spitfire-mk-vb-kits-picking-a-winner-a-politicians-answer/
End of recap…
During my intermission, I have been reading some parts of this book as a way to soldier on.
There was always this myth about Buzz Beurling being a loner… Well Nick Thomas shoots down that myth in his book about Buzz Beurling. I can remember now why I bought that kit in 2017 in my first uncontrollable impulse buying on Amazon.ca. It was about new Airfix model kits being released. I had not bought Airfix model kits since the 70s. All that would change in 2017. The first model kit I bought was not an impulse buying. It was all about building an Airfix Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I.
I wanted to build it for Gérard Pelletier’s niece whose uncle was an air gunner with 264 Squadron and later RCAF 410 Squadron. Her uncle was killed on September 3, 1942 while on a search and rescue mission. His niece had shared her uncle’s log book, letters and photos that he took in WW II. This is some of what I wrote on him on the original My Forgotten Hobby. Three years later Chantal and I still have not found the time to meet so I can give her this.
My Forgotten Hobby III 