Corgi Showcase Collection 100 Years of Flight - Aces At War - CSFS03004 For Sale

Corgi Showcase Collection FS03004

Diecast Model

Aces at War, 4-Piece Set

Mint condition, box shows some wear from storage

Check out the photos

1:120 Scale Length Width

Supermarine Spitfire Mk V 3" 3.75"

North American P-51D Mustang3.25" 3.75"

Fokker Dr.I Triplane 2" 2.5"

Sopwith Camel 2" 2.75"

December 2003 marks the 100th anniversary of manned, powered flight and Corgi Showcase is proud to commemorate this historic milestone with a comprehensive collection of twenty pioneering and iconic aircraft from the past century. From the Wright brothers to the first moon landing, all are covered in a series of five themed categories, which can be collected individually or in sets of four. As an added bonus Corgi are also producing a unique 100 Years of Flight Time-Line. Designed to display all 20 aircraft models from the 100 Years of Flight Collection, plus the collector data cards, the time line charts the development of flight through ten decades of advancement. It builds not only into an attractive display, but also a highly educational chronology of aviation history.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk V

Designed by R.J.Michell to meet a British Air Ministry specification, the Supermarine Spitfire first flown on March 5th, 1936. With its combination of beautiful fighter design, the excellent performance of its Rolls-Royce Merlin powerplant and firepower provided by twin cannons and four machine guns, the Spitfire became an unrivaled symbol of victory. The Spitfire had 40 major variants and was built in greater numbers than any other British aircraft of the time. It flew operationally on every front between 1939 and 1945 and was engaged in every one of the Royal Air Force's major actions.

North American P-51D Mustang

Designed to meet an RAF requirement for fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-51 Mustang was first flown on October 26th, 1940. This versatile aircraft was capable of escorting bombers on long-range missions, engaging in dogfights, and dropping down to destroy German targets on the ground. At least eight versions of the P-51 were produced, but it was the definitive P-51D that gave the Mustang its classic warbird appearance. Britain and the US both tested the airframe with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, which gave the aircraft tremendous performance gains. The Truman Senate War Investigating Committee called the Mustang "the most aerodynamically perfect pursuit plane in existence."

Fokker Dr.I Triplane

Designed in response to the highly maneuverable Sopwith Triplane, the Fokker Dr.I was first flown in 1917 and was one of the most successful and recognizable combat aircraft of WWI, attributing much of its fame to the German WWI ace Manfred von Richthofen – the iconic "Red Baron". Light weight, small size and three wings made the aircraft highly maneuverable and deadly in the hands of an expert pilot but very unforgiving of less experienced pilots. Common for airplanes of that era, a fixed crankshaft configuration allowed the entire engine to spin with the propeller, creating strong gyroscopic forces that adversely affected the airplane's handling under power.

Sopwith Camel

Designed as a heavier, more powerful refinement of the Sopwith Pup, the Camel was first flown in 1917. Earning its name from the distinctive humped fairing surrounding its twin .303 Vickers machine guns, the Camel's unforgiving flight characteristics claimed the lives of many students in flight training. In the hands of a skilled pilot though, it was an extreme dogfighter that could out-maneuver any contemporary with the possible exception of the Fokker Dr.I. Common for airplanes of that era, a fixed crankshaft configuration allowed the entire engine to spin with the propeller, creating strong gyroscopic forces that adversely affected the airplane's handling under power. Together with the S.E.5a, the Camel helped gain superiority over the German Albatros and is credited with shooting down 1,294 enemy aircraft, more than any other Allied fighter.

Corgi Showcase Collection

The Corgi "Showcase Collection" range presents affordable, ready-made diecast models of military and civilian aircraft.

Corgi "Showcase Collection" diecast airplanes feature:

Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.

Realistic panel lines and surface details.

Pad printed markings that won't fade or peel like decals.

Poseable stand to display the aircraft "in flight".

Moving parts such as propellers, rotors and swing-wings where applicable.

Descriptive, collectible data card.