Pre-order - IBG 80003 - 1:72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb Trop Vokes

Pre-order item! Your order will be fulfilled once the manufacturer releases the product. Estimated availability: mid-July 2026. The delivery date is approximate and subject to change for reasons beyond our control.

1:72 scale plastic model kit of the Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb Trop with the Vokes filter

IBG 80003 is an assembly kit reproducing the British Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb in its tropical version, fitted with the characteristic Vokes dust filter under the engine cowling. This release is conceived as a variant simplified in terms of box contents.

The kit contains only plastic parts and photo-etched parts – no decals or printed assembly instructions are included (the instructions are available to download from the manufacturer's website). This variant is an interesting proposition for modellers who want to use their own decals, plan individual markings, or are simply looking for the well-reproduced airframe of a tropical Spitfire on its own.

What's in the box:

• Plastic parts and clear parts
• Photo-etched parts
• Vokes dust filter (tropical version)

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 80003
• Manufacturer: IBG Models
• Assembled length: approx. 127 mm
• Model wingspan: approx. 156 mm
• Skill level: intermediate

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. It also does not include decals or printed instructions – the assembly instructions are available to download from the manufacturer's website. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

Because there are no printed instructions or decals in the kit, this release is better suited to modellers with some experience who use electronic instructions and source markings themselves. It is worth painting and finishing the cockpit before closing up the fuselage, and modelling tweezers and cyanoacrylate glue are useful for the photo-etched parts. A typical desert Spitfire scheme has upper surfaces in Mid Stone and Dark Earth with Azure Blue undersides; when using decals from another source, the base should be glossy, and the model is best finished with a satin varnish.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sandpaper for smoothing sprue-gate marks
• Plastic cement and cyanoacrylate glue for the photo-etched parts
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes of various sizes or an airbrush
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to bring out panel lines and details

About the aircraft – Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb Trop:

The Supermarine Spitfire was one of the most famous British fighters of WWII, and the Mk V became its most numerously produced variant. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin 45, the Mk Vb carried an armament of two 20 mm Hispano cannon and four machine guns.

The tropical version was created for operations in hot, dusty climates. The characteristic Vokes dust filter under the engine cowling prevented sand from reaching the carburettor, although it slightly reduced performance. Mk Vb Trop Spitfires played an important role in the fighting over North Africa and on other theatres with a harsh, desert climate.

Original aircraft specifications (Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb):

• Type: single-seat fighter
• Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 inline engine
• Armament: two 20 mm Hispano cannon and four 7.7 mm machine guns
• Wingspan: approx. 11.23 m
• Length: approx. 9.12 m
• Service period: Second World War

About the manufacturer – IBG Models:

IBG Models is a Polish model company from Warsaw, known for plastic kits in 1:72, 1:48 and 1:35 scales, with a particular focus on Polish subjects and less commonly modelled vehicles and aircraft. The brand is valued for modern tooling, well-equipped kits – often with photo-etched parts and resin components – and careful reproduction. IBG develops, among others, extensive families of Italian M-series vehicles, British trucks and Supermarine Spitfire and PZL aircraft. IBG products are aimed at modellers who appreciate refined execution and out-of-the-ordinary subjects.