The Spitfire is the most famous British aircraft of all time. Although less numerous than the Hawker Hurricane, it is remembered as the sleek, thoroughbred fighting machine that turned the tide during the Battle of Britain. The Spitfire was among the fastest and most maneuverable prop-driven fighters of World War II, serving in virtually every combat theater.

Supermarine designer Reginald Mitchell created this small, graceful, elliptical-wing fighter with eight guns in the wings that were able to fire without being hindered by the propeller. The immortal Spitfire thus became not merely one of the best-performing fighters of all time, but also one of the best-looking. Although never employed as a long-range escort, the Spitfire was a champion in an air-to-air duel. Spitfires routinely dived at the speed of sound, faster than any of the German jets.

A carrier-based version, called the Seafire, was a winner in its own right, serving valiantly on convoy routes during World War II. The Seafire 47 was even used in the early stages of the Korean War, before it was replaced by more modern jet aircraft.

Pictured here is a 1:48 scale replica of a RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XIV fighter that was piloted by Wing Commander Colin Gray, then attached to Lympne Wing, which was deployed to Lympne, England, during October 1944. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 9-inches
Length: 7-1/2-inches

Release Date: December 2023

Historical Account: "Earl Gray" - Colin Gray's acting rank of squadron leader was made substantive on September 1st, 1943, and shortly afterwards he relinquished command of No.322 Wing and was sent to Cairo to take up special duties at the headquarters of the RAF Middle East Command. In October, he returned to England and took up a staff post with No.9 Group headquarters before taking command of No.2 Combat Training Wing, based at Balado Bridge in Scotland. He was presented with his DSO by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on November 9th. Alan Deere, Gray's compatriot from his days at No.54 Squadron, was present at the investiture as he was also receiving the DSO. At the same time, an award of a second Bar to Gray's DFC was announced. Gray only found out about this award when he read about it in a newspaper a few days later.

At the end of 1943, Gray was moved to another training role, this time with No.61 Operational Training Unit at Rednal. He remained here until June 1944, when he became commander of the Spitfire Wing at the Fighter Leader's School based at Millfield. Within a few months, he was appointed commander of the Lympne Wing, which carried out offensive operations and escort missions to France and the occupied Netherlands. In September, his wing supported the airborne operations during the Battle of Arnhem. The next month he returned to Buckingham Palace to be presented with the second DFC Bar that he had been awarded the previous November.

In January 1945, Gray attended a senior commander's course at RAF Cranwell before taking command of the RAF station at Skeabrae in the Orkney Islands. According to Gray in his memoirs, the main role of the Spitfire squadron based there was to protect the Royal Navy base at Scapa Flow. In April, his commission in the RAF was made permanent, with Gray holding the rank of squadron leader.

Gray finished the war with 27 confirmed enemy aircraft destroyed, a half share in another destroyed, seven probably destroyed with half shares in four others, and 12 damaged. The top New Zealand fighter ace of the Second World War, he had recorded well over 600 hours of operational flying during the course of the conflict.