Spitfire Mk.Vb/Mk.Vb Trop 1:72 Plastic Kit

This is a 1/72 scale plastic model assembly kit from Tamiya depicting the Mk.Vb, the most prolifically produced variant of the Spitfire. 

★ From the elegant overall form to Mk.Vb-specific features such as the 20mm cannon-equipped wing, the form of the aircraft is captured in style.
★ The model can be assembled with different wing designs.
★ Comes with two types of front canopy and three types of rear canopy parts.
★ Parts are included to recreate the special air filters seen on TROP variants that were deployed in tropical climes.
★ Comes with four marking options and a display base.

Fuselage length: 128mm, wingspan: 156mm.

The Spitfire was first mass produced in 1936 and over 20000 aircraft were produced by 1948. There were several variations of the main fighter of the Royal Air Force. The most popular of these was the Mk. V series, with over 6500 aircraft deployed. By the start of World War II, most of the fighter squadrons in the RAF were equipped with Spitfires Mk. I. The pilots suggested improvements and all efforts were made to retain its performance edge over its rivals. The primary improvement was the introduction of a more powerful Merlin Type 45 engine. A version with a mix of 4 7.7 mm machine guns and 2 20 mm cannon was called “Mk. Vb”. Some Mk. Vb’s had slotted wing tips for improved low altitude manoeuvrability.

In 1942, Spitfires were also needed for overseas operations. The best known of these was the Spitfire in North Africa known as “TROP.,” for Tropical. The Spitfire’s engine was protected from sand by an air filter that was attached over its carburetor. The filter was effective, but its large size limited the aircraft’s speed. The 103rd Maintenance Unit in Aboukir solved this problem by designing a smaller, more aerodynamic unit that was just as effective. The Spitfire went through many minor and major modifications over the course of its production life. The Spitfire saw action on all battle fronts of the war.