Hobby Master 1/48 HA7856 Spitfire Mk. Vb 303 Sqn Augt Sept 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. After the German invasion of Poland Jan Zumbach fled to France and flew there until it fell and then moved to England and the RAF. Zumbach was assigned to the 303 Squadron (Poland) and during the BoB he scored 8 victories. In December 1941 he spent time at the No. 58 OUT but returned to the 303 Squadron. While with the 303 Squadron Zumbach flew three Spitfire VBs, all had a Donald Duck character painted on the side of the engine cowling. From May 1942 until November 1943 Zumbach was Squadron Leader.