Hobby Master 1/48 HA7852 Spitfire Vb Tropical No.601 Sqn., EP689/UF-X, Libya, Dec 1942

The first Spitfire Mk V was produced in January 1941 and proved to be as good as the Mk III and less complicated. The Mk V was the most produced variant of the Spitfire and the main version throughout 1941 and was a better aircraft than the Bf-109 but that all changed with the introduction of the Fw-190. The Mk V remained the RAF fighter through the summer of 1942 and saw several variants developed using bigger engines, new wing types and more armament. There were 20,351 Mk V aircraft built in all variants.

In August 1941 the No. 601 Squadron “County of London” was equipped with the Bell Airacobra but it proved to be the wrong aircraft for European warfare so in March 1942 the squadron re- equipped with sixteen Spitfire Vb's and added some Spitfire Vc's in June. In April 1943 the 601 was involved in the defence of Malta before moving to Libya with a final destination of Egypt. Throughout 1942 and until June 1943 when they returned to Malta the 601 made twenty six moves.