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Description

This is an injection-plastic aircraft model kit.

Hasegawa launches a new series of Spitfires in 1/72 with the Mk.VIII.

To counter the perceived threat of German high-altitude bombers, the Spitfire Mk.VI and Mk.VII were developed. The Mk.VII was the first Spitfire to be powered by the Merlin 61 engine, and it also boasted a special extended 40-ft. wing (12.1m) as well as a pressurized cockpit. The expected bomber raids never materialized, however, and production of these two models ended with just 100 and 140 examples being built, respectively.

The Mk.VIII was in effect a derivative of the Mk.VII, but without the pressurized cockpit. Three different wings were seen on the craft, a standard type (the L.F. VIII, with a 11.2 m span), an extended-wing type (H.F. VIII, 12.1m span), and a clipped-wing type (F. VIII, 9.8m span). The plane was powered by the Me & Ccedil;rlin 61 turning a four-blade propeller (high-altitude and standard-altitude versions of the engine were also seen), and had a retractable tail wheel.

The Mk.VIII was designed to take the Merlin 61 from the start, but production of the plane did not get underway as soon as the RAF would have liked, so the new engine began to be installed in the Mk.VC to create the Mk.IX Spitfire (some existing aircraft were also retrofit). This went on to become the most-produced variant of the plane with over 5,600 being built. In the meantime, 1,658 examples of the Mk.VIII were eventually produced, and they served with distinction in Italy as well as Burma.

DATA: Crew: 1; Wingspan: 11.2m; Length: 9.54m; Height: 3.57m; Wing Area: 22.9m2; Max. Weight: 3,523kg; Engine: Merlin 61 (1,565hp); Range: 1,062km; Max. Speed: 661 kph; Fixed Armament: 4 x 7.7mm machine gun, 2 x 20mm cannon