Description

This detailed 1:24 scale model of the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc includes 448 components to recreate the iconic 'Flying Drays' - the beer-transporting Spitfires from the Second World War. Designed for modellers aged 14 and up with a Skill Level of 4, this kit boasts a wingspan of 469mm and comes with extra resin parts to enrich your model: two beer barrels with lids, two nose cones, two bomb racks, and a slipper tank. With three paint options and an Airfix pint glass, this kit captures a remarkable moment of RAF creativity.

Key Features

• 1:24 scale model with 448 plastic pieces and Skill Level 4 difficulty
• Includes extra resin components: two beer barrels with lids, two nose cones, two bomb racks, and a slipper tank
• Measures 469mm across when assembled
• Offers three genuine paint options representing the famed 'Flying Dray' missions
• Each kit includes an Airfix pint glass
• Suitable for modellers aged 14 years and older
• Depicts the morale-boosting beer delivery Spitfires from the post D-Day period

History

Throughout the years, various images and tales from pilots' accounts have surfaced about Spitfires that transported beer barrels. Some publications refer to a unique 'Depth Charge Modification XXX'. Following the D-Day landings, squadrons stationed at forward airfields in northern France would dispatch a pilot back across the Channel in a Spitfire to fetch beer or ale in barrels attached under the wings on adapted bomb racks. Naturally, such missions would have been considered highly irregular by the RAF's senior command, so these flights were not officially documented in the pilot's logbooks. This leaves scant official evidence regarding the precise details of these impromptu deliveries. Repeated details about these escapades often appear in various secondary sources. One instance is the participation of The Henty and Constable Brewery in Chichester and the nearby RAF Ford. To boost morale, the story was also publicised by the newspapers of the time, accompanied by some evidently staged photographs. Thus, it's challenging to ascertain the complete and accurate story or whether the pilots claiming involvement in such missions were instead guilty of embellishing the truth.

In the summer of 1944, after the D-Day landings, British troops advancing into Normandy encountered fierce resistance and a shortage of beer. Supplies were limited, and morale was crucial. So, in one of the war's most surprising missions, Spitfire pilots took to the skies, not only with ammunition but with beer. Resourceful airmen adapted drop tanks and secured barrels beneath their wings, delivering much-needed refreshment to thirsty troops across the Channel. Some dubbed it "Operation Cheers." These were not official missions. They were morale flights. Spitfires, symbols of British resilience, became flying drays for a brief, glorious period.

It wasn't about luxury. It was about a taste of home. A cold beer in a hot war zone was more than just a drink; it was a reminder of what they were fighting for. So, raise a glass to the RAF pilots who delivered courage, camaraderie, and casks, one flight at a time. Because even heroes need a pint!