British fighter aircraft Supermarine Spitfire MK. XVI Bubbletop COBI 5865 - World War II 1:48

You know that:

• The designer, Reginald J. Mitchell, began work on a new fighter to RAF specifications as early as 1931.
• Eventually, after many modifications, perhaps the most famous fighter of the Second World War was produced, but the Hawker Hurricane was still the most numerous machine in the RAF's arsenal.
• The very first Spitfire was commissioned on 4 August 1938 into service with 19 RAF Fighter Squadron.
• For the first time, a pilot had to swear that he would not forget to extend the landing gear when landing, something that pilots were not accustomed to with the older machines.
• The Spitfire aircraft featured the first ever use of recessed rivets to maintain the low profile of the wings and many other technologies that were mored at the time.
• The German planes were also very good, but they lacked one essential thing, namely the extremely reliable and powerful legendary Rolls-Royce engine.
• The Bubbletop machines were given a drop-shaped cockpit cover for better pilot visibility.
• Pilots initially rejected the new cockpit shape, but mission experience proved the benefits of this design. In total, more than 24 versions of the Mk.XVI Bubbletop were produced, with a total of 1,211 units produced.
• 60 airworthy machines are still in service today.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: wingspan 9.9 m, length 9.5 m, height 4.25 m
• empty weight 2297 kg, maximum take-off weight 3400 kg
• power unit liquid-cooled twelve-cylinder Rolls-Royce Merlin 266 with an output of 1 160 kW
• three-bladed propeller with a diameter of 3,29 m
• maximum speed 645 km/h
• climb speed 20 m/s
• fuel tank capacity 386 l
• maximum flight level 12 650 m
• range 1575 km, maximum 1842 km
• armament 2x Hispano Mk.II 20 mm calibre +4x Browning machine gun 12.7 mm calibre

Pilot RAF Michael Harris:

"I don't know what to say. The Bubbletop was the best plane you could see in the sky."