'Silver Spitfire - The Longest Flight' Hardback Book

Hardback - IN STOCK ! 
 
The Story of Spitfire MJ271 'G-IRTY'
 
Restoring a Second World War Spitfire to museum-grade condition is always a momentous achievement. Elevating it further to airworthy status is nothing short of extraordinary. If that were the entire tale of the Silver Spitfire, it would already merit a documentary. But MJ271, also known as G-IRTY, has a story that stretches far beyond restoration. Originally built over seven decades ago as a short-range interceptor, this aircraft went on to complete a global circumnavigation.
MJ271 was first assigned to 118 Squadron, stationed at RAF Detling in Kent under the 2nd Tactical Air Force, on 18 February 1944. During its time at Detling, it flew sixteen missions. More operations followed with other squadrons, piloted by airmen from across the Allied nations. Reconfigured as a dive-bomber, MJ271 flew numerous offensive sorties over occupied Europe, sustaining Category B damage but surviving the war.
Post-war, she was transferred to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, later sold to the War Museum in Delfzijl, and eventually passed through several custodians. It was during this chapter that MJ271 received her distinctive silver livery. In 2016, she arrived at the Boultbee Flight Academy, now Spitfires.com, where an audacious idea took shape: to fly a Spitfire around the globe.
On 5 August 2019, MJ271 departed from Goodwood Aerodrome, formerly RAF Westhampnett, a Battle of Britain airfield, embarking on a historic journey. The Silver Spitfire travelled an astonishing 43,000 kilometres over 74 legs, visiting twenty-four countries. Her route spanned Greenland and the Atlantic, reaching the U.S. via New York, Las Vegas, and California. From there, she flew north, then west into Russia and onward to Japan, before crossing Asia. After brief stops in the Middle East, she returned to Europe and finally home to the UK.
 
Told through a panoply of astounding photographs, each stage of the Silver Spitfire's remarkable history and unrivalled world tour is displayed in this beautiful tribute to this great icon of British engineering and pioneering spirit.