Fairey Firefly Mk. I

Plastic model kit to build a British Fairey Firefly Mk.1 fighter aircraft

• Scale 1:48
• Dimensions (built): length 236.5mm / wingspan 282mm
• 100+ parts
• Clear and photo-etched parts included
• Fuselage and wings with finely engraved panel lines
• Not built, not painted
• Paint and glue not included

The Fairey Firefly is a British two-seat naval attack fighter that saw active service in World War II and the Korean War. The prototype was designed and built by Fairey Aviation Company Ltd. and first flew on 22 December 1941. Delivery of the Firefly Mark I began in March 1943. The aircraft were assigned to 1770 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, and embarked on the new Fleet Aircraft Carrier HMS Indefatigable in 1944. The Firefly's first action was against the German battleship Tirpitz in July 1944 while it was anchored in a Norwegian fjord.

• Engine: Rolls-Royce Griffon V12 IIB (1,730 hp) or XII (1,900 hp).
• Wingspan 44 ft 6 in (13.56 m), length 37 ft 7 in (11.46 m)
• maximum speed 315 mph.

Armament consisted of four wing-mounted Hispano-Suiza HS.404 20 mm autocannons and underwing stores consisted of 16 x 3 in 60 lb rocket shells or 2 x 1,000 lb bombs.

Firefly remained in Fleet Air Arm service until 1956 when it was replaced by the Fairey Gannet. Various foreign naval forces used modified Firefly as target tugs and target drones until around 1962.