During the early war years when the RAF were desperate for additional modern fighter types, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation of America supplied them with export versions of their new P-40B fighter, a capable performer at lower altitudes. 

The Desert Air Force adorned their aircraft with fearsome shark mouths, making these some of the most famous aircraft of the entire war.

This eye-catching military aircraft is now available in plastic model kit form, bringing you building joy in 1:72 scale.

The North American P51 Mustang is viewed as one of the iconic American fighters of the Second World War. Designed to an RAF specification, the Mustang was transformed once the Rolls Royce Merlin engine was installed. 

Its long range and excellent firepower made it a superb escort fighter, able to protect the bombers all the way to Berlin and back. After the war, the P51 saw service in Korea and was used by some air arms up until the early 1980s.

When the Japanese Zero first entered service in 1940, it was without doubt the most advanced naval fighter in the world and quickly earned a reputation as a ruthless dogfighter. In early engagements, the Zero proved so effective that pilots were able to post an almost unbelievable victory ratio of 12 to 1 against their adversaries.

As the Wehrmacht began its march across Europe in 1940, little attention was being given to developments in the Far East. Following years of re-arming and upgrading, the Japanese Navy could boast some of the most advanced naval aircraft in the world within its inventory, including the superb Mitsubishi A6M Zero.

This long range Naval fighter would be at the forefront of Japan's expansionist ambitions throughout WWII and in the early war years, proved to be unequalled in the Pacific region. 

The Zero also quickly earned a reputation as a dogfighter and Allied pilots quickly learned to avoid a slow, turning fight with this beautifully balanced aircraft. American pilots soon developed tactics that avoided playing into the hands of the Zero and began to score victories. 

As newer fighters began to enter service, the A6M Zero began to show its weaknesses, which were a lack of armour protection for the pilot and no self-sealing fuel tanks in the wing. Using their boom and zoom hit and run tactics, the Americans finally began to get the measure of the feared Zero.

One of the classic British fighting aeroplanes of the Great War, the Pup was originally called the Sopwith Scout. However, as it was significantly smaller than its predecessor, the Sopwith 1½ Strutter, pilots almost immediately referred to it as the ‘Pup’. 

Entering combat service towards the end of 1916, the Pup was an excellent dogfighter, possessing incredible manoeuvrability and allowing the Allies to wrestle a period of hard-fought supremacy over the Luftstreitkräfte. 

Despite the single Vickers .303in machine gun being too light for modern aerial combat, almost 1800 of these diminutive fighters were built.

One of the most important early British aircraft of the 20th century, the Avro 504 series was the most heavily produced aircraft to serve in a military capacity during the First World War, with the ‘K’ variant becoming the standard training aircraft for the Royal Air Force. 

Many would remain in service well into the 1930s, with the type enjoying an impressive 28 year service career. 

This 1:72 scale model kit allows you to build your own Avro 504k, recreating our Vintage Classics design from yesteryear.

Unquestionably one of the most elegant aircraft of the Second World War, the Mitsubishi Ki-46 (Allied reporting name ‘Dinah’) was a high-performance reconnaissance aircraft which was later pressed into service as both an interceptor and strike attack platform. 

It was claimed that the Luftwaffe were so impressed with the Ki-46 that they attempted to secure manufacturing rights for it during the war. 

We now have manufacturing rights for the model kit version, so that you can make your own 1:72 scale Mitsubishi Ki-46-II on your workbench.

An aircraft which may look relatively innocuous but was actually an effective airborne warrior, the Douglas SBD Dauntless was the scourge of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the aircraft which allowed the US Navy to strike back after the Pearl Harbor attack. 

Sinking more Japanese shipping than any other aircraft during the Second World War, the Dauntless also claimed a great many Japanese aircraft destroyed in aerial combat during the Pacific war. 

This 1:72 model kit from our Vintage Classics range allows you to build your own Dauntless aircraft.

