148 Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk.XIV

Continuing the wartime development of the famous Supermarine Spitfire, the Mk.XIV saw the classic shape of Mitchell's celebrated fighter paired with the awesome power of the new Rolls Royce Griffon engine. The resultant aircraft was superb and one of the RAFs most capable fighters of WWII, proving particularly successful when employed against the V-1 flying bomb attacks which Germany launched 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 not without presenting Supermarine designers and pilots converting to the aircraft with a few challenges. Installation of the new engine in the existing Spitfire airframe required a redesign of both the front and rear sections of the aircraft and the use of a distinctive five bladed Rotol propeller. Pilots used to flying Merlin engined versions of the aircraft would find the Griffon turned in the propeller in the opposite direction and whilst the earlier aircraft tended to veer to the left on take-off, the Griffon powered machines would veer in the opposite direction if the pilot forgot and applied their usual corrective inputs, their first flight could be a particularly short and uncomfortable one.

Item Length - Without Packaging (cm): 19.5

Item Height - Without Packaging (cm): 7.6

Item Width - Without Packaging (cm): 20.7

How many pieces will be found in the box opened by the customer?: 118

Item Scale: 1:48

License line: BAE SYSTEMS is a registered trade mark of BAE Systems plc.

Contents (what's in the box) sets: Sprues & decals

Finish: Plastic

Number of Scheme options: 2

Skill Level: 3

Flying Hours: 2

Wingspan (mm): 207

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