To mark the 100 th anniversary of the UK establishing the Royal Air Force as the first independent service of its kind, our cutaway choice for this Farnborough air show preview issue features two of ...

From dogfights over Britain to life-saving innovations, the Supermarine Spitfire became more than just a fighter—it was a ...

The Supermarine Spitfire, a British fighter that fought in the second world war, can claim to be the most significant combat aircraft in history. It was a brilliant design, a formidable combination of ...

The Supermarine Spitfire was a popular single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Allied Forces during World War II, the only British fighter in production throughout the war. Check out LIFE.com for ...

Here’s What You Need to Remember: “No aircraft is as hallowed as the Spitfire,” Holland concludes. For Britain’s sake, it’s probably a good thing that the assessors never gave the P.24 a fighting ...

In 1934, the Polish P.24 was actually one of the fastest and most heavily-armed fighter prototypes in the world. Here's What You Need to Remember: “No aircraft is as hallowed as the Spitfire,” Holland ...

The Supermarine Spitfire is one of the most famous airplanes of the Second World War. Created by the British in the second half of the 1930s, it was instrumental in keeping the Luftwaffe at bay during ...

This Spitfire had it all. It was a Mark Vc, the distillation of everything the Royal Air Force had learned in the desperate days of the Battle of Britain. "This is the gold standard," Martin Henocq ...

10:56, Mon, Sep 15, 2025 Updated: 10:58, Mon, Sep 15, 2025 The stirring words of Spitfire designer Reginald Mitchell have entered legend. “I’m going to build a plane that will move just like a bird… I ...

Click to open image viewer. CC0 Usage Conditions ApplyClick for more information. Supermarine Spitfire F. Mk. VIIc single seat, low wing monoplane high altitude fighter; enclosed cockpit; aluminum ...

It flew sorties all through World War II, shot down a German fighter in a kill-or-be-killed dog-fight, and starred in the 1969 blockbuster movie The Battle Of Britain before being mothballed for 41 ...