First flying in 1939, the Focke-Wulf FW190 was an immediate threat to RAF fighters when introduced in late 1941, being faster and more manoeuvrable than the Spitfire V then in service. 

The F-8 was the ground-attack version and differed primarily in its lack of outboard cannons. Various combinations of underwing weapons were fitted, but the most common was one centreline bomb and four small bombs on the wings. 

The A-8 version was the most numerous, heavily armed variant and entered service in 1944 in an attempt to stop Allied daylight raids. By then, however, the new Allied fighters had begun to outclass it.

Rugged and extremely reliable, when the US Navy began fighting back in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack, it was the diminutive F4F Wildcat which protected US carriers and cleared the skies of Japanese aircraft. American pilots learned not to dogfight with the agile Mitsubishi Zero, allowing the rugged Wildcat to hold the line in the Pacific until the exceptional F6F Hellcat could be introduced. 

Bring the Wildcat to your workbench with this incredible 1:72 scale aircraft model kit.

As a thoroughbred of the aviation world, the Supermarine Spitfire underwent constant development throughout WWII, with new versions of the fighter never too far away from joining RAF squadrons. 

The aircraft which fought the Battle of Britain were scheduled to undergo significant upgrade, however, whilst still in development, the Luftwaffe introduced their latest variant of Bf 109 fighter, one which was shooting down Spitfires in large numbers - urgent action was needed. 

The Spitfire Mk.V was effectively an upgraded Mk.II airframe, fitted with the latest version of Merlin engine, one which gave the aircraft greater high altitude performance and this variant would eventually equip more than 140 RAF Squadrons.

An aircraft which has to be considered one of the finest aeroplanes of the Second World War, the Hawker Tempest V could trace its design lineage back to the Hurricane fighters which proved so decisive during the Battle of Britain only two years earlier, but would represent the absolute zenith of piston engined fighter design. Indeed, when accomplished designer Sydney Camm was looking to produce his '˜Super Hurricane'™ replacement for the aviation saviour of the Battle of Britain, the aircraft he surely had in mind was the Tempest V. As it was, the Tempest is often confused with its predecessor in Royal Air Force service, the Typhoon, even though the two are very different aeroplanes. 

The original fighter replacement for the Hawker Hurricane was the Typhoon, an aircraft which attempted to combine the most powerful piston engine available at the time with a small, yet strong and heavily armed airframe. Although intended as an interceptor fighter, it became apparent during development that the new aircraft would not be able to fulfil this role, as the thickness of the wing was not conducive to high performance at high altitude. In fact, the Typhoon would endure quite a troubled development and service introduction, to the point where cancellation of the programme was seriously considered at one time. Nevertheless, the Typhoon would eventually go on to find its aviation niche as a hard-hitting ground attack aircraft and one which would come into its own during the time of the Allied invasion of Normandy. 

Aware that their Typhoon had great potential but was in need of improvement, the Hawker design team started work on a new fighter project, one which incorporated many of the same philosophies as Typhoon, but also, several significant modifications. Indeed, the new aircraft was initially referred to as the Typhoon Mark II, but this was changed to Tempest as the prototype aircraft'™s first flight approached. Although this was still a big aeroplane for a single engined fighter, its airframe was light and it would be powered by the massively powerful 24 cylinder Napier Sabre engine, a powerplant which would give the new fighter spectacular performance. Making its first flight on 2nd September 1942, the new Hawker Tempest featured a newly designed laminar flow wing, which was much thinner than the wing used on its predecessor and allowed the new fighter to slip through the air at incredible speed. 

At first glance, the Typhoon and Tempest do share many similarities, however, if you know where to look, it is not difficult to tell them apart. Without doubt, the wing is the most obvious distinguishing feature, as not only is this thinner than the one used on the Typhoon, it is also a completely different shape. With a straighter leading edge and more elliptical trailing edge, the Tempest'™s wing was designed for speed, even though it could still be used effectively in a ground attack role. Other Tempest design differences include a slightly longer nose and a tail section which appears to be much larger, with a more generous vertical stabiliser which features a pronounced dorsal fillet. During the prototype aircraft'™s maiden flight, it posted an impressive top speed of 477 mph in level flight, impressing both the design team and the watching Air Ministry. 

