The Spitfire Society's facsimile of the prototype Spitfire: image The Spitfire Society
The first Spitfire prototype took off on 5 March 1936 from Eastleigh airfield, which is now Southampton airport. This weekend, a replica spitfire is making frequent flypasts over the Battle of Britain Memorial site at Capel-le-Ferne. Visitors will also be able to see a facsimile of a Spitfire K5054.
The Spitfire Society is working with the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust to mark the anniversary of the Spitfire’s first flight on 5 and 6 March. A group of Spitfire Society members built the K5054 which will be on display over the weekend at the Battle of Britain Memorial site and visitors will be able to sit in its cockpit. There will also be technical experts and pilots at the memorial in Capel-le-Ferne on hand to talk to the public. There is also the opportunity to fly alongside the airborne Spitfire (Mark Five) BM597 in a helicopter.
Supermarine Spitfire: image mstation.org
Essential for British air defence in the Second World War the Spitfire’s wing design allowed for a higher top speed than many of its contemporaries and afforded the plane a manouverability that many pilots credited with saving their lives.
Designed by R.J Mitchell in 1931 the Spitfire initially saw action as an interceptor though it’s popularity with pilots soon led to it finding roles as a fighter-bomber, photo-reconnaisance and training plane.
About 25 Spitfires are still in flying condition.
Tags: Capel-le-Ferne, Spitfire, Spitfire 75th Anniversary, Supermarine Spitfire, World War II
The k2p blog 
March 5, 2011 at 11:30 pm
Don’t put apostrophes where they’re not required i.e. ‘it’s’ contemporaries’, . . ‘it’s popularity’
March 5, 2011 at 11:45 pm
Quite right, corrected.