First Look: Airfix’s Upcoming Vickers Wellington GR Mk.VIII

Airfix has announced the upcoming release of a 1/72 Vickers Wellington GR Mk.VIII, a type which was “specifically built for Coastal Command duties and equipped with new equipment designed to detect and destroy U-Boats.”

The upcoming kit (A08020) is reportedly based on the new tool Wellington Mk.IA/C (A08019) released last year and will include additional part frames for the GR Mk.VIII variant. Newly released 3D CAD images show the installation of some of the additional parts including Leigh Lights – which are described as “a fascinating aspect of the air war during WWII and one which made a significant contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic.”

Two different versions of the variant can be represented, including HX379 of 172 Squadron, which includes a “the full antenna array which was a feature of the ASV Mk.II radar equipment installation and has the front turret removed and glazed over.” The second livery option represents HX485 of 38 Squadron, which displays the full ASV Mk.II radar antenna array but retains its front turret.

The new Wellington GR Mk.VIII is currently slated for release in September. Click below to check out additional images.

(Airfix Workbench via AeroScale Additional Information via Scalemates)