Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb late 1/48 scale model kit

Profipack edition kit of British fighter plane Spitfire Mk.Vb in 1/48 scale.
All Spitfires are later version with integrated armor glass in the windshield and have under the wings asymmetrical bulges.

The Supermarine Spitfire is so iconic, that virtually everyone can recognize it. The service of this elegant fighter spanned remarkable 13 years. It entered the service at the end of biplane era and remained on frontline duty until the dawn of jet age

By the early 30s the RAF was looking for replacement of its ageing Hawker Fury biplane fighters. The need of considerably faster aircraft was obvious, as the racing monoplane floatplanes of that time were reaching about twice the speed of the Fury. One of the most successful designers of the racing floatplanes was Reginald J. Mitchell. His Supermarine S.6B raised the world speed record to 407 mph (655 km/h) on September 20, 1931, and British Air Ministry, under influence of such achievement, issued the specification F.7/30 in October 1931. Although it called for modern pursuit aircraft capable of at least 250 mph (400 km/h), seven out of eight entries were biplane designs. The only monoplane proposal was Mitchel´s Supermarine 224, but the aircraft with a gull wing, fixed undercarriage and Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine was a disappointment as it lacked speed and rate of climb. Due to that, the Gloster Gladiator biplane was declared a winner.