Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a single-seat piston-engined fighter designed by R. J. Mitchell, first flown in 1936 and famous for its elegant elliptical wing and the distinctive sound of its Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Alongside the Hurricane it fought the Luftwaffe in the 1940 Battle of Britain, and it was continuously developed through more than 20 marks, with over 20,000 built, making it the most iconic fighter of the Royal Air Force. Dozens of Spitfires remain airworthy today, and it is one of the most popular WWII warbirds at European airshows.