Products (19285)

Canadair Sabre F.4 The North American F-86 Sabre was not only Americas first swept-wing fighter, but also the fastest fighter in the world and one of the most important aircraft in the post-war jet era. As one of the world’s first classic jet fighters, the F-86 Sabre was produced in great quantities and went on to serve with around 30 of the worlds air forces, as well as being produced under licence in Canada, Australia, Japan 1:48 Scale Highly Detailed Model The last few months of the Second World War saw the introduction of the worlds first operational jet aircraft and with their appearance, a clear indication as to the future of aviation. Taking a significant lead in jet powered aviation technology, Germany was at least 12 months ahead of their Allied adversaries in this regard and with the end of the conflict, there was a rush to gain access to as much of this information as possible, so it could be applied to British, American and Soviet aviation projects. In the US, the aviation industry had concentrated their efforts on perfecting piston powered aviation during the war, a decision which was vindicated through the success of the P-51 Mustang and the sheer numbers available to Allied air forces. Inevitably, this would have an impact on Americas entry into the jet age and whilst their first operational jet fighter, the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, was an excellent aircraft, it utilised the straight wing technology synonymous with WWII designs. With its P-51 Mustang being widely regarded as the best single engined fighter of WWII, it was not long before the designers at North American aviation applied their undoubted talents to producing a new jet powered fighter, one which would incorporate research material obtained from the German jet programme. In their quest for ever greater speed, the new aircraft featured a 35% wing sweep and beautifully streamlined fuselage, whilst retaining the exceptional pilot visibility first introduced on the D variant of the Mustang. With three nose mounted .50 calibre machine guns on either side of the fuselage, the new Sabre shared much with the attributes of its piston engined predecessor, beautiful to look at, but a deadly fighting aeroplane. The first flight of the XP-86 prototype took place on 1st October 1947, in the hands of famous WWII Pearl Harbor Curtiss P-40 fighter ace George Welsh, who was North Americans chief test pilot at that time. Later in the development programme, an F-86A Sabre would go on to set a new world airspeed record of 670.84 mph, underlining the credentials of this important new fighter. On entering USAF service in 1949, the North American F-86 Sabre was not only Americas first swept wing fighter, but also the fastest fighter in the world and one of the most important aircraft in the post war jet era. The Korean War would witness the advent of the first jet versus jet combat and pitch Americas new jet fighter against the latest Soviet design, the highly capable Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15, an aircraft which possessed a great aviation pedigree of its own and one which proved to be quite a shock for Western Powers. With both aircraft possessing advantages over the other, this aerial duel would prove to be quite an even contest, with the more robust training and previous WWII experience of Sabre pilots proving decisive in the end. Whilst US military planners were quick to publish combat victory ratios of 10:1 in favour of the F-86 Sabre, later research suggested the Sabres dominance was probably nearer 3:1, though still underlining the effectiveness of the aircraft. As one of the worlds first classic jet fighters, the F-86 Sabre was produced in great quantities and went on to serve with around 30 of the worlds air forces, as well as being produced under licence in Canada, Australia, Japan and Italy. Out of a final total production run which exceeded 9,800 aircraft, the Royal Air Force would operate around 430 Canadian built Sabres from 1953 until 1956, as the introduction of the excellent Soviet MiG-15 continued to have an impact on NATO military strategies. With the indigenously designed Supermarine Swift and Hawker Hunter still in development, the Sabre provided the RAF with a capable jet fighter at a crucial period in world history and whilst they would only see service for a relatively short period, it bought the RAF valuable time until they could introduce their own swept wing fighter designs. Includes Sprues Decals

