1/144 Beacon Models Battle of Britain kit (Bf-109E and Spitfire Mk.I)

Opinion on the Beacon Models Kit

I’d like to share my thoughts on the kit I recently purchased from Beacon Models (GB). This is the debut kit from this company, and it includes two models: a Bf-109E and a Spitfire Mk. I.

 First Impressions of the Details

• Raised Details and Cockpit: Both Beacon kits surpass nearly all other 1:144 kits I’ve seen so far in these areas.
• Panel Lines: The panel lines are clear and sharp, though a bit too deep and wide for my taste.
• Surface Quality: There are slight irregularities in the molding, but nothing to worry about—a quick sanding will easily fix them.
• Fit: I dry-fitted the Bf-109, and it fits like a dream!
• Small Details: Some parts, like the antenna mast of the Spitfire, are quite thick. While this is good for stability, it’s less ideal for realism. Fortunately, this is another issue that’s easy to address.

Preview Conclusion

Overall, these kits look like excellent 1:144 models. They’re perfect for beginners and are amazing debut kits for a new company! Another highlight: the kits include painting masks and Cartograf(!) decals for one paint scheme each.

Comparison with Other Kits

To better assess the mold quality, I compared the Beacon models with three other kits:

• Sweet Bf-109F
• Eduard Bf-109G (from 2003)
• Eduard Spitfire Mk. IX

The comparison clearly shows that Beacon’s mold quality falls somewhere in between. It doesn’t match the overall quality of Sweet or modern Eduard kits, but keep in mind that these are established companies with decades of experience and significantly higher budgets.

Strengths of the Beacon Kits

One major advantage of the Beacon models: You don’t need to buy anything extra!
The kits include:

• A highly detailed cockpit
• All the parts required to build a nice, fairly detailed model

Very few 1:144 kits offer this added value.

My Verdict: Beacon Models has made an impressive entry into the model kit market, with a kit ideal for beginners.