This was a kit that almost didnt happen.
I bid 99 cents on ebay and won the Spitfire…then the seller announced that the kit was missing in action, and offered something else…which I accepted…then the Spitfire arrived and the alternate never did.
So I got a Spitfire XIV for 99 cents…and as its the old Hobbycraft kit, thats about what its worth in todays market.
(Unless you’re on ebay - then sellers seem to think there’s gold in the box, and price accordingly. Then they jack up the shipping to squeeze a little more from the deal)
But, nowadays, everybody is glutted with Airfix, ICM, Eduard and other Spitfires, and this kit has been shoved into the dustbin of history. But for $0.99 cents, it was a no brainer.
However, its not the worst thing ever made.
Ive built other Hobbycraft kits in the distant past, so I knew what to expect - and this one is like the others. It has some acceptable engraved panel lines, and a little surface detail. The cockpit is basic, but the model looks right…some reviewers say it has better shapes than newer kits. The decal markings are wrong for the depicted aircraft, so they have to be replaced if you want historical fidelity.
Overall the kit has some bad points, and some good points…which is the norm for the old Hobbycraft kits (we can probably say that about all model kits, if we’re honest).
But these Hobbycraft kits can be built into presentable shelf-sitters. And as long as that’s your goal and youre not obsessed with rivet counting, they will do the job.
Just be mindful on aBay…if youre gonna spend the crazy prices some people want for these, you may as well bump up to the next level and buy a newer tooled kit.
5 Likes
That’s definitely a great score my friend! Back in the day amongst the modeling community, Hobbycraft was referred to as “Hobbycrap” for a time.
Seriously though, like you mentioned, even though they may have not been full of detail, there shape were accurate!
I forget which variant it was but my dad built their Sea Fury years ago.
Even though it had minimal detail, he had a blast building it and it really turned out great!
These are the types of kits where you can perfect your craft and again, for that price, its a win win!
Looking forward to seeing some progress pics!
Happy Modeling,
Mike
1 Like
Heh heh, I hear you on old Hobbycraft kits! I eagerly bought the Avia S-199 when it first came out, and hoo boy, aside from being the only injection molded version of the post-war Me-109, there wasn’t much to be thrilled about. The horizontal stabs were at two different locations! You could tell the guys who researched the kit tried their best, but the overall execution was kind of poor. Even though there is a shiny, new, state-of-the-art Eduard kit available, it might be fun to put this old “Mule” together.
Good luck building your Spitfire and hope you at least enjoy the build process!
1 Like
well it isnt as bad as the old Glencoe Duck… and that actually turned out well enough for the display shelf. so I have hopes for this.
Tha ks for the reply
1 Like
I think of these lits as diamonds in the rough, a blank canvas. The good that is in them is brought put by the modeller; thats part of the process.
We are spoiled rotten with todays super kits - assembly projects as much as modeling. I sometimes get a kick out of the complaints we might hear about the new kits and the “problems” they have. …
“This didnt fit exactly just so,” or, “the widget is a thousandth of an inch too tall…help!”
Then I look at these Hobbycraft offerings and just smile.
Tha ks for the reply
…Another challenge with old, open-box kits is, you sometimes inherit the goofs of other modelers.
Here you can see the work underway to UNDO the surgery a previous owner performed.
The intent, I believe, was to cut away the flaps and ailerons and pose them in a deflected position. Sounds cool right?
Well…Spitfires almost never had open flaps on the ground, unless they were under maintenance. “Flaps up” was part of their SOP.
And the ailerons are almost always seen at neutral position when parked…they were balanced that way.
But, on the other hand, the elevators did tend to droop, as they were cable controlled, not hydraulic. And it was usual for a Spitfire pilot to push the stick all the way forward to assist in exiting the cockpit. So elevator droop is the norm.
A little research would have been useful…
So, I have to refit the cut away pieces, scratchbuild a new upper right aileron, fill and rescribe as needed.
THEN I can cut away the elevators to pose them drooped.
1 Like
Oh man, I actually built that Duck when I was in high school and funny enough, I still have it!
Happy Modeling,
Mike
1 Like
thats cool! Kind of a cool subject really
1 Like
Ah, what a story! 
You ended up getting the Spitfire for practically nothing, and what’s more, it’s a vintage Hobbycraft kit, so it’s almost worth what you paid, so you didn’t lose much.
you nailed it.
Theres also a little disappointment in this, because the alternate the seller offered was a Hasegawa Hurricane Mkll.
It seems the seller had obtained a group lot of kits at an estate sale, and was piecing them out.
That’s what Id do. Thats exactly WHAT I do, in fact, when opportunity knocks. But my inventory management is a little better that hers, I think.
So, in the shuffle of sorting kits and other items to resell, I suspect she misplaced the Spitfire. Hey, I’ve done it…I still have some stuff lurking in a drawer that I need to haul out…
Then, as things went along, she discovered what the Hasegawa was actually worth…and was probably kicking herself. When the Spit resurfaced under some other stuff, well, she probably gave, a “Whoop!” and rushed that Spitfire out the door.
Thats the vibe I got from her during the transaction, anyway.
Either way, Im happy because I soon after found ANOTHER Hasegawa Hurri for $2.50, this one a bagged kit.
So…Im still miles ahead