After dozens of fighter sweeps, escort runs, and dive bomber missions, this Spitfire was mothballed, and spent 70 years warehoused... (what Raiders of the Lost Arc treasures are in THAT warehouse?) and was recently restored to flight status, and will now try a round the world flight

This spitfire is believed to be more than ninety-per-cent original and is claimed to be the most air-worthy of the sixty or so surviving aircraft that regularly take to the skies.

Following a first successful test flight on July 11th, 2019, hopes are high for the ‘Longest Flight’ set to start at the beginning of August. The first leg of the circumnavigation will take the flying team North to Scotland from where they will fly on to Reykjavík in Iceland.

The route will then cross the Northern reaches of the Atlantic travelling the length of Greenland before crossing into Canada and the USA, arriving at Mojave Air and Space Port on the 23rd August.

After following the West coast of the USA and Canada the plan is to cross into Russia on September 8th, and a month later to have flown over the Great Wall of China and also Mount Fuji.

Pilot Steve Brooks holds the record for being the first person to fly from Pole to Pole in a helicopter and is also credited with being the first person to cross the Bering Straits in a land vehicle. He bought his first Spitfire at auction ten years ago and now runs a flying school Boultbee Flight Academy with Matt Jones.

The modifications to the Spitfire include the installation of eight additional fuel tanks, which will extend the range of the aircraft. All the original panels have been polished to a high sheen while the fabric tail rudder and elevator have been painted silver to match.

The Longest Flight Project supports the Royal Air Force’s 100th birthday as part of the RAF 100 campaign which aims to celebrate its history and also future plans.

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/news/spitfire-2.html