Corgi Aviation Archive Series Diecast Model

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1a – N3200 'QV', RAF No. 19 Squadron, Dunkirk evacuation, May 1940

1:72 Scale.  Length: 5”,  Wingspan: 6.2"


Limited Edition of 1,200 Models Worldwide

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1a N3200 was constructed at the Vickers Armstrong works at Eastleigh near Southampton, England during 1939 and delivered to RAF 19 Squadron at Duxford in April the following year. Wearing the codes QV and distinctive black and white underside recognition markings synonymous with RAF fighters of the day, the aircraft embarked on its first operational sortie from Duxford on May 27, 1940, in the hands of Squadron Leader Geoffrey Stephenson as part of the significant RAF response to the emergency situation at Dunkirk and the evacuation of the stranded British Force. During a day of savage dogfighting, Stephenson managed to down a Luftwaffe Stuka, before his Spitfire sustained damage to its engine, causing it to seize almost immediately.

He managed to successfully land his aircraft on a beach at Sangatte, to the west of Calais and exit the downed fighter without sustaining injury but was captured by local German forces. The Spitfire lay damaged and partly buried in the sand and became something of an attraction for German troops stationed in the area, with many posing for pictures with the aircraft. The Spitfire disappeared beneath the shifting sands, but not before she had been stripped of many parts by souvenir hunters. The shifting sands on the beach at Sangatte held on to their wartime Spitfire secret for many years after the end of World War II, lost from sight and just a distant memory for those who were aware of its story. Following a particularly violent storm in 1986, the parts of the Spitfire wreckage became visible once again, attracting plenty of interest and resulting in plans being drawn up for a recovery operation. Later that same year remains of Spitfire Mk.1a N3200 were removed from the beach and displayed in a French military museum, as recovered, where it would remain for the next ten years.

Attracted by the provenance of this famous Spitfire and having seen wartime photographs of it lying in a forlorn state on the beach at Sangatte, it was acquired by a U.K. based group in 2000 and earmarked for restoration. Once returned to the U.K., this complex and lengthy restoration would be placed in the capable hands of Historic Flying Limited and in March 2014, marking the end of an ambitious 14 year project, Spitfire N3200 took to the skies again. To add even more significance to this occasion, her first post restoration flight took place at the Duxford airfield, the same airfield it had operated from some 74 years earlier.

The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries during World War II and into the 1950s as a front line fighter and in secondary roles. The Spitfire was first flown on March 5, 1936 and entered service with the RAF on August 4 1938. It served in several roles, including interceptor, photo-reconnaissance, fighter bomber, carrier-based fighter and trainer. The Spitfire was built in many variants, using several wing configurations. It was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft and was the only British fighter in continuous production throughout the war. When production ended in February 1948, a total of 20,351 Spitfires of all variants had been built.


The Corgi Aviation Archive features a wide selection of high quality, ready-made, diecast model airplanes. Each model is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, using specifications of the original aircraft. Corgi models are built with diecast metal and some plastic components.

This model of a Spitfire Mk.Ia features: