The Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire – top ten facts
1
The Spitfire prototype’s first flight was on March 5, 1936, from Eastleigh airfield near Southampton.
2
Duxford-based 19 Squadron was the first RAF unit to receive a Spitfire Mk.I (K9789), after it was delivered to the station on August 4, 1938. The first familiarisation flight was made seven days later by 19’s CO, Sqn Ldr Henry Cozens.
3
Armament for the Spitfire Mk.I comprised eight Browning .303 machine guns, but a limited number of airframes received cannon, and these became known retrospectively as the Mk.Ib.
4
The Mk.Vb AB450 was converted to create the prototype for the first HF Mk.VII, which was a high-altitude fighter with a supercharged engine. It commonly had extended wingtips.