Airfix delighted the modelling world when it announced at November’s Scale ModelWorld event in Telford that it would be releasing a BAe Nimrod MR.2P in 1/72 scale in 2007.

‘Mighty Hunters’ the Nimrods certainly are, mighty life savers and life preservers they have also proved to be, but in addition they are undoubtedly highly effective potential killers of enemy submarines and to a lesser extent of enemy surface ships.

Nimrod is the world¹s only jet maritime reconnaissance aircraft and submarine hunter

The aircraft has been in service with the RAF for over three decades and has flown in a number of conflicts around the world, including the Falklands War, two Gulf Wars and other troubled spots. Given four sidewinder air-to-air missiles in the first Gulf War, it could be said that Nimrod became the largest fighter in the world and it can fly up to maximum speeds of 575mph powered by four Rolls Royce Spey engines.

The Nimrod was designed by Hawker Siddeley for the Royal Air Force. The prototype, XV148, first flew in May 1967 and after three years of extensive testing, the Nimrod entered RAF service as MR.1 in 1970. In the early 70's the aircraft evolved to become the R.1, a specialised electronic reconnaissance, which had extra sensors on the wing, the MAD tail boom removed and the bomb bay converted to house surveillance equipment. Even today this equipment remains top secret as does the aircraft's exact role.

The aircraft was the subject of constant development and just a few years after, was re-designated the BAe Nimrod MR.2 with a further upgrade to the MR.2P with the fitting of an in-flight refuelling probe and Electronic Sensing Measures (ESM) pods fitted to the wing.

Looking into the future, the MR.2 fleet will eventually be upgraded into the MRA Mk 4 which will see the fitting of new engines, wings, equipment and weapons systems which will ensure that the Nimrod maintains its position as perhaps the best maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft in the world well into the 21st century.

To match the engineering skills of this famous aircraft, this will be one of the great kits produced by AIRFIX. It has stirred a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm within AIRFIX as this is the first kit of its kind to be launched.

The AIRFIX 1:72 Nimrod will include markings and options for the MR.1, MR.2/2P and R.1 versions