DBMK 32001 1/32 DH 103 Hornet F Mk.3

For its short service life the Hornet wore a number of very different colour schemes. Three are featured in this kit. Our primary source of inspiration was the very good Buttler, Collins and Derry Hornet book on the aircraft and we backed this up with research in a number of other publications and in discussion with our subject matter experts.

The de Havilland DH.103 Hornet was conceived in 1941 as a high-speed, long-range fighter tailored for operations in the Pacific Theatre. With the Mosquito entering full-rate production and jet development underway, de Havilland had design capacity to pursue a private venture. Initial concepts (DH.101 and DH.102) explored Sabre and Griffon engines, but by late 1942, the company settled on a twin Merlin-powered design—compact fast and agile,

Design-wise, the Hornet was a masterclass in aerodynamic refinement. It retained the Mosquito’s wooden construction but introduced a slimmer fuselage, laminar flow wings, and tightly cowled Merlin 130/131 engines producing 2,070 hp each with propellors rotating in opposite directions. These features enabled a blistering top speed of 485 mph at 22,000 feet, probably the fastest of any piston engine service aircraft, and superb handling. Armament included four 20mm Hispano cannons and provisions for rockets or bombs up to 1,000lb, making it a potent strike platform.