The Hawker Tempest V entered Royal Air Force service in early 1944, with the first two squadrons to receive the type having both previously operated the Typhoon. It was thought that managing the incredible power generated by the Tempest'™s engine could pose problems for pilots converting from smaller aircraft types and that former Typhoon units would be best placed to negotiate its squadron introduction. In advance of the D-day landings, Tempests were being used in a similar ground attack role to the one being flown so effectively by Typhoon squadrons, however, should it be required to make the shift to air combat operations mid-mission, the Tempest was much more suited to this task. Possessing significantly greater range than the Typhoon, Tempests could loiter in the combat zone for longer periods, allowing offensive strikes deeper into occupied Europe, or allowing pilots to wait patiently for the Luftwaffe to come up and fight, where they could show them what their new fighter could really do. 

As the fastest Allied fighter at low and medium altitudes, Tempest squadrons were held back for home defence duties in the weeks which followed the successful D-day landings, due to the onslaught of a sinister new weapon, the V-1 '˜Doodlebug'™ pulse jet flying bomb. The Tempest proved to be an excellent V-1 killer, using the speed of the fighter, effectiveness of its guns and bravery of its pilots to destroy large numbers of these terrifying weapons before they could wreak their havoc on British towns and cities. Britain'™s most effective force against these indiscriminate weapons, hundreds of Doodlebugs were shot down by the RAF'™s Hawker Tempest V squadrons, with Squadron Leader Joseph Berry proving to be the most proficient at this work, with no fewer than 61 V-1 '˜kills'™ to his name. 

With the V-1 threat diminishing, the RAF'™s Tempest V squadrons were free to embark on aggressive seek and destroy missions into occupied Europe, using the speed, range and firepower of their latest fighter to great effect. Looking for potential V-1 launch sites and increasingly, the new German jet fighters which had started operating against the Allied air forces, the Tempest began to show that it was undoubtedly one of the most capable fighting aeroplanes in the world. Indeed, it has been reported that the aggressively flown Tempest was the Allied aircraft Messerschmitt Me262 jet pilots most feared during those early days of jet powered operations, particularly if they were caught during the landing and taking off phases of flight, when their jets were much more vulnerable. 

There is no doubt that the Hawker Tempest V was a real brute of an aeroplane, fast, heavily armed and possessing performance which could better any fighter the Luftwaffe had in service, perhaps with the exception of the Me262 at full speed. Pilots who had experience flying both the Tempest V and its predecessor, the Typhoon, describe the difference as being like night and day - they actually said that it was like comparing a cart horse with a race horse. Although this seems a little harsh, as they flew the aircraft in combat, we should certainly bow to their judgement. Although appearing relatively late in WWII, the Tempest V still takes its place as one of the most effective piston engined fighters of the Second World War and was perhaps the '˜Super Hurricane'™ designer Sydney Camm had always envisaged developing.

With its reputation for building capable, modern twin-engined commercial airliners, when the British Purchasing Commission saw details of the Lockheed Company’s proposal for a light bomber design in 1938, they knew it was the aircraft they were looking for. 

They needed a maritime patrol aircraft capable of supporting the Avro Anson in this role and agreed to purchase the new aircraft, calling it the Hudson in RAF service. 

By the start of the Second World War, the RAF had 78 Hudsons in service, which were all fitted with distinctive Boulton Paul dorsal turrets once they arrived in Britain.

Satisfying a Royal Air Force requirement for an effective medium support helicopter, when the Westland Puma HC.1 entered service with No.33 Squadron in 1971, it was the first Anglo-French aircraft collaboration of its kind. 

Possessing exceptional speed and agility, the Puma was capable of carrying 16 passengers, 12 fully equipped troops, or two tonnes of cargo, either carried internally, as an underslung load, or via a combination of the two. 

