Revell 1/8 SPITFIRE MK-II 11/98

Revell skill level:  4

Recommended age: 12+

Scale:  1:48

Number of parts:  34

Length:  7.375 in

Wingspan:  8.875 in

Kit Features:

• Detailed cockpit area and landing gear
• Authentic R.A.F. decals
• Molded in light gray and clear.

Appearing just in time to turn the tide in the Battle of Britain, the Supermarine Spitfire was the best British fighter of World War II. With the 1,175 hp Rolls Royce Merlin XII V–12 engine and a constant speed three-bladed propeller, the Mark II was capable of 360 mph at an altitude of 19,500 feet, and had a service ceiling of 36,500 feet. The elliptical, near-supersonic wing design of the Spitfire enabled the Mark II to dive at over Mach 0.92, faster than even the German jets developed later in the war. This made the Spitfire as fast as and more maneuverable than its arch-rival, the German Messerschmitt Bf 109E. Although often outnumbered, the R.A.F. pilots in their Spitfires and the less capable but more numerous Hawker Hurricanes, helped clear the skies over England and preserve its independence from Nazi Germany during World War II.