Kit has detailed resin parts, recessed panel lines, photo-etch details, vacu or injection-molded clear parts - canopy.
(injection-molded plastic kit). Limited edition. *****
British target towing aircraft.
plastic parts: 36, resin parts: 15, vacu canopy: 1, photo-etched: 0
4 version decals (RAN, RAF, FAA and Armee de l' Air)
In 1941 the British Air Ministry, trying to solve problems with decreasing numbers of obsolete aircraft types serving to training of fire to air targets, put an urgent order for development and production of sufficient number of the new machines for this purpose to the Miles Aircraft Ltd. The aircraft has had to comply with the T.12/41 Specification requiring directly modifications of the existing and successful Miles M.19 Master II used to advance training. The identical driving unit had to be used, the Bristol Mercury XX (or the Mercury XXX) engine of 870 H.P.power.
The aircraft had to have a two-seat cockpit for a pilot and a towing equipment operator and a container for six towed targets of the flag or sleeve types. These requirements accelerated development so that the Martinet TT Mk.I LR241 prototype flown by Tommy Rose passed its maiden flight already at the end of April 1942. It differed from the Master II by the differently solved crew cockpit, by an arm with a wind-drive of a cable winch located in the rear compartment (it could have also the alternative drive from the engine) and by the targets container located below the fuselage between the main landing gear legs. However, these modifications impaired trim of the original airframe so that the engine had to be shifted forwards. In addition the driving unit cooling was modified, becouse it is permanently overloaded during the targer towing. After brief successful testing the Martinet was approved to lot production and replaced the Master II in the Woodley manufacturing line.
The new Martinets TT.I served to training of anti-aircraft artillerymen, to training of fighter pilots and air gunners of the RAF and Royal Navy bomber aircraft. They dropped dinghies during rescue operations over the sea and towed gliders as well. In 1943 the Martinet PW979 was modified to the prototype of an unmanned radio controlled version Queen Martinet used to similar purposes. After the end of war the popular Martinets TT.I continued in fulfillment of their tasks until beginning of fifties, when they were replaced by towing Tempests TT Mk.5: four machines flew with civilian marking in Sweden, the other were sold to air forces of France and Portugal. Production of the Martinets TT.I ended in 1945 after supplying 1,724 machines with serials from EM410to RH121.
