Special tribute as Spitfire gets new paint scheme in honour of pilot who died in crash

A special tribute has been paid to the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pilot who died in a Spitfire crash, with one of the famous aircraft getting a new paint scheme in his memory.

Squadron Leader Mark Long, a Typhoon pilot at RAF Coningsby and a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pilot for the past four years, was killed when his Spitfire crashed on 25 May near the base.

In his memory, Spitfire TE311 now wears the fictitious squadron code 'L-NG' on her starboard side, with the RAF roundel standing in for the letter O.

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The paint job also sees Sqn Ldr Mark Long annotated under the cockpit along with a pennant depicting his rank.

The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight shared pictures of Spitfire TE311 on X.

The inquest opening into the death of Sqn Ldr Long heard he died from head and neck injuries suffered in the crash.

Following his death, tributes flooded in, with family and members of the Royal Air Force describing him as "the very best of the RAF".