1/72 F-5A Freedom Fighter (ITA/REV)The Northrop F-5 is a single-seat, twin-engine, jet-powered, low-wing monoplane light fighter aircraft developed by the U.S. aviation company Northrop Corporation in the late 1950s.The first production version, the F-5A, which entered service in the 1960s was designated the 'Freedom Fighter' (literally freedom fighter in English), while its improved F-5E version was renamed the 'Tiger II'. In the 1980s a further version of the F-5 was developed, the F-5G or F-20 Tigershark, which, however, finding no takers remained at the prototype stage.
1/72 Wheel bay cover for P-39 Airacobra (ARMA H.)The Bell P-39 Airacobra was a single-engine, low-wing monoplane fighter aircraft developed by the U.S. Bell Aircraft Corporation in the second half of the 1930s. It was the first fighter aircraft in the world to have tricycle undercarriage and the first to have the engine installed in the center of the fuselage, behind the pilot's back.Produced in just over 9,500 examples, it is remembered, however, for being one of the most controversial combat aircraft employed by the U.S. during World War II. Conditioned by the inadequate performance of its thruster at high altitudes, in the European and Pacific theaters it found itself outclassed in the interceptor role and was gradually relegated to secondary duties.Rejected by the British RAF after only one combat mission, it was, on the contrary, particularly appreciated in the ranks of the Voenno-vozdušnye sily, the air force of the Soviet Union, which received almost half of the production, thanks to the "Rent and Loan Law," and employed it, mainly at low altitudes, both in ground attack actions and as a pure fighter and interceptor of enemy bombers and fighter-bombers. And it was precisely a Soviet Airacobra that was the last plane shot down by the Luftwaffe and achieved the last air victory of World War II in Europe.In the course of the conflict some examples were assigned to the air forces of other Allied countries (Australia and France) and to the Kingdom of Italy as a co-belligerent country after the events of September 8, 1943.
1/72 Heinkel He 162 'Salamander'The Heinkel He 162 "Salamander," also called the Volksjäger (translated from the German People's Fighter) after the creation of the Volkssturm, was a single-engine jet fighter produced by the German company Heinkel Flugzeugwerke AG and employed by the Luftwaffe during the latter stages of World War II.Introduced by this time when German technological resources were compromised by the outcome of the Allied counteroffensive, the He 162, while (in theory) technologically advanced and having superior performance to its role peers of the time did not prove decisive in subverting the outcomes of the conflict. Although made of non-strategic materials it was nevertheless the fastest of both the Axis and Allied first-generation jet fighters. Volksjäger was the official name of the He 162 assigned by the RLM. Other names by which it is known are Salamander, which was the code name for its construction program, and Spatz ("sparrow"), which was the name given by the manufacturer. It should be added that, as in a few other cases, the difference between theory and practice was obvious: when the French Armée del Air used 5 aircraft after the war (it was the first jet plane of the French Air Force) they found few surprises in the flight behavior, but also apparently much lower performance than the Germans had theoretically estimated: 550-610 kmh just, with ascent to 4,000 m in seven minutes, while finally the range was about 38 minutes. It was a relatively easy aircraft to fly but with poor stability, and takeoff distances of 1,200 and even 2,000 m. The engine tended to shut down with sharp maneuvers and dives. Testing took place until January 1949. The Heinkel fighter was evaluated as a machine of little wartime value (besides which it was very fragile when hit by flak or enemy fighters because of its partly wooden structure), but it was valuable as experience on jets that the French could carry out in the immediate postwar period, helping to fill the accumulated deficit in that advanced sector.
1/72 Canopy mask Gloster Meteor (AIRFIX)The Gloster Meteor was a twin-engine, straight-wing fighter jet produced by the British Gloster Aircraft Company in the 1940s.The first British jet to enter operational service and the second worldwide, the Meteor was used for about 15 years by the airforces of dozens of nations.The armament consisted of four 20-mm Hispano guns. Propulsion was provided by two jet engines installed on the straight wing. Speed was between 668 and 950 km/h depending on the models, two of which appeared in wartime. Despite its traditional design and considerable size, it fought in various regional conflicts until at least 1956 and achieved several firsts and a world speed record. On November 7, 1945, Captain H.J. Wilson achieved the first speed record for a jet aircraft, flying at a speed of 975 km/h at Herne Bay in Kent, England. When it was superseded as a fighter, it found use as a fighter-bomber and especially as a two-seat night fighter, equipped with radar in the nose, as well as a trainer.
1/48 Canopy mask Re.2000 GA Series III (SP.H.)The Reggiane Re.2000, also known, unofficially, as the "Falco," was a single-engine, low-wing, monoplane, single-seat fighter aircraft developed by the Italian aeronautical company Officine Meccaniche Reggiane in the late 1930s.The first design produced on its own by the Emilian company, controlled by Caproni SpA, it found marginal use in the Regia Aeronautica in the early part of World War II. The aircraft was commercially successful mainly abroad: sold in Sweden and Hungary (in the latter country it was also built under license), it was used by the relevant air forces, which named it J 20 and Héja, respectively.
1/48 Canopy mask Bristol Beaufort (ICM)The Bristol Beaufort was a twin-engine, medium-winged aerosailor produced by the British Bristol Aeroplane Company in the late 1930s and early 1940s.Adopted by the air forces of several countries belonging to the British Commonwealth, it was mainly used during World War II.
1/72 Beagle Basset 206 (AIRFIX)The Beagle B.206 is a light, twin-engine airplane by British manufacturer Beagle Aircraft from the 1960s. The military version received the designation Beagle Basset CC.1.Beagle B.206 is based on the Bristol 220, a canceled design from the 1950s. Design work began in 1960. On August 15, 1961, the prototype B.206X (G-ARRM registration) completed its maiden flight. The all-metal, low-wing aircraft had five seats and was powered by two Continental O-470 boxer engines, each with 195 kW of power. The prototype was smaller than later mass-produced aircraft and had a wingspan of 11.58 m a takeoff weight of 2862 kg.The second prototype B.206Y (G-ARXM) was designed for seven people. The first flight of this aircraft, which had two 230 kW GIO 470 engines, took place on August 12, 1962. The prototype was lost on May 25, 1964 in a plane crash.The Ministry of Aviation then ordered two pre-series models and delivered them to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment. B.206Z1 (marks XS742) was built at Shoreham-by-Sea and first flew on January 24, 1964. B.206Z2 (marks XS743) was manufactured at Rearsby and took off on Feb. 20 for its first flight. The wing was made by Boulton Paul Aircraft. This version served as a prototype for the B.206 1 series (also called B.206R).Twenty aircraft were sold as Beagle Basset CC.1 to the Royal Air Force as transport and liaison aircraft and were delivered by May 1965, after the first flight had taken place on December 24, 1964. The cabin door on these aircraft was accessible through the wing. Eleven other examples went to civilian customers.The prototype of the more powerful Series 2 made its maiden flight on June 23, 1965. This version had GTSIO520 engines and was also equipped with a hatch behind the wings, which made it easier to climb, descend and load. The 47 aircraft built were used as an air cab and as a transport plane, among other things. Two models were sold to the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia.The last version was the Series 3, with an elongated fuselage and ten passenger seats; only three were built. Subsequently, production of the B.206 ended in favor of the more successful Beagle B.121. Until 1969, 85 B.206s were built.