Spitfire completes second leg of 90th anniversary flight – with some help from the Red Arrows
A Spitfire has completed the second leg of its anniversary flight to mark 90 years since the iconic aircraft first took to the skies.
Nine flights have been organised around Great Britain to celebrate the landmark, which began when the plane took off from Southampton on Tuesday.
The second leg saw the two-seat Spitfire travel from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to Leuchars Station in Fife.
Marking history
The plane was accompanied by two Hawk T1 Red Arrows jets as well as a Phenom T1 aircraft that is used to train pilots in the RAF for part of the way.
The journey saw the aircraft fly over the Firth of Forth – where some of the first Second World War aerial battles over UK soil were fought and the RAF shot down Luftwaffe planes during the opening aviation battles of the conflict.
The Spitfire90 tour is a collaboration between the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and Spitfires.com.
Pilot and CEO of Spitfires.com Matt Jones said: "It’s important to keep these aeroplanes in people's lives and imaginations and to keep them flying.
"And the 90-year mark for this exceptional piece of design is something that we think should be commemorated.
Money going to charities
"We've done everything we can to make it look like that [the prototype Spitfire] by painting it and it was important that it was a two-seater, for the reason of allowing engagements and being able to raise funds for those very worthy charities."
Members of the public have been bidding to fly in the aircraft on each leg of the tour, with the proceeds being split between the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, which supports RAF personnel and their families, and the Mark Long Trust, which helps disabled people through aviation opportunities.
Aloysius Dempsey flew between RAF Coningsby and Leuchars after bidding £16,100 to win the opportunity. He said: "It's absolutely amazing.
"You know, the expression is 'you couldn't buy it' but of course we paid for it for a couple of very good causes and money going for the Mark Long Trust and for the RAF Benevolent Fund.
“So you know, supporting great causes and getting a fantastic experience. It's brilliant, absolutely brilliant."
The Spitfire will carry on to RAF Lossiemouth after leaving Leuchars where it will be joined in a formation by a P-8 Poseidon maritime aircraft that is based at the Highland station.
Where to catch a glimpse of the nine flights of the Spitfire
Flight 1 - Tuesday 7 April: Southampton to RAF Coningsby
Formation with Battle of Britain Memorial Flight C-47 Dakota, F-35B Lightnings and BBMF Spitfire Mk V
Flight 2 - Wednesday 8 April: RAF Coningsby to Leuchars Station
Formation with two Red Arrows Hawk T1s and a Phenom T1
Flight 3 - Thursday 9 April: Leuchars Station to RAF Lossiemouth
Probable formation with a P-8A Poseidon
Flight 4 - Friday 10 April: RAF Lossiemouth to Prestwick
Probable formation with two Typhoon FGR4s
Flight 5 - Monday 13 April: Prestwick to RAF Valley
Probable formation with a Hawk T2
Flight 6 - Tuesday 14 April: RAF Valley to MOD St Athan
Probable formation with a Texan T1 and Jupiter HT1
Flight 7 - Wednesday 15 April: MOD St Athan to RAF St Mawgan
Probable formation with two Pilatus PC-21s
Flight 8 - Thursday 16 April: RAF St Mawgan to Exeter
Probable formation with an A400M Atlas
Flight 9 - Friday 17 April: Exeter to Southampton
Probable formation with the BBMF C-47 Dakota
Join Our Newsletter