North American F-86F-40 Sabre Making full use of the captured German aerodynamic research material, the North American F-86 Sabre is one of the most important aircraft of the early jet era. Boasting a distinctive 35-degree wing sweep, three nose mounted .50 calibre machine guns, as well as a host of design philosophies from the famous piston engined predecessor. A true aviation classic, the Sabre entered service with the U.S Air Force in 1949 and at the time, was the fastest fighter aircraft in the world. 1:48 Scale Includes extended wing span and new leading edge slats Wingspan: 229 (mm) One of the most important aircraft of the early jet era, the North American F-86 Sabre was in many ways a jet powered version of the company's hugely successful P-51D Mustang from WWII and an aircraft which made full use of captured German aerodynamic research material. Featuring a distinctive 35 degree wing sweep, the Sabre also incorporated three nose mounted .50 calibre machine guns positioned on either side of the aircraft's nose, with this jet powered gunslinger sharing many design philosophies with its famous piston engined predecessor. On entering service with the U.S Air Force in 1949, the North American F-86 Sabre would have the distinction of not only being America's first swept wing fighter, but also the fastest fighter aircraft in the world at that time, a true aviation classic. A later development of the classic Sabre, the F-86F-40 variant was the ultimate day fighter version of this famous aircraft and featured a number of improvements which kept the Sabre at the forefront of world fighter technology. With a new engine giving the aircraft more power this variant re-introduced the leading edge slats to the '6-3' wing area increase, enhancing the dogfighting capabilities of this famous fighter, whilst at the same time reducing the aircraft's landing approach speed to a much more manageable 124 mph. These modifications proved so successful that many earlier variants of the Sabre were retrospectively upgraded to include these advancements. During the Korean War, the Sabre posted an impressive victory to loss ratio of 10:1 and helped 40 US pilots to achieve the coveted status of air 'Ace' during the conflict. Includes Sprues Decals

Despite its rather ungainly appearance, the Supermarine Walrus was one of the most effective aircraft of its type ever built. Required to operate in particularly hostile environments, the Walrus was an excellent naval reconnaissance aircraft and became an invaluable air-sea rescue asset, responsible for saving the lives of many downed airmen. Specifications Item Length - Without Packaging (cm): 23.8 Item Width - Without Packaging (cm): 29.2 How many pieces will be found in the box opened by the customer?: 157 Item Scale: 1:48 Scale License line: BAE SYSTEMS is a registered trade mark of BAE Systems plc. Contents (what's in the box) sets: Plastic kit, instruction sheet, paint guide and decal sheet. Finish: Plastic Number of Scheme options: 3 Skill Level: 3 Flying Hours: 3 Wingspan (mm): 292

Gloster Meteor F.8 KoreaSpecifications Item Length - Without Packaging (cm) 28.7 Item Height - Without Packaging (cm) 8.3 Item Width - Without Packaging (cm) 23.6 How many pieces will be found in the box opened by the customer? 165 Item Scale 1:48 Contents (what's in the box) sets Sprues & decals Finish Plastic Number of Scheme options 3 Skill Level 3 Flying Hours 3 Wingspan (mm) 236

The Gloster Meteor is a British single-seater, twin-engine, full-metal fighter jet from the end of World War II. The flight of the prototype took place on March 5, 1943, and the machine began to hit the linear units in the summer of 1944. The 616 squadron RAF was the first to receive aircraft. George Carter was in charge of the entire project. The prototypes used the de Havilland Halford H.1 engine, but the series aircraft used Rolls-Royce Derwent I engines. The Meteor was the first mass-produced Allied jet fighter and the second in the world - after the Me262. During World War II, it was used primarily to combat V1 flying bombs. It is worth noting that in the course of the hostilities, there was never a single air fight between a Meteor and any German plane, despite the fact that on the ground the Gloster company annihilated about 40 enemy machines. The plane was also heavily used after 1945, especially by Australian troops during the Korean War. In total, a dozen or so versions of this machine were created, the most widely produced of which are: F.3 and F.4 (fighter-bomber versions from World War II), T.7 (two-person, training version, created in 1948), F. 8 (improved version of the F.4, in service from 1950). Technical data: length: 13.59m, wingspan: 11.32m, height: 3.96m, maximum speed: 965km / h, climb speed: 35.6m / s, maximum range: 965km, maximum ceiling 13,100m, armament: permanent - 4 20mm Hispano cannons, sling - up to 908 kg of bombs or unguided rockets. Includes Sprues Decals

When the first Bristol Blenheim Mk.I light bomber entered Royal Air Force service with No.114 Squadron at Wyton in March 1937, they not only replaced the squadrons Hawker Hind biplane bombers, but also pointed to the future of a new, modern air force. Capable of speeds approaching 100 mph faster than its predecessor, the Blenheim was the most capable light/medium bomber in the world at that time and would be the benchmark for all future aircraft designs, including those it would soon be forced to meet in combat. During the early months of WWII, Blenheim crews would carry a heavy burden of strike operations against enemy targets, both from bases in the UK and in France as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force and British Expeditionary Force. Being relatively lightly armed and with constant equipment additions increasing the aircrafts weight, the Blenheim was no match for the modern fighters of the Luftwaffe and despite the heroic actions of a great many Allied pilots, the RAF suffered significant losses during this period. Includes Sprues Decals

