Scale: 1/72 | Manufacturer: Airfix | Kit nr: A02041A | Scheme: Wing Commander Charles Green of No. 121 Wing, RAF, 1944

By 1943, the RAF needed a dedicated ground attack fighter and the Typhoon was suited to the role. The powerful engine allowed the aircraft to carry a load of up to two 1,000lb (454kg) bombs. From September 1943, Typhoons could also be armed with four, eight or, in some cases, even 12 “60lb” RP-3 rockets.

A Hawker Typhoon Mk IB of No. 486 Squadron RAF, 27 October 1943. Credit: warlord-community.warlordgames.com

One of the best plane model kits that I’ve ever built. Whether you want to display your Typhoon in flight or on the ground, you’ve got plenty of options to make an attractive model. You can choose to add rockets or bombs and you can even use alternative parts to open up the panels for the guns. One thing to add is that if you want to apply the invasion stripe decals, beware that your rocket slots or bombs can be in the way, so a little bit of planning is required. For this model I decided to paint them myself. Just before D-day a lot of crews needed to paint these stripes with what they had available, which sometimes resulted in sluggish stripes. I tried to replicate this effect.

I’ve sold this model in 2025.