An incredibly versatile and reliable helicopter, the latest variant of this magnificent aircraft remains in service with the RAF, some 53 years since those first machines arrived at RAF Odiham.

One of the most distinctive aircraft of the Second World War, the Messerschmitt Bf 110 was a twin engined heavy fighter intended to be faster and more heavily armed than any other fighter aircraft in the sky at that time and during the early months of WWII, certainly proved to be devastatingly effective. 

Despite suffering at the hands of the RAF during the Battle of Britain, the Bf 110 would go on to prove its worth as a long range fighter bomber and ground support aircraft over the vast expanses of Russia and into the Mediterranean and North Africa, serving throughout the remainder of the Second World War.

One of the world’s first classic jet fighters, the F-86 Sabre was a true pilot’s aeroplane, featuring beautifully harmonised controls and six reliable 0.50cal M3 Browning machine guns, in the days prior to rocket armament becoming the norm. 

Almost 10,000 Sabres were eventually produced, seeing service with around 30 of the world’s air forces, in addition to being produced under licence in Canada, Australia, Japan and Italy. 

Build your own North American Sabre with this military aircraft model kit.

Representing the primary production variant of the Messerschmitt Me262 jet, the A-1A was the fighter-bomber version of the aircraft desired by Hitler, capable of being used as an interceptor, or configured to carry bombs and air-to-air mortars on nose mounted pylons. 

With the aircraft’s powerful nose mounted cannons used to devastating effect against the massed formations of USAAF bombers attacking Germany, the offensive firepower of the jets could be further enhanced by the addition of R4M ‘Orkan’ (Hurricane) rocket packs under each wing. 

Mounted on rudimentary racks made from wood, twelve R4M stabilised rockets could be carried under each wing, each one capable of bringing down an enemy bomber.

The Short SC.7 Skyvan was a British twin-turboprop transport aircraft first flown in 1963. Produced until 1986, around 150 were built. Designed for simplicity and low operating costs, its Skyvan 3 variant was the most common. 

Used worldwide, including in the Falklands War by Argentina, it cost about $650,000 in 1972. 

This 1:72 scale aircraft model kit is another fantastic addition to our Vintage Classics range.

At the start of the Second World War, Japanese forces had some of the most capable naval aeroplanes equipping their mighty carrier fleet, including the recently upgraded Nakajima B5N2 Kate. Striking with torpedoes and bombs, these aircraft took a heavy toll of US warships during the devastating Pearl Harbor attack on 7th December 1941. 

Add this Japanese aircraft model kit to your workbench in a pleasing 1:72 scale.

The Westland Wessex HC.2 was a licence-built turbine-powered development of the classic American Sikorski S-58 ‘Choctaw’ helicopter, one of the world’s first truly capable helicopters which established these aircraft as essential for a host of military and civilian applications. The continuation of an existing arrangement between Sikorsky and Westland, the Wessex was initially developed for the Royal Navy in the anti-submarine and utility roles but was further developed as the HC.2 for the Royal Air Force, entering service in 1962, a year later than the Navy machines. 

In RAF service, these powerful helicopters performed several roles, including troop and supply transportation, ground support and air evacuation duties. However, it was their use as Air Sea Rescue helicopters which made these some of the highest-profile aircraft in service at that time. The Wessex represented the pinnacle of rotary technology when introduced and could operate from, and into places that other aircraft couldn’t.

Unquestionably one of the most distinctive aircraft of the Second World War, the Catalina was built to win the vital war at sea and, for a large aeroplane, was a surprisingly agile performer. 

The PBY-5A was perhaps the definitive version of the aircraft, a true amphibian able to operate from both water and traditional airfield sites.

This is a unique 1:72 scale model kit for more practiced builders, and one you might remember from the past!

One of the most unusual aircraft to have ever taken to world skies, the F-117 Nighthawk was one of the spectacular aviation creations of Lockheed’s famous ‘Skunk Works’, a high-tech attack aircraft which benefited from the latest stealth technology. 