Avro Anson Mk.I The most heavily produced Avro aircraft, the Anson was one of Britain's most important aircraft during the wartime years and was used to train thousands of aircrews prior to their joining front-line operational squadrons. The Anson was the first RAF aircraft to feature retractable undercarriage. 1:48 Scale Highly Detailed Model Wingspan: 359 (mm) Although not generally regarded as one of the most fashionable British aircraft to see service during the Second World War, the Avro Anson was nevertheless one of the most important aircraft not only of the inter-war years, but also during WWII itself and is deserving of more recognition than it usually receives. An aircraft which began its development in 1933 as a high speed, long range, modern mail carrying charter aircraft, the Avro 652 was still in development when the British Air Ministry issued a requirement for a twin engined, general reconnaissance and multi-role aircraft capable of performing a variety of roles for both the Royal Air force and the Royal Navy. The Avro team felt that their new aircraft would be perfect for the role and later entered it in an official evaluation programme with the competitor de Havilland DH89M, the military version of their biplane Dragon Rapide. The Avro design was found to possess greater range and endurance and whilst not without a few areas which would require some design modifications, an initial order for 174 militarised aircraft was placed. The Avro 652 would be given the name Anson after an Eighteenth Century British Admiral of the fleet, a development which did not please everyone at the Air Ministry, but as the aircraft was intended to undertake maritime patrols, the name did seem rather appropriate. Highlighting the importance of the Avro Anson as a British aircraft type, when it entered service with No.48 Squadron at RAF Manston in March 1936, it became the first monoplane type to achieve squadron service status, but was also the first RAF aircraft to feature a retractable undercarriage. At this time, the advanced Anson quickly began to attract attention from several other countries and in order to capitalise on this interest, some aircraft were diverted from existing RAF orders to fulfil these requirements, with full production forcing Avro to open new manufacturing facilities in the North West of England. The RAF Anson Mk.I was equipped with a fixed forward firing .303 machine gun operated by the pilot and a single Lewis gun mounted in the manually traversed dorsal turret. It could also be equipped with a modest bomb load, something which was required by submarine hunting aircraft operated by Coastal Command and whilst there were no reports of an Anson sinking a U-Boat, their presence would keep these feared hunters submerged. During the Dunkirk evacuations, Ansons used to cover the operation came under attack by Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters, which had real difficulty engaging the slow flying British aircraft. Consistently overshooting the Ansons, they came in the sights of the aircraft's forward firing gun and astonishingly, two of the Luftwaffe fighters were shot down and a third was badly damaged, with all the Ansons escaping from the engagement unscathed. Despite the fact that the RAF entered the Second World War with 26 squadrons equipped with Avro Ansons, they were basically obsolete as a fighting machine and particularly for the ones assigned to Bomber Command, they were quickly withdrawn to secondary training roles, a task for which the 'Faithfull Annie' was particularly well suited. As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, many thousands of aircrew destined for service with Bomber Command were trained both in the UK and overseas, including those destined to serve in the Avro Lancaster, the mighty bomber which was produced in some of the same factories previously used to produce Ansons. With just under 11,000 Ansons eventually produced, the final RAF example was only withdrawn from service as a station communications aircraft in 1968.

Launched on 7th May 1765, HMS Victory gained its fame by becoming Admiral Nelson's flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The victory at this battle ended Napoleon's bid for mastery of the sea, but cost Admiral Nelson his life. She had previously taken part in many major actions against Spanish and French fleets, and is now the oldest serving Royal Naval ship still in service, being the flagship of Portsmouth Command. After being restored to the same condition and appearence as she was at Trafalgar, she can now be seen in all her glory at her home in Portsmouth by visitors from all over the world. Specification 1:180 Scale Parts Included: 353 Skill Level: 3 Scheme Options: 1

A 'Cutty Sark' is a short chemise. It comes from a poem by Robbie Burns, Tam O'Shanter, when Tam, a young lad sees some witches dancing in the wood, one whom is wearing a very revealing Cutty Sark. The Cutty Sark, built in Dumbarton is the best known of all the clippers and in her hey-day was the fastest of them all. She could carry 32000 square feet of sail giving her a maximum speed of over 17 knots. Employed in the tea trade, she was used to speed the new season's crop from China to London where the crews hoped to gain the prestige of being the first back. Since 1957 she has been in dry dock in Greenwich, London, attracting visitors from around the world. This much loved ship was almost destroyed in a major fire on 21st May 2007; it's hoped she can be fully restored.

