Supermarine Spitfire
British single-seat fighter designed by R. J. Mitchell for Supermarine and first flown in 1936. With the Hawker Hurricane it defended Britain against the Luftwaffe in 1940, then served on every major front of the Second World War as an interceptor, photo-reconnaissance aircraft, fighter-bomber and trainer. It remained in production throughout the war — 20,351 were built — and in service into the 1950s. About 240 are reported preserved today, approximately 60 of them airworthy.
Why It Mattered
The Spitfire is the best-known British fighter of the Second World War, and the aircraft most closely associated with the Battle of Britain. Flying alongside the Hawker Hurricane, it helped defend Britain against the Luftwaffe in the summer of 1940. It was the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war, so instead of being replaced it was developed, mark by mark, as the air war changed around it. In all, 20,351 were built, and the type went on to serve on every major front.
Design Notes
The Spitfire was designed by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works. Its most recognisable feature is the elliptical wing, a shape that reduced drag and increased speed while remaining thin. Power came from the Rolls-Royce Merlin, a liquid-cooled engine first developed as the PV-12. It was conceived as a short-range, high-performance interceptor for home defence, and its limited range was the accepted trade-off. The basic design proved adaptable enough to remain in production, in developed form, for the whole of the war.
Operational History
The prototype, K5054, made its first flight from Eastleigh Aerodrome on 5 March 1936, with Joseph 'Mutt' Summers at the controls. No. 19 Squadron at Duxford was the first RAF squadron to re-equip with the new fighter, and the first Spitfire was flown into Duxford in August 1938. In 1940, Spitfires and Hurricanes together defended England against the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. As the war spread, the Spitfire saw service on every major front. Variants multiplied as demands changed: photo-reconnaissance, fighter-bomber and trainer versions appeared alongside the interceptor, and later marks, such as the Mk XIV, were fitted with the Rolls-Royce Griffon engine for more power. A carrier-based adaptation, the Seafire, was used by the Fleet Air Arm from 1942. Production ran for the whole of the war, and by its end 20,351 Spitfires had been built.
Afterlife
The Spitfire outlasted the war by nearly a decade: it continued in service into the 1950s, and the last operational Spitfire sortie took place on 1 April 1954. The RAF still flies the type: the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight operates five Spitfires of its own for commemorative flying. About 240 Spitfires are reported preserved as of 2025, many of them museum exhibits, and approximately 60 are reported airworthy. The Spitfire remains popular among enthusiasts, and its place in British memory of the war is secure.