Supermarine Spitfire Nightfighter | 18" Balsa Kit

Spitfire Nightfighter
Spitfire Nightfighter
18" Wingspan
Spitfire Nightfighter Nose
Free UK Shipping
Spitfire Nightfighter Cabin
Spitfire
Made in Britain
Spitfire Nightfighter Fuselage
Spitfire Nightfighter Undercarriage

Supermarine Spitfire Nightfighter | 18" Balsa Kit

Build and fly the stealthy Spitfire Nightfighter | Rubber-powered | Includes glue and black tissue covering

✓ In stock

❌ Sorry! We're out of stock but contact us for details.

£0.00
£34.99
£34.99

QTY

FREE UK Mainland Delivery on orders over £30 | 90 Day No Quibble Returns | Click For Worldwide Shipping Info | Order by Phone: 01629 258240

You’ll earn 0 reward points with this purchase.

AT A GLANCE

EAN: 702785155462
Wingspan: 18" (460mm)
Ease of build: Intermediate
Flying skill: Intermediate
Control type: Free-flight
Power system: Rubber
Scale: 1:24
All up weight: 25g

SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE NIGHTFIGHTER - THE ORIGINAL STEALTH AIRCRAFT

The Spitfire was designed by Reginald Mitchell of The Supermarine Aviation Works and is arguably the most elegant but deadly aircraft of World War 2. The beautiful fuselage curves, the distinctive elliptical wings, plus its legendary service in action, make it one of the most recognisable and loved aircraft in the world. The prototype first flew from Eastleigh Aerodrome, near Southampton, England in March 1936.

The Spitfire was an advanced aircraft when first designed and unlike its similarly Merlin-engined stablemate the Hawker Hurricane, used new complicated monocoque construction techniques. As a result of these complexities and production difficulties at Supermarine, the move from prototype to full production was slow and problematic. However, once this was overcome, the Spitfire was produced in huge numbers. This is in part due to the more advanced initial design, which was able to be constantly developed and improved to increase performance, ironically the very thing that hindered it in the early days.

Production only ceased in 1948, making it the only allied aircraft to be manufactured for the entirety of the war.

YOUR KIT

This kit is designed for you to build a traditionally constructed, rubber powered, free flight model of a Spitfire Night fighter. This kit includes the materials (other than paints) to complete the authentic scheme of an all black night fighter Spitfire that served in the 111 Squadron that flew from RAF Debden in 1941.

Construction of the model from this kit uses the traditional method of "stick and tissue", that consists of a built up balsa wood skeleton (framework), covered with a tissue skin. The balsa frameworks are built over a plan that is printed at the exact scale of the model, which is in essence a real engineering drawing. Power is provided by rubber strip motor that is wound up before flight.

Free flight means just that - once the model is launched, it is on its own. It must follow a predetermined flight path established when the model is initially adjusted for flight or "trimmed". This type of traditional building technique and flying requires a degree of patience and skill, but is extremely rewarding. Typically for a small model and in the spirit of the traditional kits, profiles are simplified and adjusted from the original and a relatively large propeller is used. This is done so that the model is light and stable enough to fly on its own, is simple in construction and can work with the rubber motor. These adjustments have been done with care and sensitivity so that the shape and spirit of the original aircraft is preserved as much as possible.

Also in the spirit of the traditional kits, additional items required to build the model are things that can be found in the kitchen drawer or are easily available on the high street.

KIT CONTENTS

  • Three balsa sheets with precise laser cut parts and strip wood.
  • PVA glue for building the wooden frames.
  • One 150mm diameter plastic propeller.
  • One pre-bent motor hook and shaft.
  • Three low friction plastic nose bushings - one for the propeller and two for the undercarriage wheels.
  • One vacuum formed canopy and spinner.
  • Piano wire for the main undercarriage and tail wheel legs.
  • One motor peg (cocktail stick or toothpick).
  • Rubber motor strip.
  • Tissue to cover the model.
  • Parts reference sheet (W), full size summary plan sheet (X), scheme diagram sheet (Y) and scheme markings (Z) printed on lightweight paper.