Officially retired by the US Air Force in 2008, these secretive aircraft proved too valuable to do without and are still being used to fly their highly classified missions to this day. 

Add one to your workbench in 1:72 scale model kit form today.

Although the Lancashire-based English Electric Company had gained plenty of experience in building aircraft during the Second World War, they were not aircraft they had designed themselves, so when they entered the design race to produce the replacement for the famous de Havilland Mosquito, many did not expect them to be in the final running. 

Establishing a young and talented design team, what they managed to produce was, without doubt, one of the most significant aircraft in British aviation history: a twin jet-powered bomber which was aerodynamically clean and unmistakenly designed for great speed. 

Showing promise from the start, the Air Ministry were so impressed with the new aircraft that they placed an advanced order for 132 aircraft, so confident were they that the new jet would provide the Royal Air Force with a technological edge.

When the first production B.2 entered service with No.101 Squadron in early 1951, few fighters of the day could catch the Canberra – the RAF had an exceptional new aircraft, one which was the envy of the world. 

Now this icon of the skies is available in 1:72 scale model kit form.

First flying in 1935 when Germany was banned from building bombers under the Treaty of Versailles, the Heinkel He111 was at first disguised as a fast transport plane. However its real purpose soon became clear when it was used as a bomber during the Spanish Civil War. The early variants proved to be capable fast bombers with only small numbers being lost to enemy action.

By the start of the Second World War the He111 had undergone some major changes, resulting in the P model. The engines were now more powerful Daimler Benz DB601 units, and there was an enlarged glass nose section housing the majority of the crew. This afforded them excellent visibility but made them very vulnerable.During the Battle of Britain the P variant was being phased out, but it continued to serve in some numbers. Against the modern RAF fighters the He111 now suffered from a lack of speed and defensive armament. Before being switched to night duties the He111 formed the backbone of the Luftwaffe's bomber force, but did suffer some heavy casualties.

The role of medium bomber proved to be one of the most crucial during the Second World War and after something of a challenging service introduction, the North American B-25 Mitchell developed into a highly successful aircraft. Seeing service in every theatre of operation, the B-25 was the most versatile aircraft of its type, fulfilling a multitude of tactical roles in many different operating environments. 

Arguably, the most famous action involving the North American B-25 Mitchell came just after 8am on 18th April 1942, when sixteen of the bombers lifted off the relatively short deck of USS Hornet and set course for Japan. Intended as a strike at the heart of the Japanese Empire who had infamously attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, this audacious and heroic raid illustrated the resolve of the American people and the determination of their military forces to strive for victory.

The early B-25B aircraft used on the Doolittle Raid performed well, but were already in the process of being upgraded. The later C/D model (different letters were used to denote the manufacturer) proved to be the definitive version of this extremely effective medium bomber and was the first truly mass produced version of the aircraft.

An extremely rugged and versatile aircraft, the Mitchell saw service as an anti-submarine patrol aircraft off the coast of Florida and as a strike bomber in the deserts of North Africa, proving successful at both. Some of the later versions of the B-25 became the most heavily armed aircraft of the war, with no less than 18 machine guns and an array of other offensive weaponry. With a solid nose housing 8 heavy guns, these aircraft were lethal gunships, capable of destroying anything in its line of fire.

During RAF air operations in the Gulf War of 1991, the effectiveness of Iraqi anti-aircraft defences resulted in Tornado and Jaguar strike missions having to be flown at higher altitudes, thus reducing their effectiveness. 

They needed the support of the RAF's ageing Blackburn Buccaneer jets with their 'Pave Spike' laser designator equipment to deliver ‘smart’ munitions effectively, the only trouble was, these aircraft were back at their home base in Scotland. 

The race was on to prepare and fly twelve Buccaneers in newly applied 'Desert Camouflage' and their laser designator equipment to the Persian Gulf and in just a matter of days, the self-titled 'Sky Pirates' were on their way.