WWII Spitfire MK2 - 71" ARF Nitro Gas R/C Airplane (Radio Control)

BRAND NEW IN BOX kit of the first Spitfires (Mk2s) ARF. This kit is complete and 100% Guaranteed Factory Fresh! This kit is 100% Scale to the real plane.

The Spitfire is a real beauty. Anyone who likes the war birds is bound to love this airplane. The kit includes a fiberglass fuselage, and is painted with in a dark brown and gray scheme.. The wings are built up and covered with Solortex cloth covering and painted. All control surfaces have beveled leading edges and the control horn mounts are preinstalled. The leading edge of the wing is pre-shaped. Completely workable flaps are also built into this kit. This kit can be fitted with either fix landing gear or 90 degree rotating retracts.

The first "unofficial" Spitfire was a total failure. Its designer, Reginald Mitchell named the first prototype the "Shrew". His original design was a low cranked monoplane with a fixed undercarriage, all metal with an open cockpit and 2 machine guns mounted in the forward fuselage sides and 2 wing mounted machine guns, all synchronised to fire through the propeller arc. Designated the Type 224, it flew for the first time on 19 February 1934 in the hands of Vickers Chief Test Pilot "Mutt" Summers. Originally designed to meet the Air Ministry's demands for a new generation of fighter, the specifications were issued by the Air Ministry in 1931, specification number F7/30 and was designed around the open cockpit twin gunned aircraft of the day. The performance of this aircraft was much lower than anticipated, the cooling system failed on a regular basis. On this basis, Reginald Mitchell's designs were turned down.

Mitchell persevered and developed his original plans further by designing the fighter with thinner elliptical wings, a smaller span and a faired cockpit with a perspex cover. This became the Type 300. With a new engine, the Rolls Royce Merlin 27 litre PV-12 and the Air Ministry then issued a contract on 3 January 1935. By March of 1936 the prototype, K5054 completed its ground trials and so was ready to go on its first flight. This prototype cost ?4,637 and flew for the first time on 5 March 1936 which lasted just 8 minutes from 1635 hrs from Eastleigh. "Mutt" Summers was the pilot and, when he landed, he told the ground crew of "no problems" and "I don't want anything touched". The first official Spitfire was born. This was derived from the Supermarine S6, (below) which won the Schneider Trophy in 1934.

The first 77 Spitfires (Mk2s) had only a two bladed, fixed pitch propeller. The remainder were three bladed, two position propellers. Fine pitch for take off and course pitch for cruising. Later these were also fitted to the earlier 77 Spits. The original flat canopy was replaced by the more famous domed or bulged version to accommodate the taller pilot. Other early improvements included armour plated windscreen and 6mm armoured panels on the rear of the engine bulkhead, also behind the pilot. Guns were found to freeze at high altitudes, therefore heating was also fitted to the guns. Originally the armament was 8 Browning .303 machine guns but in June 1939, 2 Hispano cannons were fitted to one Spitfire for trials. But, as the wings were too flexible, this caused them to jam. Engineers were tasked to solve this problem. The Hispano cannon being originally designed to be body mounted. The closed cockpit also caused many pilots to feel somewhat claustrophobic, being used to open cockpits, some leaving it fully open! Also pilots were still unfamiliar with retracting undercarriages, and accidents were caused by forgetting to lower the undercarriage on landing.