British four-engine turboprop airliner designed in the late 1940s by the Bristol aero engine manufacturer. Series production began in the mid-1950s, and the first flight with paying passengers was at the beginning of 1957. The Bristol 175 Britannia was intended to be the flagship of the leading British airline B.O.A.C., but several technical problems held back its development, limiting the production of the type to eighty six aircraft. A favourite with passengers for comfort, it was relegated to second tier with the advent of the American Boeing 707. B.O.A.C. used thirty three Britannias, and the rest were sold to Canada, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Israel, Argentina and other countries. Other aircraft were converted to transports. As a passenger aircraft it was used up to the beginning of the 1980s, and as a transport continued to fly until the mid-1990s.
• Markings for B.O.A.C. Britannia G-ANBE shown on the box and instructions have been replaced with markings for G-AOVB, B.O.A.C.'s first 312 series Britannia
• 1:144 scale plastic model kit from Roden, requires paint and glue