In 1625, while Sweden was busy building an empire around the Baltic Sea, the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus ordered new warships. Among them was the Wasa. On its maiden voyage in 1628, the Wasa set sail and fired a salute. But only after a few minutes of sailing the ship began to heel over. She righted herself slightly - and heeled over again and, to everyones horror and disbelief, the glorious and mighty warship suddenly sank. Specification 1:144 Scale Parts Included: 229 Skill Level: 4 Scheme Options: 1

The Golden Hind was an English galleon best known for its global circumnavigation between 1577 and 1580, captained by Sir Francis Drake, who on his return with a haul of Spanish gold and other treasures was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. The Hind was a well armed and nimble galleon, she was orginally commissioned as The Pelican and built in Deptford, London, where she was launched in 1577. She was the flagship of an expedition to explore the regions beyond South America commanded by Drake, with personnel support of Queen Elizabeth of England. Drake's mission became one less of exploration and more of piracy as he wreaked havoc against Spanish interests in the region.  Launched: 1577, Deptford, London Displacement: 300 Tons  Length: 120ft (37m) Beam: 18ft (5.5) Draft: 9ft (2.7m) Crew: 80 - 85 Armament: 22 Guns. Specification 1:72 Scale Parts Included: 109 Skill Level: 3 Scheme Options: 1

Westland Lynx HMA8/Mk.88/Mk.90B Serving both land-based and ship-based army and naval variants, the Westland Lynx performs well in a range of missions. Since 1977, the Lynx has been improved and upgraded – with the Mk8 joining the Royal Navy in the early 1990s. 1:48 Scale Highly Detailed Model Width: 265 (mm) Re-Introduction New Paint Scheme The Westland Lynx is a British multi role helicopter that has seen service in both land based army forms as well as ship based naval variants. Entering service in 1977, the Lynx has since seen many upgrades and improvements throughout its service hostory. The Mk8 naval variant entered service with the Royal Navy in the early 1990s and has since gone on to provide them with an excellent maritime attack helicopter, performing well in the anti-submarine role as well as search and rescue and more recently anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. Fiercely armed with either missiles, depth charges or a heavy machine gun the Lynx is a formidable machine and is more than capable of taking on the best of the world's surface vessels as well as any potential underwater threat. Contains Sprues Decals Designed to mount high speed maritime strike operations from the decks of Britains relatively small aircraft carriers, the Blackburn Buccaneer was a real brute of an aeroplane, built like a brick outhouse and the most capable aircraft of its type in the world it also happened to be the heaviest aircraft the Royal Navy had ever operated. Perhaps nothing illustrates the rugged, no nonsense approach to the aircrafts design philosophy than its manufacture and flight testing procedure. Constructed at Blackburns Brough facility, each completed Buccaneer was transported by road, on its own undercarriage, to the companys Holme-on-Spalding Moor airfield for flight testing, a towed journey on normal roads of around 16 miles. Although developed as a naval aeroplane, the Buccaneer was also offered to the Royal Air Force as a capable strike and reconnaissance aircraft, however, at that time, they only had eyes for the BAC TSR-2 and dismissed the Buccaneer almost out of hand. Cancellation of the TSR.2 project and a later decision not to purchase the American built General Dynamics F-111 jet led the RAF to rather reluctantly accept the Buccaneer as a Canberra replacement, with the aircraft entering squadron service some seven years after it entered service with the Navy. A subsequent order for new Buccaneers was placed for the RAF and it was decided that they would also inherit former Royal Navy aircraft, as their larger aircraft carriers were retired. Interestingly, the new aircraft ordered for the RAF would retain the folding wings and arrester hook of the original naval Buccaneers, to avoid the cost of re-development. The first Royal Air Force unit to receive the Buccaneer was No.12 Squadron at Honington in October 1969 and despite their initial misgivings, the RAF quickly learned to appreciate the many qualities of this exceptional aircraft. Capable of extremely stable flight at high speeds and low altitudes, the Buccaneer proved to be the ideal strike aircraft to keep the Warsaw Pact countries on their toes. During exercises in the US and Canada, RAF crews regularly demonstrated their bombing prowess and the capabilities of their aircraft, winning many service accolades in the process. At its peak strength in the early 1970s, the Buccaneer equipped no fewer than six RAF Squadrons, including the Operational Conversion Unit. During the twilight of the Buccaneers service career, the RAF was forced to take the aircraft to war, more than 20 years after it had entered squadron service. The Gulf War of 1991 saw strike operations moving to higher altitudes, due to the effectiveness of Iraqi anti-aircraft defences. The Tornados and Jaguars of the Royal Air Force carrying out these missions needed to increase the accuracy of their attacks and needed the support of twelve ageing Buccaneers and their laser target designation capabilities. Making a significant contribution to the success of Operation Granby, these Buccaneer Sky Pirates provided a fitting reminder of why this magnificent aircraft should be considered one of the finest achievements of the British aviation industry. Contains Sprues Decals

