Kiwi Startup Company Make The World’s Best Spitfire Model To Honour New Zealand Fighter Ace

Kiwi start up company Kotare Models Ltd has just released the world’s most accurate Battle of Britain Spitfire model kitset to honour New Zealand ace fighter pilot Alan Deere.

Mark Robson of Kotare Models
 

Alan Deere was born in Westport and joined the Royal Air Force in 1938. He started flying Spitfires the following year and defended the Dunkirk evacuation 83 years ago this week. His Spitfire was hit by return fire from a German bomber he was attacking and he was forced to land on the beach below, hitching a ride back to Britain with the Navy. Deere went on to become one of the most famous ace fighter pilots of the Battle of Britain and by the end of the war he had been credited with 22 victories over the Nazis.

Kotare Models was started in mid-2020 by Mark Robson, an Aucklander with a lifelong interest in aviation and the hobby of scale modelling. He is fortunate enough to own New Zealand’s oldest hobby shop, Modelair in Mount Eden, and was able to start Kotare Models when an opportunity presented itself during Covid. Robson said he “finds building models a very relaxing way to unwind from my sometimes stressful, but very rewarding, day job as a Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist. And now I get to build models from my very own company. Being able to pay homage to one of New Zealand’s most famous fighter aces with this model makes it all the more special.”

Kotare’s first model, the world famous Spitfire Mk.Ia, has proven to be very popular worldwide, selling out of its initial production run within a month. Mark Robson said “We made the model in a larger size than usual which allows us to include a lot more historically accurate detail as well as making it easier (and more enjoyable) to assemble, for both experienced hobbyists and beginners alike. “The response worldwide has been very encouraging, and we are pleased to have secured additional models to meet the strong demand we’re facing from Kiwis”.

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