BALSA BASICS SPITFIRE - UPDATED AIRFRAME ONLY KIT
It’s the one everyone wants.
There really is no other warbird that sets the spine tingling and the juices flowing like a Spitfire at full chat.
Our “stand off scale” Balsa Basics Spitfire might not have the precise detail of a mass-produced, ready-to-fly foamie, but it will have the heart and soul you’ve put into building it and the flying - oh deary me!
It’s uncanny just how convincing this model is in flight. As it streaks across the sky, a little wing wave and you’d think you’re looking at the real thing. It even sounds fast with the “C” Speed brushless motor and aggressive prop chopping the air ahead of those iconic elliptical wings carving away like precision blades.
This is your go to Spit - the one you take out to the field when you’re too scared to crash the 100 hour, scale masterpiece you’ve spent all winter building.
More Detailed Than You Might Think
Although clearly meant to be a very simple, fun-scale model of the Spitfire, this aircraft does come with exhaust stacks, oil cooler, radiator , vacuum-formed plastic canopy and self-adhesive markings sheet.
The aircraft can be covered and finished in a variety of ways to bring it to life - this kit really is a blank canvas for you to use to build the Spitfire you want to fly.
Even Easier To Build
This updated version of the original kit includes a number of subtle differences designed to make the kit easier than ever to build.
We've done away with alternative motor mounting bulkheads - there's just one now that fits both the Standard "B" and Speed "C" spec motor packs.
The tricky fin and elevator hinge fitment on the previous model that involved splicing balsa has been replaced with a much easier laminated method that's absolute child's play.
The included grey polyester heat-shrink covering is a big improvement over the previous cream colour, if you're not planning to paint the model.
Easy Battery Access
There's plenty of room in the battery compartment for a 3s LiPo battery up to a 2200 (which is the recommended size for this model).
Belly Lander
To do away with complex and fragile retracts, the Balsa Basics Spitfire is a belly lander. A quick underarm launch and you're up in the air with landings over grass in a field or park a cinch.
Get the kit on on your workbench on Saturday morning and by Sunday afternoon, you could be out there barrel rolling, looping and generally tearing up the skies over your favourite flying field.
Nothing beats it frankly!
CHRISTMAS 2024 DELIVERY INFORMATION
The workshop will be closed from 12pm Friday 20th December 2024 until 9am Monday 6th January 2025.
Any orders placed while the workshop is closed will be despatched in the week starting Monday 6th January 2025.
We will monitor emails during the period we are closed, but replies may take longer than usual.
Thank you for your custom over the past year - we look forward to serving you again next year.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The VMC Team
UK SHIPPING
Most orders are shipped via Royal Mail’s Tracked 48 service.
We are in a very rural location and so our Royal Mail collection is at around 1pm.
Example:
An order placed before 12pm on Monday should be with you on Wednesday.
An order placed after 12pm on Monday should be with you on Thursday.
For larger or heavier orders, we use APC to deliver your package on a Next Working Day service.
Example:
An order placed before 10am on Monday should be with you on Tuesday.
An order placed after 10am on Monday should be with you on Wednesday.
Shipping is free to UK Mainland addresses for orders over £30.00, otherwise we charge £6.00 for Royal Mail Tracked 48 parcels and £12.00 for APC Next Working Day.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Unfortunately, for the purposes of the new EU GPSR regulations introduced on 13th December 2024, Northern Ireland falls under EU jurisdiction.
Until we have worked out how to comply with the new rules, we will not send items to Northern Ireland.
We are really sorry about this and hope to have a solution in place sometime in 2025.
SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS & UK ISLANDS
Royal Mail considers the Scottish Highlands and UK Islands as part of the UK and so does not charge a premium for deliveries.
Pretty much all other UK couriers have surcharges for deliveries to the following postcodes: IV, HS, KA27-28, KW, PA20-49, PA60-78, PH17-26, PH30-44, PH49-50, ZE, IM, TR21-25
If you live in one of these postcodes and the parcel size of your order is outside Royal Mail's dimensions, you will have to pay a surcharge.
Our system is not clever enough to work this out and so if your order attracts a surcharge, we will contact you before despatch to see if you would like to pay the surcharge and proceed with the order or cancel and receive a full refund.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING
EU COUNTRIES
On 13th December 2024, the EU introduced new regulations with respect to product safety called GPSR.
There was very little publicity or notice given to small UK businesses about the new regulations, but needless to say, to comply will be time-consuming, onerous and probably expensive.
Unfortunately, until we have worked out how to comply with the new rules, we will not send items to EU countries.
We are really sorry about this and hope to have a solution in place sometime in 2025.
Smaller items
Items that fit within Royal Mail International Tracked Medium Parcel parameters (59cm x 17cm x 15cm weighing less than 2kg) can be sent to most countries outside the UK.
For example up to 3 of our smaller 18” wingspan kits can fit into one of these parcels.
A parcel like this currently costs around £18 to send to the USA and will take up to 3 weeks to arrive. This is because Royal Mail hands over the parcel to the local Post Office service for your country who have to clear it through customs and then deliver it to you.
The Royal Mail tracking code also transfers over to the tracking for your country’s postal service.
Larger items
For items that do not fit within Royal Mail International Tracked Medium Parcel parameters, we use standard international couriers such as DHL, FedEx and UPS.
These companies use something called volumetric weights to calculate the cost of shipping.
For example, a Balsa Basics RC bundle kit that measures 102cm x 34cm x 16cm and weighs 2.5 kg is actually calculated at 14kg!
This makes these very expensive to send outside the UK - a large kit can cost nearly £60 to send to the USA.