Restricted by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, the German Kriegsmarine exploited a loophole by designing a fleet of fast, wooden-hulled attack craft they referred to as Schnellboots. Expertly designed, these vessels were perfected over time and by the outbreak of the Second World War, they had become a devastatingly effective part of Germany’s naval strength. Powered by three diesel engines and featuring a triple rudder arrangement, Germany’s E Boats were some of the fastest warships in the world. With their low profile, high manoeuvrability and torpedo armament, if they penetrated any Allied convoy, they could destroy several vessels and make their escape before coming under return fire.

The Valiant was the first of the RAF’s V Bomber trio to enter service. The most conventional of the three designs, it was also the first to drop bombs in anger against Egyptian airfields during the Suez campaign. It was also the first RAF machine to drop a Hydrogen bomb during the Operation Grapple tests in 1957. However its career was cut short by serious problems with its rear spar, leading to fatal accidents and subsequent grounding of the fleet. Includes Sprues Decals Technical Specifications Item Length - Without Packaging (cm) - 45.6 Item Height - Without Packaging (cm) - 13.6 Item Width - Without Packaging (cm) - 48.8 How many pieces will be found in the box opened by the customer? - 142 Item Scale - 1:72 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 - 3 Wingspan (mm) - 488

A specialist variant of the Westland Sea King, the HC.4 was the Royal Navy's Commando troop carrying and resupply helicopter replacement for their Wessex HU.5 helicopters and a development of similar aircraft produced for the Egyptian and Qatari Air Forces. 42 newly built helicopters were eventually produced in this configuration, which by their nature, were never too far from any action hotspots.Deployed to combat zones right across the world during their 36-year service career, the Junglie as it was affectionately known, served with distinction from the Falklands War, through to the UK's campaign in Afghanistan. King of the Junglies Known as ‘King of the Junglies’, ZA298 was the longest serving Sea King HC.4. For over 30 years it was active in wars in the Falklands, Bosnia, Iraq and most recently Afghanistan. This latest iteration of our 1:48 scale Westland Sea King 2023 tooling includes new parts, not included in the first release. These include: Folding rotor blades and tail Undercarriage without sponsons unique to HC.4 variant New interior parts including lengthened cabin and extra seats Open/closed door option GPMG machine gun mount New cockpit detail parts Extra antenna and countermeasures detail parts to suit the HC.4’s front-line role

Arguably the most unconventional Fairey-designed aircraft to enter full production, the Gannet was developed to meet a 1945 Royal Navy requirement for an advanced carrier-based turboprop-powered anti-submarine hunter-killer. Intended to counter the recent expansion of the Soviet submarine fleet at the start of the Cold War era, the Gannet was equipped with the last electronic detection equipment and if an enemy submarine was detected, it could be marked, tracked and attacked using bombs, depth charges, rockets and air-launched acoustic torpedoes. It was a highly effective anti-submarine aircraft, able to attack submarines on the surface or submerged. One feature of the Gannet that gave it a unique appearance was its innovative Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba powerplant. This arrangement saw two gas turbine engines mounted side by side, sharing a common gearbox, but operating independently, each engine driving its own coaxially mounted, contra-rotating propeller. Another unique feature was the bi-folding wing system, designed to allow this large aircraft to be stored aboard relatively small aircraft carriers.

During the early part of the Cold War, the Handley Page (HP) Victor formed an essential part of Britain’s nuclear deterrent, carrying out long-range, low-altitude attacks. The aircraft was later transferred to an aerial refuelling role after being deemed ineffective as a strategic bomber. The Handley Page Victor B.2 remained a valuable asset to the RAF until retirement in 1993.The Handley Page (HP) Victor was a jet-powered, strategic bomber which, alongside the other 'V' bombers, the Avro Vulcan and Vickers Valiant, formed an essential part of Britain's nuclear deterrent during the early part of the Cold War. The Victor was designed to carry out long-range, low-altitude attacks, but was later relegated to an aerial refuelling role when it was no longer deemed effective as a strategic bomber. Subject to the RAF's requirements for greater tactical manoeuvrability and a higher ceiling, the B.2 variant with much more powerful Rolls Royce Conway engines was developed in 1959. Thirty-four were produced in total, of which several were later converted for reconnaissance and aerial refuelling purposes. Two RAF squadrons formed on the B.2 after it entered service in 1962, but it was soon succeeded by the B.2R, a conversion which allowed 'Blue Steel' nuclear missiles to be carried in addition to free-fall nuclear payloads. Following the introduction of submarine-launched Polaris missiles in 1969, the Victor was gradually relieved of its role as a nuclear deterrent but it remained a valuable asset to the RAF as a tanker up to its retirement in 1993.Specifications Item Length - Without Packaging (cm): 48.6 Item Height - Without Packaging (cm): 11.91 Item Width - Without Packaging (cm): 50.8 How many pieces will be found in the box opened by the customer?: 228 Item Scale: 1:72 Contents (what's in the box) sets: Sprues & decals Finish: Plastic Number of Scheme options: 2 Skill Level: 3 Flying Hours: 4 Wingspan (mm): 508

