About This Item
Brand new 1/72 scale diecast airplane model of the Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IXe Fighter Aircraft “TE565, 10th (Czech) Fighter Squadron, RAF Manston” of the Royal Air Force by Oxford Diecast, featuring true-to-scale proportions and a highly detailed exterior. Made of diecast metal with some plastic parts for durability and a heavy, realistic feel, the model showcases realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels, and finely rendered surface details for an authentic representation. It comes with a display stand, is presented in the manufacturer’s original unopened packaging, and does not have any opening parts. Dimensions are approximately L-5 inches, W-6 inches, and H-1.25 inches. The Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IXe TE565 served with the Royal Air Force’s 310th (Czech) Fighter Squadron during the final phase of World War II, carrying the squadron code NN-N. The Mk IXe variant, powered by the Merlin 66 engine and fitted with the E-type wing, was developed to counter the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, offering improved performance at low and medium altitudes. During 1945, TE565 flew escort, interception, armed reconnaissance, fighter sweeps, and ground-attack missions supporting the Allied advance into occupied Europe, with the 310th Squadron playing a key role in disrupting German transport networks, attacking enemy airfields, and protecting Allied forces. After the war, TE565 was transferred to Czechoslovakia, serving with the reestablished postwar air force before retiring from operational duty, and is now preserved at the National Technical Museum in Prague as a symbol of the Czech airmen who fought in exile and returned home as liberators.