Only Suitable For Ages 14+

Choking Hazard - Contains small parts, keep out of reach of children.

SPITFIRE NIGHTFIGHTER ORIGINAL INSTRUCTION BOOKLET

Download a spare copy of the instruction booklet included in your kit here:

mfm-spitfire-nightfighter-booklet.jpg

SPITFIRE NIGHTFIGHTER MARKINGS SHEET

Click the link below to download a pdf version of the markings sheet included in the Nightfighter kit.

The markings sheet should fit onto a single A4 page and may be printed onto your own paper or decal transfer sheet.

mfm-spitfire-nightfighter-markings.jpg

SPITFIRE NIGHTFIGHTER PATTERNS SHEET

Download a pdf version of the patterns for acetate and paper/card parts originally drawn on the plan.

This will save you from having to cut into your beautiful plan!

mfm-spitfire-patterns.jpg


UK SHIPPING

Most orders are shipped via Royal Mail’s Tracked 48 service.

For larger or heavier orders, we use UKMail/DHL to deliver your package on a Next Working Day service.

Shipping is free to UK Mainland addresses for orders over £30.00, otherwise we charge £6.00 for Royal Mail Tracked 48 parcels and £12.00 for UKMail/DHL Nest Working Day.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

Smaller items

Items that fit within Royal Mail International Tracked Medium Parcel parameters (59cm x 17cm x 15cm weighing less than 2kg) can be sent to most countries outside the UK.

For example up to 3 of our smaller 18” wingspan kits can fit into one of these parcels.

A parcel like this currently costs around £14 to Europe and around £18 to send to the USA and will take up to 3 weeks to arrive. This is because Royal Mail hands over the parcel to the local Post Office service for your country who have to clear it through customs and then deliver it to you.

The Royal Mail tracking code also transfers over to the tracking for your country’s postal service.

Larger items

For items that do not fit within Royal Mail International Tracked Medium Parcel parameters, we use standard international couriers such as DHL, FedEx and UPS.

These companies use something called volumetric weights to calculate the cost of shipping.

For example, a Balsa Basics RC bundle kit that measures 102cm x 34cm x 16cm and weighs 2.5 kg is actually calculated at 14kg!

This makes these very expensive to send outside the UK - a large kit can cost nearly £40 to send to France.

PRODUCT REVIEWS

Russ Aitken

My daughter bought this for me for Christmas. The detail is fantastic, I used to make balsawood models as a teen and they’ve come on leaps and bounds in 45 years! The laser cut parts and the engineering drawing make assembly very accurate, but you still need plenty of skill to put it together. So far wings, tail plane, rudder and fuselage assembled, working on the undercarriage now. I was really pleased to discover lots of helpful videos on your website about covering the wings with tissue, doping etc. Really looking forward to finishing and flying it!

John Maitland-Hudson

What a stunning model this turned out to be. I loved every stage of the build and learned a good deal along the way. I'll have to build another to fly. I'm not risking this one!

Alan Eves

Recieved this as a present nights drawing in so thought I would give it a go. Used to make balsa kits as a kid but how things have moved on ! Really impressed with the quality & content of the kit, the laser cut boards add to the ease and fun building this. It really does look like the box image. Enjoyed making so much that I'm now making the Sopworth Camel. Also didn't realise about the website, back up videos and all the other support - well done guys.

Richard

Having not made a model like this for 20+ years, I was not sure what to expect, but everything is easier than it used to be. The laser cut parts means there is no doubt on the size and shape, so it is relatively easy to assemble. My plane did not fly, but probably due to my first attempt not being quite accurate enough getting things square. I am now buying 2 more different kits to have another go. My missus doesn't understand me.

Leave a review

Leave a review

close