Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>Spitfire>HA7853

General Background

The first Spitfire Mk V was produced in January 1941 and proved to be as good as the Mk III and less complicated. The Mk V was the most produced variant of the Spitfire and the main version throughout 1941 and was a better aircraft than the Bf-109 but that all changed with the introduction of the Fw-190. The Mk V remained the RAF fighter through the summer of 1942 and saw several variants developed using bigger engines, new wing types and more armament. There were 20,351 Mk V aircraft built in all variants.

The Aircraft

Stanislav Fejfar served in the Czech Air Force and in 1939 escaped to France when Germany took over the country. With the French Groupe de Chasse I/6 he scored four victories before going to the RAF when France fell. He was posted to the 310 Squadron where he damaged three aircraft and shot down one. On May 17, 1942 Fejfar was escorting Boston’s on a raid of a radio station in Wissant in France when he was shot down and killed. Fejfar had become Hptm Josef Priller’s seventy second victim.

Specifications :

Basic Information :
Role:	Interceptor Fighter
Mk.1A Produced:	3,923
Crew:	one
Performance:
Engine:	1 X 1,440 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 45/46/50 V-12
Speed:	371 mph (597 km/h) @ 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
Climb Rate:	20,000 ft / 7.5 min (6,095 m in 7.5 min)
Service Ceiling:	37,000 ft (11,278 m)
Normal Range:	470 miles (756 km)
Weight:
Empty:	5,100 lb (2,313 kg
Maximum:	6,785 lb (3,078 kg)
Dimensions:
Length:	29 ft 11 in (9.11 m)
Height:	11 ft 5 in (3.48 m)
Wingspan:	36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
Armament:
In wings:	2 x 20-mm cannon
	4 x 0.303-in machine-guns
External:	Centre-line rack for 500 lb bomb or tank