The History
In 1941, the new German Focke-Wulf FW-190 single-seat fighter suddenly
began to show up in combat over the skies of Northern France during the
summer of 1941. Spitfire pilots became sitting ducks after its superior
performance became evident in their first encounters. Britain scrambled
to create an airplane equal to this powerful, agile, high-altitude
adversary, with the MkIX hastily being put into production to combat
the new threat. Originally thought of as a stopgap Spitfire, the MKIX,
actually stayed in production through 1944 with 5,665 being produced.
Top Gun R/C Aircraft decided that it would only be right to begin their
Warbird range with a Spitfire and none better than the legendary WWII
fighter ace Johnnie JohnsonΆs MkIX.
Air Vice Marshal James Edgar "Johnnie" Johnson was a RAF pilot who shot
down 38 Luftwaffe aircraft during World War II, thus becoming the
British flying ace with the most "kills" during the war.
The Details
Top Gun, in collaboration with partners Cermark feel that scale details
on such an aircraft are everything so have chosen to use a glassfibre
fuselage incorporating moulded fin, detailed panel lines and rivets and
detachable flush fitting fibreglass cowl, pre-finished with separately
fitted (not moulded in) Merlin exhaust stacks. Balsa built up tail
plane, rudder and wings. Wings are fitted out for air up, spring down
retracts included in the kit. Flying surfaces covered in camouflage
oracover matching the fully painted and trimmed fuselage. Fully moulded
canopy is complete with prepainted framework. The finish is all matt,
unlike some other interpretations available.
Other scale details include moulded air intakes and radiators, 20mm
cannon and ariel, wheel well inserts for wings and wheel doors.
Pictures below showing cockpit detail and pilot have been added afterwards and are not included
The Flying
Designed around a 60-90 2-stroke or 4-stroke engine, the MkIX weighs in
with a flying weight of around 9-10lbs depending on engine choice.
Due to a lightweight design for its size, the Top Gun MkIX is very easy
and forgiving to fly. It has no vices such as tip stalling, and results
in an aircraft that feels very comfortable and safe to fly - not always
a trait associated with scale Spitfires. For our test model we chose a
.91 4-stroke which enabled us to retain most of the scale cowl outline
by hiding most of the silencer within the cowl which is always
difficult with a Spitfire, resulting in a more scale like profile.
Spec Check:
- Wing Span: 71"
- Length: 62.2"
- Wing Area: 852sq in
- Weight: 9-10lbs
- Radio: 5ch, 6 servos (not inc)
- Engine: .91 (2C) 1.20 (4C) (not inc)
- Retracts: Air up, spring down included