Jay Blakemore found himself being blown away by a Tempest, in the form of Eduard’s stunning 1/48 Mk.II variant.
Hawker’s Tempest owes its existence to the perceived failings of its predecessor, the Typhoon, notably the latter’s inadequate high-altitude performance. These had been highlighted as early as 1940 and revolved mainly around the Typhoon’s thick-chord wings, which produced increasing drag at high speeds. Improved performance was achieved by replacing the original wings with a thinner, laminar flow design; the reduction in internal fuel meant a 76-gal tank was added in front of the cockpit, thus the engine was moved forwards by 21in. Consequently, the horizontal and vertical stabilisers were increased in areas and a strengthened undercarriage fitted to cope with the extra weight.
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