Two British aviators were to take off yesterday on a first-ever attempt to fly a Spitfire around the world, proclaiming the iconic fighter plane as a symbol of freedom.
The restored airplane fought in World War II, but has been de-militarized, stripped of its guns and paintwork to reveal the shining, silvery metal underneath.
“It’s the most majestic machine,” pilot Steve Brooks said. “We’re hoping to reacquaint people with the beauty and the aesthetic of the Spitfire.”
The 76-year-old aircraft was to take off from England’s Goodwood Aerodrome for a four-month, 43,500km adventure westward around the globe.
Taking turns, Brooks, 58, and Matt Jones, 45, who run a flight academy, are to pilot the Silver Spitfire to about 30 countries and soar over some of the world’s most cherished landmarks.
Agile, short-range interceptors, Spitfires were crucial in the 1940 Battle of Britain as England fought off the threat of an invasion by Nazi Germany.
A design classic with elliptical wings, the outline of a Spitfire is instantly recognizable.
“The Spitfire stands for freedom of humanity,” Brooks said.
Of about 20,000 built, fewer than 250 survive, with only 50 or so of those still airworthy. They rarely fly and are mostly based in Britain.
The mission hopes to honor those who designed, built and flew the Spitfire and inspire those who see it to cherish their freedoms.
After setting off from Goodwood, near England’s south coast, the plan was for the silver plane to head north for Scotland.
The Britons are then to take it across the Atlantic Ocean via the Faroe Islands, Reykjavik, Greenland and remote parts of northern Canada.
The sponsor-funded expedition is then to cross North America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe, in about 90 legs.
The airplane is to fly past some of the world’s most well-known sites, including the Grand Canyon, Mount Fuji and some of the seven wonders of the ancient world in Egypt and Greece.
“To see the Silver Spitfire over the Golden Gate Bridge, the Statue of Liberty or the Pyramids of Giza is just going to be fantastic,” Brooks said.
Other highlights include flying over Canada’s Houses of Parliament with the Red Arrows, Britain’s air force aerobatic team, and potentially flying above the Great Wall of China and landing on a road in India’s “pink city” of Jaipur.
The restored single-seater Mk.IX Spitfire was built in 1943 by Vickers Supermarine in Castle Bromwich, England.
It flew on 51 combat missions, escorting bombers, conducting fighter sweeps over France and dive-bombing targets on the French coast.
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