BS214, you are seeing what happens to a mold that has been around this long (35 years...) and pretty much in production the entire time. However, when it came out (along with the contemporary Spitfire Mk.V and the Bf109F kits...) the accuracy and detailing of these kits were top-notch. Now, given their age and design (pre-CAD) precepts, they might be better viewed as equivalent to 'limited run' tech kits. Meaning, more prep of the parts required before assembly can proceed. After all, it doesn't take but a smidge of excess plastic where it shouldn't be to mess up an otherwise perfect fit...
If nothing else, I'd recommend taking a chance on the Hurri and use it as a test bed for your 'fettling' skills. For example, taking the fuselage halves and giving them a light 'block sanding' to clean and square up that primary joint. Straight 320 grit paper (wet and dry is a good choice since it can be 'cleaned' as you go by rinsing...) wrapped around a handy sized (literally, sized to fit your hand comfortably) block, stroked *along* the part edge (cross-wise sanding really removed material - too fast for just tweaking) will give you some "eye & hand" practice that is very useful as you go along. I usually 'bridge' across both sides so my sanding has a symmetric effect both top and bottom. In all cases, frequent 'stop & fit' is required to 1) ID where the further work is needed and 2) to evaluate the effect of what you've done.
This will obviously remove the alignment pins, but no worries - that gives another 'practical skills' opportunity, namely 'progressive joint gluing and alignment' practice. Many modelers will forget the parts are *plastic* and as such are flexible; so they can be bent, flexed and otherwise manhandled to exactly where they need to be...many an aircraft wing root has gone astray because the builder didn't realize the fuselage has 'flexed' from it's proper (design) position, causing it to not mate to the wings correctly. However, a little sprue brace applied to the interior to 'push' the roots out and viola! all is rainbows... ;^)
That aside, Airfix's new tool kits have been basically flawless, such that their new tool Spitfires (like the PR.19), their Javelin and Scimitar, are all wonderful kits and excellent value for the $$. And for the 1/48 scale modeler, their British 'Gulf Warfare' vehicle kits are super. So, don't give up on Airfix. they are currently doing a great job - just watch for some of their kits being 'classics'!
R/ Robert