The Handley Page (HP) Victor was a jet-powered, strategic bomber which, alongside the other ‘V’ bombers, the Avro Vulcan and Vickers Valliant, formed an essential part of Britain’s nuclear deterrent during the early part of the Cold War. The Victor was designed to carry out long-range, low-altitude attacks, but was later relegated to an aerial refuelling role when it was no longer deemed effective as a strategic bomber. Subject to RAF’s requirements for greater tactical manoeuvrability and a higher ceiling, the B.2 variant with more powerful Rolls Royce Conway engines was developed in 1959. Thirty-four were produced and several were later converted for reconnaissance and aerial refuelling purposes. Two RAF squadrons formed on the B.2 after it entered service in 1962, but it was soon succeeded by the B.2R, a conversion which allowed them to carry ‘Blue Steel’ nuclear missiles in addition to free-fall nuclear payloads. Following the introduction of submarine-launched Polaris missiles in 1969, the Victor was gradually relieved of its role as a nuclear deterrent.

Avro Vulcan B.2 The Vulcan has been designed with the modeller in mind. The wings, historically in three pieces, now come in two to simplify and fortify your build. Through every step of the design process, our developers continued to keep modellers at the forefront of every choice they made. 1:72 Scale Wingspan: 470 (mm) Scheme option A - Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 XM594, The Scampton Wing From the mid 1960s, Scampton’s Vulcans gave up their iconic white anti-flash paint scheme for one which featured standard RAF camouflage on all upper surfaces, reflecting the tactical change from high to low altitude operations. Significant advances in Soviet SAM missile capability meant that Vulcan crews could no longer be expected to safely conduct their original high altitude Blue Steel delivery missions and were forced to ‘head for the deck’.  Scroll down for the paint schemes and a comprehensive list of paints needed.  Scheme option B - Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2 XM602, RAF No.12 Squadron As the massive construction hangar doors at Avro’s Woodford factory aerodrome were pushed open on 30th August 1952 and Avro Vulcan prototype VX770 was wheeled out onto the hardstanding, she must have made for an awe-inspiring sight. Looking absolutely resplendent in its all-over white ‘Anti-Flash’ paint finish and proudly wearing its Royal Air Force insignia, what the Avro engineers had managed to produce was not only the world’s first delta bomber, but also the most advanced bomber in the world at that time. Occupying a significant position in the history of post war British aviation, the Avro Vulcan was without doubt one of the most distinctive aircraft ever to take to the skies, with its huge delta wing profile becoming almost as iconic as the elliptical wing of the Supermarine Spitfire. Built to satisfy an extremely demanding Air Ministry requirement for a fast, high altitude strategic bomber, capable of carrying a special payload of 10,000 imperial pounds in weight (a nuclear device), the new aircraft was intended to serve as an airborne deterrent to any future military threat against the UK, with the required specifications representing a 100% increase in the capabilities of any previous British bomber aircraft. When the Vulcan made its maiden flight in August 1952, the Avro team were well on the way to presenting the Royal Air Force with not only the worlds first delta bomber, but also one of the worlds most effective strike bombers. Interestingly, all this was achieved just nine years since the Avro Lancasters of RAF No.617 Squadron had launched their famous raid against the great dams of the Ruhr Valley. As the Avro Vulcan entered squadron service with No.83 Squadron at RAF Waddington in July 1957, Britain now possessed the fastest nuclear capable bomber in the world. It seems strange to describe an aircraft which possessed such potential for untold destruction as Britains most effective peace keeping asset, however, that is exactly what the Vulcan turned out to be. Throughout the aggressive posturing of the Cold War, the Warsaw Pact nations were in no doubt that if they dared to launch an attack