Diecast Aircraft Information

MetalWings Diecast Aircraft Reference by Dauntless Aviation

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series
HA7105
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XVIII, NH850/Z
RAF 60 Squadron, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, Dec. 31, 1950
LIMITED EDITION with certificate

1/48 scale pre-finished
Die-cast metal with a minimum of plastic.
Professionally painted.
All markings pad applied for superb results.
Cockpit slides open.
Cockpit side door opens.
Comes with a pilot that can be removed.
Comes with display stand.
Landing gear is fully retractable and can be displayed up or down.
Removable wing ammo bay covers.
Propeller is metal.
Extremely sought after by collectors.

THESE ARE PRE-PRODUCTION
PICTURES NOT THE FINISHED MODEL

Externally the Spitfire Mk. XVIII the so called "Super Spitfire" was almost identical to the
Mk. XIV except for the strengthened “E” wing with full span tips and stronger
undercarriage. They were powered by either a Griffon 65 or the later models by a 67 that
developed 2,375 hp. The FR XVIII had provisions for three cameras that required the
removal of the rear fuel tank. The Mk XVIII was quite versatile and could carry up to
1,000 pounds of bombs on the center line and wing racks. Another option was as many
as frame with 300 being built of which 200 were the FR variant.

June 1948 in Malaya, a British Colony at that time, three British estate managers were
murdered by guerrillas and this forced the government to declare what would become the
“Malayan Emergency”. The RAF was called upon to fly reconnaissance and bombing
attacks on the guerilla camps. One of the squadrons assigned to this task was 60
Squadron that carried out the first attack of the campaign. Using rockets and
fragmentation bombs the Spitfires flew sortie after sortie mostly in support missions for
ground troops. One of these aircraft was the Mk. FR XVIII of CO, Sqn. Ldr. W G Duncan
Smith DSO, DFC. In November 1950 Sqn. Ldr. W G Duncan Smith arrived with 60
Squadron’s first jet, the Meteor. This aircraft would replace the Spitfire and on January 1,
1951 the last ever RAF Spitfire offensive sortie was carried out by FR XVIIIs from 60
Squadron.

Specifications Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XVIII

Type: Single Seat Fighter

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Engine: 1 x Rolls-Royce Griffin 65 inline Piston Engine rated at 2,050hp. Later models 1
X Rolls-Royce Griffin 67 that developed 2,375 hp.

Armament:
2 x 20mm cannon plus 2 x 0.50 in. machine guns
Also could carry 1,000lb of bombs.

Dimensions:
Wing Span: 36ft 10 in.
Length: 33ft 3.25 in.
Wing Area: 244 sq. feet.

Weights: Loaded: 9,320lb

Performance: Max Speed: 442 mph at 18,000ft. Service Ceiling: 41,000ft

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