Kotare K32004 1/32 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I Early Fighter

Features
- 155 high-quality injection moulded plastic parts
- 35cm wingspan
- New tooled early production parts include non-armoured canopies with flat and raised hoods with open and closed options, exposed fuel tank, original style non-trimmed cowlings, 2-blade propeller, open & closed "ring-pull" cockpit doors, ring & bead sights, aerial mast, gun flash eliminators, anti-spin parachute guard, external Type 22 camera gun, dual tube pitot head, early style exhaust manifolds and instrument panel
- Optional pilot's seats with and without Sutton Type K harness detail
- 28 page fully illustrated instruction manual
- Hand pump undercarriage retraction and wheel well jack detail
- Wheels with weighted tyres featuring correct alignment
- High quality Cartograf decals for 3 early production Spitfire Mk.I.

Early production Spitfire Mk.I in the K9### & L10## (up to L1094) serial number range (completed between May 1938 and September 1939 and featured in this model), were initially powered by a 1030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin II engine and featured a 2-blade fixed pitch propeller, 8 Browning .303" machine guns, triple ejector nozzle outlet exhaust manifolds, a tall un-tapered aerial mast and a rear fuselage adorned with lapped panels with raised rivets for ease of construction. The main planes and front of the fuselage were flush riveted and puttied and sanded smooth for improved performance. Numerous improvements were introduced throughout production, many of which were eventually retrofitted to earlier aircraft which included gun heating, Rolls-Royce Merlin III engine, 3-blade dual-pitch DeHavilland propeller, exhaust manifolds of simplified construction, single tube pitot head, reflector gun sight and a taller canopy hood for improved visibility.

Spitfire Mk.I colour schemes are surprisingly varied and complicated. Interior areas were primed with light grey before being painted aluminium, except for the cockpit between frames 8 & 11 which was painted in a colour described as "Supermarine green" and "apple green". Note that this is different from the paler, greyer, "Grey Green" (of which various colour mixes have additionally been noted) used on later production Spitfires built by other manufacturers. Major internal components supplied by sub-contractors could be delivered in various shades of grey-green or aluminium or even black.

The underside paint finish varied greatly throughout Mk.I production and service, initially being painted aluminium until late April 1939 when the port side was painted Night (black) and the starboard white (split along the centreline). Then from late February 1940, supposedly all "white" except for the port main plane (only) which was Night, although photographic evidence indicates that the undersides of the nose, rear fuselage and tailplane were usually painted with aluminium. From June 1940 the undersides were supposed to be painted "Sky Type S duck egg bluish green" but sky grey and sky blue also appear to have been used and then from November 1940 the port main plane (only) was again finished in Night. Aircraft were re-painted in various interpretations of these specifications in the field as time and supplies of paint (including local mixes) allowed, which ensured that a wide variety of finishes were possible.