against a NATO member country, the consequences of the inevitable retaliatory strike would be catastrophic. Without Doubt, during the early years of its service career, nothing represented this doomsday scenario more effectively than the mighty Avro Vulcan. As the Royal Air Force exhaustively trained their new Vulcan crews to provide Britain with an effective Quick Reaction Alert strike force, Avro engineers were already working to improve the capabilities of their original, iconic design. In order to ensure the aircraft continued to maintain its effective deterrent threat and stayed one step ahead of advances in Easter Bloc fighter and surface-to-air missile technology, designers incorporated developments which endowed the aircraft with greater range, speed and altitude performance. The installation of more powerful versions of the Vulcans Bristol Olympus engines would result in a number of unforeseen stability issues with these first bombers, which concerned designers enough to necessitate a re-design of the original wing shape. By the time the definitive B.2 variant of the Vulcan entered service, the aircrafts wing area had increased significantly and although still classed as a delta, would look quite different from the first bombers which entered service. To cope with the increased power availability from subsequent engine upgrades and to cure the instability issues of the original straight wing design, the B.2 wing had two defined kinks in its leading edge, well forward of the profile of the original wing design. Rather than detract from the pleasing aesthetics of the early Vulcans delta wing, the B.2 actually enhanced the profile of the aircraft and even though these changes were obviously made for reasons of operational effectiveness, as opposed to appearance, the B.2 would go on to be considered the most famous (and most numerous) of all the RAFs Vulcans. The service introduction of the Vulcan B.2 in July 1960 coincided with the availability of more capable nuclear weapons for the V-bomber force, both in number and destructive potential. It would also bring about a change in thinking regarding the delivery of such weapons, as significant advances in Soviet anti-aircraft technology now threatened the success of a free-fall gravity bomb mission. A significant new weapon would have to be developed in order to maintain the deterrent threat of the Vulcan and its V-bomber partners. Developed to maintain the validity of Britain's nuclear deterrent threat, designers at Avro produced the powerful Blue Steel air-launched, nuclear stand-off missile, which would allow V-bomber crews to launch their attacks 100 miles away from their intended target and out of the range of Soviet surface-to-air missile batteries, allowing crews valuable additional time to avoid the resultant blast. Further boosting the effectiveness of the V-bomber force, the arrival of Blue Steel raised the nuclear stakes in Britains favour once more and would have caused much consternation amongst the Warsaw Pact nations. The responsibility of providing Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent passed to the submarines of the Royal Navy in July 1969 and saw the RAF performing its final V-bomber Blue Steel mission late the following year. Although taking on a more conventional strike role, RAF Vulcans would retain a nuclear capability and maintain their position as one of the worlds most effective bombers for the next fourteen years, before finally being withdrawn from service. Due to the affection in which this aircraft was held by the British public, the Vulcan Display Flight was almost immediately formed to operate one aircraft on the UK Airshow circuit for a further nine years, before itself being disbanded. To the amazement of the historic aviation world, the last flying Avro Vulcan, XH558, the aircraft which had previously served as the Vulcan Display Flight aircraft, triumphantly returned to the air once more, this time in the hands of a civilian organisation in October 2007. Over the course of the next eight years, the Vulcan thrilled millions of people around the country, becoming something of an aviation national treasure a relic of the Cold War which was held in great public affection. Includes Sprues Decals

Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C/D Designed to have exceptional low-altitude performance, the Blackburn Buccaneer was one of the most capable aircraft of its kind. A triumph for Britain’s aviation industry, the subsonic strike jet is the heaviest aircraft ever operated by the Royal Navy on an aircraft carrier.  Wingspan: 280 (mm) NEW MOULD Intake Covers & Crew Access Ladders Detailed Cockpit Engine Panel Opening Air-brake Airfix senior product designer Paramjit talks about his newest project, the Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C/D! Designed to have exceptional low-altitude performance, the Blackburn Buccaneer was one of the most capable aircraft of its kind. A triumph for Britain’s aviation industry, the subsonic strike jet is the heaviest aircraft ever operated by the Royal Navy on an aircraft carrier. A mighty naval strike aircraft which can trace its origins back to Britain's response to a massive naval expansion programme by the Soviet Navy in the 1950s and the introduction of their Sverdlov Class Cruisers, the Blackburn Buccaneer was designed to have exceptional low altitude performance and the ability to effectively neutralise this new naval threat. Required to operate from the relatively confined space aboard one of Britain's aircraft carriers, this subsonic strike jet was the most capable aircraft of its kind in the world and a real triumph for Britain's aviation industry - it also happened to be the heaviest aircraft ever operated by the Royal Navy. In order to allow its effective operation at sea, the Buccaneers design not only included the ability to fold its wings, but also the nose (radar housing) and rear speed brake could be folded back and split open respectively, allowing for more effective carrier stowage, whilst maintaining the aerodynamic integrity of the aircraft. Entering Royal Navy service in July 1962, there were no two seat trainer versions of the Buccaneer, so even though the pilot would have had the benefit of several flights as a back seat observer in the new aircraft, his first flight as pilot would therefore be his Buccaneer solo. Thankfully, the Blackburn designers included many hi-tech automated features in the Buccaneer's roomy cockpit, all of which were intended to reduce pilot workload. There is something aviation enthusiasts find particularly fascinating about the operation of aircraft at sea and the intrepid aviators who flew aeroplanes from the heaving decks of aircraft carriers under steam, particularly when aviation entered the jet age. The unforgiving nature of these operations dictated that naval aircraft had to be extremely tough, in addition to being capable of carrying out the mission for which they were required, attributes the Blackburn Buccaneer possessed in abundance.  The introduction of the S.2 variant of the aircraft in late 1965 saw a major upgrade of the Buccaneer's capabilities, but centred around the adoption of a new powerplant, the famous Rolls Royce Spey turbofan. Possessing greater thrust and increased range, the Buccaneer S.2 was an even more capable naval strike aircraft and one which must have struck fear into the hearts of every Soviet naval commander. With its increased power, the S.2 was now able to land back on its home carrier with one engine shut down if required, but still having enough thrust to safely go around again, should the aircraft fail to catch the arrestor hook. The Buccaneers of No.800 Naval Air Squadron were famously involved in the destruction of the stricken oil tanker Torrey Canyon, off Land's End in March 1967, as the government attempted to avert an environmental catastrophe by breaking open the vessel and burning its flammable cargo. Operating from RAF Brawdy, eight Buccaneers from No.800 NAS dropped 42,000 lbs of high explosive bombs on the tanker, achieving an impressive 75% success rate. Includes Sprues Decals Tech Specs Item Length - Without Packaging (cm) - 40.2 Item Height - Without Packaging (cm) - 10.31 Item Width - Without Packaging (cm) - 28 How many pieces will be found in the box opened by the customer? - 288 Item Scale - 1:48 Contents (what's in the box) sets: Sprues & decals Finish - Plastic Number of Scheme options - 4 Skill Level - 3 Flying Hours - 3 Wingspan (mm) - 280

Occupying a significant position in the history of post war British aviation, the Avro Vulcan, with its huge delta wing profile, was without doubt one of the most distinctive aircraft ever to take to the skies. Built to satisfy an extremely demanding Air Ministry requirement for a fast, high altitude strategic bomber, capable of carrying a nuclear device, the Vulcan represented a 100% increase in the capabilities of any previous British bomber aircraft. When the Vulcan made its maiden flight in August 1952, the Avro team were well on the way to presenting the Royal Air Force with not only the world’s first delta bomber, but also one of the world’s most effective strike bombers. When the Vulcan entered squadron service with No.83 Squadron at RAF Waddington in July 1957, Britain now possessed the fastest nuclear capable bomber in the world.By the time of the Falklands conflict in 1982, the venerable Avro Vulcan was facing retirement. The task of nuclear deterrent had been handed over to the Royal Navy submarines and the writing was on the wall for the distinctive delta jet, However, the Argentine invasion of the Falklands Islands meant the RAF was to call upon the ageing bomber for one more task. The Vulcan was the only aircraft capable of delivering a payload to the Island from RAF Wideawake on Ascension Island even though it would require multiple mid-air re-fuelling. The Vulcans of the last three squadrons still using the bomber (Nos 44, 50 & 101) conducted a series of raids codenamed ‘Black Buck’ between April and June, the most famous raid being ‘Black Buck One’ when XM607 managed to damage the runway at Port Stanley with one of its twenty-one bombs. This surprise attack prevented fast jets from using the airfield and was, at that time, the longest bombing raid in history.Specifications How many pieces will be found in the box opened by the customer?: 271 Item Scale: 1:72 Scale Item Length - Without Packaging (cm): 45 Item Height - Without Packaging (cm): 12 Item Width - Without Packaging (cm): 47 Finish: Plastic Number of Scheme options: 2 Skill Level: 3 Flying Hours: 4 Wingspan (mm): 470