1/72 Hawker Tempest MK V EJ705/W2-X No 80 Sqn RAF 2nd TAF Autumn 1944

The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used in the war. The Tempest was originally labeled Typhoon II but since it was such an improvement over the Typhoon it was renamed Tempest. The Tempest had a thinner laminar wing and much better performance at high altitudes. The Tempest became WWII’s fastest single-engine propeller-driven aircraft at low altitudes.

Just prior to D-Day RAF No. 80 Squadron was assigned to the Air Defence of Great Britain flying Spitfires. The 80th was now equipped with Hawker Tempests and assigned to destroying V-1 flying bombs. Once the V-1 threat was over, the unit transferred to Volkel, the Netherlands. The personal markings on Tempest EJ705 “W2-X” were quite unique in that instead of a very discrete wife or girlfriend’s name Australian pilot F. A. Lang applied a kangaroo holding an Australian flag. This aircraft destroyed 3 Bf-109s and 1 Fw-190 before being destroyed by fire on start up.