A Supermarine Spitfire completed a commemorative 10-day tour across England this week to mark the 90th anniversary of the aircraft’s first flight. The event highlighted the Spitfire’s historical significance and its enduring legacy in British aviation and military history.

The tour began on April 7 with pilot Squadron Leader Matt Jones, from Gittisham, Devon, taking off from RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall. It concluded yesterday at Southampton Airport, formerly known as Eastleigh aerodrome, the site of the Spitfire’s original maiden flight on March 5, 1936. That initial eight-minute flight of prototype K5054 was piloted by Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers. The aircraft was designed by RJ Mitchell in the Woolston area of Southampton and later became a pivotal aircraft in the Battle of Britain during the Second World War.

During the tour, the Spitfire—features a two-seater model painted in the prototype’s livery—visited several RAF bases and airports linked to its development and operational history. Earlier in the week, the aircraft was escorted by a Dakota and a Spitfire AB910 of the Royal Air Force’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight as it proceeded to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, home to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight museum.

Seats for flights during the tour were auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the RAF Benevolent Fund and the Mark Long Trust, organizations supporting veterans and their families.

Squadron Leader Jones described the Spitfire as an “icon that stands for Britain at its best” and praised it as “the most beautiful aeroplane to look at and to listen to.” He emphasized the aircraft’s historical role in defending the country and noted the significance of celebrating its 90 years of service and legacy.

The commemorative tour served to honor the Spitfire’s contribution not only as a technological achievement but also as a symbol of national resilience and heritage.