Hasegawa Plastic Model Kit Hasegawa Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb ST2 — 1:32

Manufacturer

Hasegawa is a major Japanese scale-model manufacturer, particularly renowned for aircraft kits. The company has produced numerous large-scale aircraft subjects, including several versions of the Spitfire.

Kit 08052/ST2 belongs to Hasegawa's long-running 1:32 Spitfire family. The same basic tooling has appeared under several Hasegawa catalogue numbers and boxings over the years. The 08052 version is specifically identified as the Spitfire Mk.Vb.

This is an older-generation Hasegawa 1:32 kit. Its tooling has considerable historical interest among large-scale aircraft modellers; one experienced modeller described building the Hasegawa 1:32 Spitfire Mk.Vb as far back as 1976, illustrating how long this tooling family has been part of the modelling scene.
Kit contents

The kit provides the major components required to construct a 1:32 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb, including:

Fuselage halves

Cockpit interior

Pilot's seat

Instrument panel

Cockpit sidewall details

Control column and cockpit fittings

Merlin engine representation

Engine/cowling components

Propeller

Main wings

Lower wing structure

Tailplanes

Rudder

Main landing gear

Tailwheel

Wheel-well components

Radiator and oil-cooler components

Exhausts

Clear canopy components

Machine-gun/cannon armament details

External stores appropriate to the boxing

Decals

Assembly instructions

The kit is conventional injection-moulded plastic and requires modelling cement, paints and finishing materials.

The Large Scale Planes database confirms that 08052 is injection moulded and 1:32 scale.
The full-size Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire was one of Britain's most important fighter aircraft of the Second World War.

Designed by Reginald J. Mitchell and his team at Supermarine, the Spitfire evolved from a series of racing seaplanes and high-performance fighters developed during the 1920s and 1930s.

The prototype Spitfire, K5054, first flew on 5 March 1936.

Its combination of an advanced elliptical wing, lightweight construction and powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine gave it excellent performance and made it one of the most recognisable aircraft in aviation history.
Development of the Mk.V

The Spitfire Mk.V was developed as an interim solution while more powerful versions of the Spitfire were being developed.

The Mk.V essentially combined the Mk.II airframe with the more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 and related engines.

This allowed production to continue while Supermarine developed later variants such as the Mk.VI, Mk.VII and Mk.IX.

The Mk.V entered service in 1941 and became one of the most numerous Spitfire variants.
Spitfire Mk.Vb

The Mk.Vb was one of the principal Mk.V variants.

Its "b" wing incorporated the Type B armament arrangement, normally consisting of:

2 × 20 mm Hispano cannon

4 × .303-inch Browning machine guns

This represented a substantial improvement over the earlier eight-gun arrangement and provided the Spitfire with significantly greater hitting power against fighters, bombers and ground targets.
The Merlin engine

The Mk.Vb was primarily powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin 45, a 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled V-12 engine producing approximately 1,440 hp.

Later Mk.V aircraft used other Merlin variants, including the Merlin 46 and Merlin 50 series.

The Merlin's compact dimensions and high power-to-weight ratio were fundamental to the Spitfire's performance.
Performance

Representative Spitfire Mk.Vb specifications include:

Crew: 1

Engine: Rolls-Royce Merlin 45

Power: approximately 1,440 hp

Maximum speed: approximately 370 mph / 595 km/h

Service ceiling: approximately 36,500 ft / 11,125 m

Range: approximately 470 miles / 756 km, depending on configuration

Wingspan: 36 ft 10 in / 11.23 m

Length: approximately 29 ft 11 in / 9.12 m

Armament: 2 × 20 mm cannon and 4 × .303-in machine guns

Performance varied between individual aircraft, engine versions, altitude and external equipment.
Combat history

The Mk.V entered service at a critical point in the war.

By 1941, the Luftwaffe had introduced the Messerschmitt Bf 109F, which was faster and more advanced than earlier Bf 109 variants.

The Spitfire Mk.V was therefore developed partly to restore the RAF's fighter performance against the latest German aircraft.

The Mk.V became heavily involved in operations over Britain, France, the Mediterranean and North Africa.
North Africa and the Mediterranean

Large numbers of Mk.Vs served in the Mediterranean theatre.

The aircraft operated from Malta, North Africa and other bases, where it fought German and Italian aircraft and provided fighter protection for Allied operations.

The tropicalised Mk.V had additional equipment to cope with the harsh conditions of North Africa and the Mediterranean.

The Spitfire's presence on Malta became particularly important during the Axis siege of the island.
Malta

Spitfires were among the principal fighters defending Malta.

Mk.V aircraft were flown against German and Italian forces attacking the island and its shipping routes.

The island's Spitfires were supplied by aircraft carriers and other means, creating the famous reinforcement operations that kept Malta's fighter force operational.

The Mk.V therefore has an especially strong association with the aerial defence of Malta in 1942.
Eastern Front

A number of Spitfire Mk.V aircraft were supplied to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease.

Soviet pilots operated the aircraft on the Eastern Front, where it was used primarily as a fighter and interceptor.

These aircraft were generally Mk.Vb examples, giving the type a surprisingly broad international combat history.
Pacific and Far East

Spitfire Mk.Vs also served in the Far East.

British and Commonwealth forces encountered Japanese aircraft in Burma and other areas.

The tropical environment presented major challenges for the Spitfire, including engine cooling and logistical difficulties, but the aircraft nevertheless provided an important modern fighter capability.
Fighter-bomber operations

The Mk.V was increasingly used in the fighter-bomber role.

The aircraft could carry bombs beneath the wings and was used for attacks against:

Vehicles

Railways

Airfields

Supply dumps

Troop concentrations

Shipping

These aircraft were sometimes referred to as "bomb Spitfires" or fighter-bombers.

The combination of cannon armament and external bombs made the Mk.Vb considerably more versatile than a pure air-superiority fighter.
Replacement by the Mk.IX

The appearance of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190A created a serious performance challenge for the Mk.V.

The RAF responded by rapidly developing the Spitfire Mk.IX, which used the more powerful Merlin 61 with a two-stage, two-speed supercharger.

The Mk.IX restored the Spitfire's performance advantage against the Fw 190 and later Bf 109 variants.

Despite this, the Mk.V remained in extensive service because of the enormous number produced and the time required to replace the fleet.
Production

The Spitfire Mk.V was produced in very large numbers.

More than 6,000 Mk.V aircraft were constructed, making it one of the most numerous Spitfire variants.

Production involved Supermarine as well as several shadow factories and other manufacturers.

The type's extensive production and long service life explain why the Mk.V appeared in so many theatres and national markings.
Historical significance

The Mk.Vb represents a particularly important stage in Spitfire development.

It was effectively the aircraft that carried the Spitfire through the transition from the early-war Battle of Britain era into the much broader global air war of 1941–43.

It served against German, Italian and Japanese aircraft and was operated by numerous Allied air forces.

The combination of the Merlin engine, elliptical wing and Type B armament made the Mk.Vb one of the classic configurations of the Spitfire.