Special Hobby Plastic Model Kit de Havilland DH.103 Sea Hornet NF Mk.21 — 1:72

Special Hobby is a Czech scale-model manufacturer known for producing aircraft subjects that are sometimes overlooked by the larger mainstream manufacturers. Its catalogue has historically included British, German, American and other military aircraft in 1:72 and larger scales.

The SH72059 boxing is a specialised representation of the naval Sea Hornet NF Mk.21, the night-fighter development of the de Havilland DH.103 Hornet. The exact EAN 8595019312333, manufacturer code 72059 and 1:72 scale are confirmed by retailer records.
Kit contents

The kit represents the radar-equipped naval night-fighter version and includes the principal components required to reproduce the aircraft in 1:72.

Documented kit features include:

Injection-moulded plastic components

Detailed cockpit/interior

Clear canopy components

Surface panel and structural detail

Parts representing the NF Mk.21 radar installation

Undercarriage and engine nacelle components

Optional weapons/external equipment

Decals and assembly instructions

The kit is supplied as a conventional unassembled and unpainted plastic model; modelling adhesive and paints are not included. Plastmodel describes it as a detailed 1:72 kit with cockpit components, surface detail, movable/open cockpit-canopy options and alternative armament components.
History of the full-size aircraft

The de Havilland DH.103 Hornet was a British twin-engine fighter developed during the latter part of the Second World War. Although its appearance can suggest a relationship with the famous de Havilland Mosquito, the Hornet was a new design rather than a direct development of the Mosquito. Its design work began in 1942, initially as a private de Havilland project.

The requirement was strongly influenced by operations in the Far East, where a fighter needed a combination of high speed, long range and good manoeuvrability. These requirements led to an unusually streamlined, lightweight twin-engine aircraft.

The prototype first flew in July 1944. Production followed before the end of the war, with the first operational aircraft being delivered to frontline units on 28 February 1945. The aircraft was powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin 130/131 engines, each producing approximately 2,030 hp. The engines rotated in opposite directions, helping to reduce torque effects and improving handling during take-off and landing.

The Hornet was heavily armed, with four 20 mm Hispano cannon mounted in the nose. It could also carry bombs and rockets for ground-attack missions. Its combination of powerful engines, relatively light construction and aerodynamic efficiency gave it a high maximum speed of approximately 760 km/h (472 mph).
From Hornet to Sea Hornet

A navalised version was developed as the Sea Hornet for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. The naval aircraft incorporated the equipment and structural modifications necessary for carrier operation.

The Sea Hornet entered service as the Sea Hornet F.20, with 76 aircraft produced according to the retailer's historical reference material. It retained the two Merlin engines and the basic high-performance characteristics of the land-based Hornet.

The NF Mk.21 represented the night-fighter development. Its principal distinguishing feature was the installation of an AI radar system, allowing the aircraft to locate and engage targets in darkness and poor visibility.

The radar-equipped Sea Hornet consequently combined the high speed and range of the Hornet with an all-weather interception role. The radar equipment altered the aircraft's appearance, particularly around the forward fuselage, making the NF.21 readily distinguishable from the standard fighter versions.

The type belonged to the transitional period between the Second World War's piston-engine fighters and the first generation of operational jet fighters. Sea Hornets therefore saw service during the early Cold War, when increasingly capable jet aircraft were rapidly replacing high-performance piston aircraft. The Sea Hornet remained in service into the early-to-mid 1950s.

Approximately 350 Hornets of all versions were produced, and the last examples were withdrawn from service in 1956.