The Spitfire gained imortality during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. The main role was to intercept and destroy the Luftwaffe's fighters whilst the Hurricanes of the RAF attacked the incoming bombers.
Specification
Model Scale - 1:72
Number of Parts - 29
Dimensions (mm) - L127mm x W155mm
Skill Level - 1
Airfix Flying Hours - 1
Requires Painting - Yes
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This superb fighter, designed by Reginald Mitchell, will always be remembered as the RAF's outstanding fighter of WWII, and especially for the vital part it played in the Battle of Britain. Powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, the Spitfire combined all the most advanced features of its time:
A variable-pitch propeller;
All-metal monocoque construction;
A retractable undercarriage;
And an enclosed cockpit.
Its uniqueness lay in the elliptical wing. This deftly solved the problem of housing eight machine guns and a retracted undercarriage, while providing enough strength to withstand high-stress manoeuvres. There were a few drawbacks. The novel wing construction meant that the aircraft was relatively difficult to manufacture and early versions of the engine often cut out going into a dive.
But the Spitfire was a joy for an experianced pilot to fly, responsive to the slightest touch of the controls. Its blend of sleek elegance and fighting efficiency was summed up by RAF pilot Adolf "Sailor" Malan: "The Spitfire had style and was obviously a killer." The overall quality of the design was proved by the aircraft's ability to hold its own throughout the war in a string of different versions tailored to specialist roles and powered by progressively upgraded engines.
Incredible Aeroplanes by Philip Jarrett
"I think every Spitfire pilot fell in love with it as soon as he sat in that nice tight cosy office [RAF slang for the cockpit] with everything at hand."
BOB STANFORD-TUCK, RAF FIGHTER PILOT, WWII
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