Airfix Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk.XIV Model Building Kit - 1:48 Scale for Adults & Children 8+

The Supermarine Spitfire, one of the most iconic fighter aircraft of World War II, continued its development during the war years. The Mk. XIV variant saw the classic design of R.J. Mitchell's celebrated fighter combined with the impressive power of the new Rolls Royce Griffon engine. This aircraft proved to be one of the Royal Air Force's most capable fighters during the conflict, particularly in its role against the V-1 flying bomb attacks launched by Germany against southern Britain from the summer of 1944.

The adoption of the Rolls-Royce Griffon engine provided the Spitfire with a significant increase in performance, but it also presented some challenges for Supermarine designers and pilots transitioning to the aircraft. The installation of the new engine required a redesign of both the front and rear sections of the airframe, as well as the use of a distinctive five-bladed Rotol propeller. Pilots accustomed to the earlier Merlin-powered Spitfires found that the Griffon-powered machines behaved differently during takeoff, with a tendency to veer in the opposite direction to the left-veering Merlin variants. This required pilots to adjust their usual corrective inputs to avoid a potentially short and uncomfortable first flight.

Despite these adaptations, the Griffon-powered Spitfire Mk. XIV proved to be a significant step forward in performance, being around 80 mph faster than the original Mk. I models. The throaty growl of the Griffon engine replaced the purr of the earlier Merlins, giving these later Spitfire variants a more powerful and capable appearance. In fact, the Mk. XIV was superior in performance to both the Luftwaffe's Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and the latest versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

The Mk. XIV saw extensive use by the 2nd Tactical Air Force during the air operations supporting and following the D-Day landings. Equipped with all 20 of the Spitfire squadrons operating from the continent in the months between D-Day and VE-Day, these fearsome fighters were primarily employed in an armed reconnaissance role. They would search for targets behind German lines, attempting to disrupt the enemy's retreat and their ability to send reinforcements to the front. The Mk. XIV's speed also made it an ideal aircraft to help counter the growing Doodlebug threat faced by southern Britain in the months after Operation Overlord and D-Day.

The 1:48 scale model of the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XIV allows modelers to add intricate details that may be absent in smaller scales. The completed kit measures 206mm in length and 209mm in width, and it consists of 118 parts. Two primary paint schemes are offered: one for a Spitfire flown by Squadron Leader James Bernard Prendergast of 414 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, based at B156 Luneburg, Germany, in May/June 1945; and another for a Spitfire of 11 (AC) Squadron, RAF, 2nd Tactical Air Force, based at RAF Buckeburg, Germany, in 1950-1951. Paints required for the model need to be purchased separately, as listed on the outside of the box.

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