Special Hobby 1/32 Westland Whirlwind FB Mk I Fighter/Bomber (Hi-Tech) Kit

Not long before the outbreak of WW2, the British Air Ministry issued a requirement calling for two types of fighter aircraft, one lightweight with machine gun armament and the other one with heavy cannon armament. To these requirements, the machine gun-armed Hurricanes and Spitfires were designed, while to fit the second category, the Westland offered their Whirlwind twin-engined ‘Cannon Fighter’. This type was eventually produced in more than a hundred examples and further production was ceased only by the shortage of the Peregrine engines. The Whirlwinds were deployed over the English Channel in fighter and ground attack missions. For the latter ones, the Whirlwinds were fitted with bomb racks and were designated FB Mk.I. This modification proved very successful and it became more than clear that the Whirlwinds suit these types of missions very well indeed.

The Special Hobby model of the Whirlwind now comes in the Hi-Tech format and contains ten styrene sprues, one with clear parts, a fret of photo-etched details, a set of 3D-printed parts, and also resin parts. These details improve the cockpit area substantially and also make it possible to leave the nose section open to show the four Hispano cannon armament to a good advantage. The decal sheet offers markings for four green and grey RAF machines, two of 263 Sqn and the other two of 137 Sqn. One of the schemes has a title under the canopy and another one sports the striking black and white wing undersurfaces, the makrings carried for the Operation Stalker.

• top-notch equipped model kit containing multi-material accessory sets
• two decal sheets
• eye-catching colour and marking schemes