The Little World

The old saw about selling people bread applies to the scale model business as much as it does to bakeries. If people want bread, you bake bread. Never mind the fact that every other establishment in town also turns out loaves – and put aside your enthusiast’s desire to bake upside-down unicorn croissants…bread sells, and you need to sell to stay in business.

This accounts for the fact that every model maker who can scrape up a bucket of styrene will mould an Me 109, a Spitfire, and a Mustang. Then they’ll go on to other things, but the big three pay for the lights, water, and lunch for the firm for ever more. Indeed there are makers who have made nothing but old standards like these, and who have gone on for decades.

The mould for this one is excellent – I could not want for more in the way of fit or shape. The removable engine covers and semi-detailed engine are a bonus. The level of detail is perfect for 1:72 scale…but there was a little of the delicates about some of the parts. I missed out on the aileron counter-weights as one snapped apart while I was trying to remove it from the sprue tree – just too fine to withstand handling.

The provision of an opening canopy is also to be applauded – particularly for my purposes.

And the landing gear? Well as good as German gear would ever be, considering they were fools with the placement of the struts. At least Airfix were wise enough to make the leg socket the correct orientation and tight enough to support that odd Messerschmitt angle.