Vickers Supermarine Merlin Seafire by Kev Darling

Vickers Supermarine Merlin Seafire — Warpaint Series No. 72

A publication, not a kit. Volume No. 72 of the Warpaint series, by Kev Darling, is devoted to the carrier-based Seafire with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine — its versions, its markings and its service with the Royal Navy.

The Seafire was the carrier form of the Spitfire: it got an arrestor hook, a strengthened fuselage and catapult attachment points, and the later versions a folding wing as well. This volume keeps to the machines with the Merlin engine; the versions with the Griffon engine have a separate title of their own in the series. On its narrow landing gear and with its short endurance the Seafire was demanding in carrier operations, but it gave the Fleet Air Arm a fighter comparable with its land-based opponents.

What the book contains

• The history of a single type: its origin, development versions and operational use
• An extensive picture section, in black and white and in color
• Color profiles of the camouflage and markings of the individual machines
• Scale drawings in 1:72, lists of operators and production figures
• Technical and production tables and a breakdown by mark, which helps when choosing a particular version for the model

Who it is for

For modelers who build carrier Spitfires and are working out the differences between the Ib, IIc and III marks, and for readers interested in the Fleet Air Arm. As a reference it serves when choosing camouflage and markings and when checking the details that differ between the individual versions. It can be read on its own, without previous knowledge of the subject, and it works as a general survey of the type as well.

Check the extent, the arrangement and the language version on the packaging.