Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk.VIII 1/48 scale model kit

Profipack edition kit of British WWII high-altitute fighter aircraft Spitfire HF Mk.VIII in 1/48 scale.

The Supermarine Spitfire is so iconic, that virtually everyone can recognize it. The life of this elegant fighter spanned remarkable 13 years. It entered into service at the end of biplane era and remained on frontline duty use until the 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 reached about twice the speed of the Fury. One of the most successful designers of 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 airplane capable of at least 250 mph (400 km/h), seven out of eight entries were biplanes. The only monoplane proposal was Mitchel´s Supermarine 224, but the design with a gull wing, fixed undercarriage and Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine was a disappointment because of the lack of speed and poor rate of climb. After that the RAF chose the Gloster Gladiator biplane as the winner