Metal Earth Supermarine Spitfire Review: Great First Plane

The Supermarine Spitfire is one of the most famous aircraft ever built, and the Metal Earth version makes a superb first plane kit. As a single-sheet, Beginner-level build, it teaches the core techniques without overwhelming a newcomer.

A forgiving first aircraft

With a low part count and simple folds, the Spitfire is hard to get badly wrong. The only fiddly bits are the small propeller and landing gear — go slowly there and the rest falls into place quickly. The fuselage halves are joined with the standard tab-and-slot method, and the elliptical wing is one of the most distinctive aircraft wing shapes ever designed — it makes the finished model recognizable at a glance.

Compared to something like the Apollo Saturn V, which demands careful cylinder rolling and a patient multi-hour commitment, the Spitfire is an entirely different experience. The one-to-two-hour estimate puts it within reach of a single evening, which makes it a gratifying introduction to the hobby.

The build

Budget one to two hours. You will need needle-nose pliers and a flush cutter, and that is about it. Bare steel means no color edges to worry about, keeping it beginner-friendly.

The sequence to follow: fuselage first, then wings, then the engine cowl and propeller, then landing gear last. Leaving the landing gear until the end means the model is stable while you handle the fiddlier upper parts.

Propeller tips

The propeller is the smallest individual sub-assembly in the kit and the one beginners are most likely to find tricky. A few things that help:

• Free the propeller blades one at a time, not all at once; small pieces disappear easily on a cluttered work surface
• Pre-bend each blade to the correct pitch angle before attaching — it is much harder to adjust the pitch once the hub is assembled
• Use a cocktail stick to press the tiny hub tab into position rather than gripping it directly with pliers

Landing gear tips

The landing gear struts are small and need to be vertical to let the model sit flat. Check both struts are the same length and angle before committing the tabs. If the plane rocks on the desk, one strut is slightly off — it is worth fixing now rather than living with it on the display shelf.

Mistakes to avoid

• Avoid twisting the wing tabs before the wing is fully seated in the fuselage slot; misaligned wings are hard to correct once the tabs are twisted
• The tail fin is a common misalignment point — it should be perfectly vertical when viewed from the rear; small corrections are easy before the tabs are committed
• Do not grip the wing leading edge with serrated pliers if you want to keep the clean etched surface; bare steel is forgiving but serrated marks are permanent

Who it is for

• First-time builders, especially aviation fans
• Gift buyers wanting something quick and recognizable
• Anyone building out an aircraft collection

The verdict

The Spitfire is one of our top first-aircraft recommendations. It is inexpensive, quick, and gives you enough of a challenge to feel the satisfaction of the hobby without any of the frustration. Once you have it done, step up to the dramatic Apollo Saturn V for a longer challenge in the aircraft & space category.