In 1931 the UK Air Ministry issued a specification for a new fighter aircraft for the RAF.

Supermarine submitted their Model 224, a gull winged monoplane with an open cockpit and spatted fixed landing gear.

The Model 224 first flew in 1934 and performed poorly and the Gloster Gladiator was selected to fulfil the requirement.

RJ Mitchell, the designer, was disappointed with the outcome of the trial and commenced a complete redesign utilising experience from the Schneider Trophy seaplanes.

The new aircraft, the model 300, was greatly improved and featured a new smaller elliptical wing, a V12 Rolls Royce engine, an enclosed cockpit with oxygen apparatus, retractable undercarriage and metal skinning with flush rivets.   It was named ‘Spitfire’.

This model represents the first production version fitted with a 2 bladed propeller.

Airfix 1/72 kit completed by Steve Pulbrook in 2022.