Airfix - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I - 1:48

• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I , No.19(F) Squadron, Royal Air Force Duxford, UK, August 1938. (A)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia, No. 1 Middle East Training School, Royal Air Force, El Ballah, Egypt, 1942. (B)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia, Armée de l'Air, Orléans-Bricy air base, France, captured by Axis forces, July 1940. (C)

The Supermarine Spitfire is often regarded as the most iconic and elegant fighter plane to have ever flown. Taking to the skies for the first time in 1936, R.J. Mitchell's creation became Fighter Command's preferred interceptor by 1940, admired by air forces worldwide. Equipped with the renowned Rolls Royce Merlin V12 engine, the Spitfire could achieve speeds exceeding 360mph and was known for its outstanding agility.

The Spitfire excelled in aerial combat, adept at outmanoeuvring adversaries during the intense battles over southern England and the English Channel in the Battle of Britain. The Spitfire Mark I is now synonymous with 'The Few', crucial in defending the United Kingdom against the once-dominant Luftwaffe. Alongside the Hurricane, it secured its historical significance during the Battle of Britain and remains a highly sought-after 'warbird' at airshows.