Silver Spitfire Reaches California

PRESERVATION

Matt Jones performed a flypast in the Silver Spitfire over Goodwood Aerodrome before setting out on the circumnavigation of the world on August 5.
RAF Crown Copyright/SAC Ed Wright

The ‘Silver Spitfire’, Mk. IX MJ271/G-IRTY, continues to make progress on its roundthe- world flight. Pilots Matt Jones and Steve Brooks are sharing the flying on this epic journey, sponsored by a watch company and supported by a Pilatus PC- 12. The Spitfire left Goodwood, Sussex on August 5, stopping at RAF Lossiemouth, Moray before crossing to the Faroe Islands and Iceland the next day. Since then it has travelled through Greenland, Canada and across the US. Recent stops have included El Paso, Texas and Nellis AFB, Nevada. As Aviation News went to press, the Spitfire had arrived at Santa Monica, California for a four-day stop having travelled over 5,500 miles (8,851km) of an anticipated circumnavigation of 27,000 miles (43,452km). It is due to complete the journey with an arrival at Goodwood on December 8.

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