Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIA - Fighter Plane

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIA

The Supermarine Spitfire evolved through 21 different marks over six years of warfare as a front line fighter. In propellers alone the plane progressed through two blades, three blades, four blades, five blades and in the closing days of the war, was fitted with two sets of reverse roto three bladed propellers.

Starting as a general air supremacy fighter, the plane was modified to be a high altitude fighter with a pressurized cockpit and extended wings, a high altitude long range photo reconnaissance plane, and a mid to low altitude fighter-bomber with clipped wings and bomb racks.

Spitfire Mark Is and IIs were the fighters that successfully fought the Battle of Britain along with the Hawker Hurricanes. 20,301 Spitfires were produced, making it the most numerous of any Allied fighter. Photographed by Adrian Pingstone in June 2008 and placed in the public domain.

Supermarine Spitfire & V-1 'Flyng Bomb'

A Spitfire (right) using its wingtip to topple the gyros of a German unmanned V-1 ‘Flying Bomb’ (left), commanly known as a buzz bomb. Imperial War Museum