Airfix Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc 1:24 Scale

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ixc

History of the aircraft:

The Spitfire Mk.IX varaint was arugably the most important mark of Spitfire in the entire production run and because of that, it is somewhat surprising to learn that it was actually something of a stop-gap developement. The arrival of the Luftwaffe's new Focke-Wulf 190 figther over the Western Front in August 1941 saw the RAF Spitfire Mk.V's operating over the Channel falling victim to the 'Butcher Bird' in ever increasing numbers and something had to be done.

A major Spitfire upgrade was in progress, but the Mk.VIII was still some way off, as manufacturing factilities prepared the tooling jigs for the new aircraft, but there was a temporary solution. One of the major features of the new Spitfire was its use of a powerful new version of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine and it was proposed that fitting this new engine to a Spitfire Mk.V airframe would give the fighter a welcome performance boost.

The first 100 Spitfire MK.IX fighters were actually Mk.Vc airframes adapted to take the new Merlin 61 two stage, two speed supercharged engine, with this combination producing a thoroughbred figthing aeroplane, one which was more capable of challenging the FW190 and the latest 'F' variant of the Messerschmitt Bf 109. In fact, the new Spitfire was successful that this would become the second most heavily produced variant in the entire production run and if including the aircraft powered by the licence built Packard Merlin 266 (Spitfire Mk.XVI) even eclipsed the Mk.V in production numbers.

With further powerplant refinement taking place throughout the production life of this variant, the first Mk.IX Spitfires started to join RAF Squadrons from July 1942, with this famous moark of Spitfire going on to see service past D-Day  and into the post war era. The last major Merlin engine powered variant of the Spitfire, this 'emergency stop-gap fighter' actually became something of an aviatin classic.

Includes:

- Extensively detailed plastic kit.

- Fully detailed cockpit with instrument panels, seat and pilot

- Internal frame and body detailing

- Positioning cockpit top

- Optional undercarriage (up or down positions)

- Full wing interior detailing with cannon and armaments included

- Rolls Royce Engine, frame compartment 

- Flaps/ rudder can be glued into different positions.

- Waterslide transfers for 5x different squadrons

 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc Aircraft flown by Squadron Leader "Johnny" Plagis, No.126 (Persian Gulf) Squadron, Royal Air Force Harrowbeer, Devon, England, July 1944. (A)

 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc Aircraft flown by Flight Lieutenant Ian Keltie, No. 402 Squadron "City of Winnipeg", Royal Air Force Kenley, Surrey, England, March 1943. (B)

 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc Aircraft flown by Wing Commander James Edgar "Johnnie" Johnson, No.402 Squadron "City of Winnipeg", Royal Air Force Kenley, Surrey, England, Summer 1943. (C)

 - Supermarine Spitfire MkIXc Aircraft flown by Captain Garth Jared, Commanding Officer, 309th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, United States Army Air Force, Italy, December 1943. (D)- 1:24 Scale

 -Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ixc GR 2/33 "Savoie", Armee de L'Air, Luxeuil-Les-Bains, France, early 1945. (E)

- This kit requires glue and paint to complete NOT included

- 1:24 Scale

UK Delivery:

In stock items are usually despatched within 1-2 working days of ordering.