mission complete &
world record set

flying around
the world

IN A 1943
supermarine spitfire MK.IX

newly restored
in polished aluminium

Distance travelled:
22,138 NM

The Silver Spitfire

Click the markers to

explore the MK9 Spitfire

Principal Sponsor

IWC Schaffhausen are our Principal Sponsor for the Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight expedition

SILVER SPITFIRE.
THE LONGEST FLIGHT

The expedition logo which will appear on each side of the aircraft, celebrating the first time a Spitfire has circumnavigated the globe.

VERTICAL STABILISER

Whilst the majority of a Spitfire’s skin is clad in aluminium panels, both control surfaces on the tail (the elevator and rudder), are covered in fabric. They’re painted silver to match the polished bare metal skin of the aircraft.

Rolls-Royce Merlin engine

THE ROLLS-ROYCE MERLIN ENGINE

The Silver Spitfire is powered by a 27-litre V12 Rolls-Royce Merlin engine putting out around 1,350 BHP. There are 6 exhaust stacks on each side of the aircraft, each one costing in the region of £1,000!

spitfire propeller cross section

WOODEN PROPELLER BLADES

The propeller blades on a Spitfire are made of layers of wood sandwiched together, in contrast with the metal or composite materials you’ll find on more modern aircraft. It is a four-bladed design with a diameter of 10’9″ / 3.27m.

Spitfire air intake

AIR INTAKE

The internal combustion engine of the Spitfire needs to be fed with air, and this intake scoop at the front of the aircraft is where this is fed into the engine, through a Vokes air filter.

Spitfire radiator

KEEPING COOL

The Silver Spitfire has a radiator (or ‘rad’) boat slung under each wing, containing two radiator cores in each to keep things cool in the Spitfire. On the starboard side are rads for both the Merlin engine’s intercooler and glycol-based coolant system, and on the port side for engine oil and another one for the coolant system.

Spitfire tail wheel

THE TAILWHEEL

Most modern aircraft sit on a nosewheel for good visibility and steering when manoeuvring on the ground. Older aircraft like the Spitfire sit on a tailwheel which means a pilot has to employ a zig-zag technique when taxiing. Such aircraft are affectionately known as ‘tail-draggers’.

REGISTRATION G-IRTY

Every civilian aircraft must carry a unique registration mark. UK-registered aircraft all have a ‘G’ followed by four letters. The Silver Spitfire carries the registration ‘G-IRTY’ to complement her sister ship in the Boultbee Flight Academy fleet, their two-seat TR9 ‘G-ILDA’.

NEW IWC PILOT’S WATCHES COLLECTION

IWC Pilot’s Watches introduced the cockpit-instrument look for classic Pilot’s watches and enjoy global renown as precise timepieces with outstanding technology.

The Spitfire is A UK treasure and an emblem of freedom