1/48 Hawker Typhoon Mk. IB "Car Door" 1943

The Hawker Typhoon was one of the key British fighter aircraft of the second half of World War II, although its development was not without complications. Originally intended as a successor to the Hurricane as a high-altitude fighter, the Typhoon suffered from a number of technicalproblems and underperformed at high altitude. Only a reassessment of its role changed the situation - at low and medium altitudes it proved to be exceptionally fast and robust machine, ideal for attacking ground targets and hunting German Fw 190 fighters operating over the Channel. From 1943 onwards, the Typhoon gradually established itself as one of the RAF's most effective fighter-bombers, capable of carrying rockets, bombs and delivering devastating fire from its four 20mm Hispano guns. Its most notable successes came in support of the Normandy invasion and subsequent operations in north-western Europe, where it destroyed enemy equipment, rail transport and fortifications.

The Mk. IB was the main production variant, armed with four guns instead of the twelve machine guns of the previous Mk. IA. The "Car Door" designation refers to an early type of cab with a side-opening door resembling a car door. This design feature was later replaced by a sliding hood, but the "car door" variant remained a characteristic of the 1943 machines and is popular among modelers for its visual distinction and historical authenticity.

The 1:48 scale Hobby 2000 kit uses a proven mold from the Japanese manufacturer Hasegawa, known for precision craftsmanship and good detailing of surface structures. Hobby 2000 adds improved decal sheets from the Italian company Cartograf, which are prized for their thinness, printing accuracy and ease of application, as well as masking kits to facilitate painting of transparent parts (cab, wheels). This makes the kit suitable for advanced modellers looking for a quality base for detailed finishing, as well as for builders who appreciate the added value of better accessories right in the box.

Typhoon offers a number of options for weathering - typical are leading edge wear, exhaust marks behind the engine, undercarriage and lower hull contamination from field airfield traffic, or sniping marks. The colour scheme of British machines of 1943 usually combined dark green and grey shades of the upper surfaces with grey or black undersides, complete with national and tactical markings. The package does not include the paint or glue needed for assembly.