Special Hobby 48138 Supermarine Seafire Mk III Aeronavale & Irish Air Corps

The Supermarine Seafire was a British WWII and post-WWII on-board fighter in an all-metal low wing structure. The drive provided - in the LF Mk. III - single engine Rolls-Royce Merlin 55M with a power of 1,585 hp. The flight of the prototype took place in January 1942, and shortly after that, serial production started, which resulted in the creation of about 2,650 aircraft of this type. On-board armament - in the Mk. III - consisted of two 20mm Hispano cannons and four 7.7mm machine guns.

Plane Supermarine Seafire was a development version of the famous Spitfire fighter, but adapted to operate from aircraft carriers. The changes mainly concerned the reduction of the weight of the aircraft, the use of folding wings and a brake hook, as well as the strengthening of the entire structure. The power unit changed, although they were still Rolls-Royce engines. In the course of serial production, many development versions of this aircraft were created, for example: the Mk. IB (fighter version, one of the first production series, which was a rebuilt Spitfire Mk. V b), Mk. II C (hunting version with reinforced structure and modified on-board armament), Mk. III (version powered by the Merlin 55 engine). In 1946, the Mk. XV with the Griffon VI engine. Supermarine Seafire aircraft received their baptism of fire during Operation Torch in November 1942. They also fought during the landings in Sicily in 1943 and in Normandy in 1944. They also served in the Far East in 1944-1945. They also took a limited part in the initial phase of the Korean War (1950-1953). Airplanes of this type also served in the armed forces of France, Ireland and Canada.