9 March 2026
A wartime two-seat Spitfire will embark on a special circumnavigation of the United Kingdom in 2026 to mark the 90th anniversary of the aircraft’s first flight while offering a rare chance to fly in the historic fighter through a charity auction.
The commemorative tour centres on Spitfire BS410, a genuine World War II aircraft that has been repainted in the colours of K5054, the prototype Supermarine Type 300 flown for the first time on March 5, 1936.
On that day, test pilot Captain Joseph ‘Mutt’ Summers lifted the aircraft into the air from Eastleigh — now Southampton Airport — for a short eight-minute flight that would cement the design’s future. When he landed, Summers famously remarked, “Don’t change a thing.”
To celebrate the milestone anniversary, Spitfires.com, operators of the aircraft are working alongside the Royal Air Force to stage a nine-leg aerial tour around mainland Britain. Each leg represents one decade since the original flight, collectively forming a circumnavigation that highlights key sites associated with the Spitfire’s history.
The first flight will depart from Southampton International Airport on 7 April 2026, the same location where the prototype first took to the air in 1936.
From there, the route will pass a number of historic landmarks connected to the aircraft’s development and wartime service. These include the grave of Spitfire designer Reginald J. Mitchell, the site of the original Spitfire factory, and Martlesham Heath where extensive testing of the prototype took place.
Image: Spitfires.com
The tour will also feature flypasts of coastal landmarks and memorials linked to Britain’s wartime aviation heritage, including the Needles, Beachy Head, the White Cliffs of Dover and the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne. Another key stop will be RAF Coningsby, home to the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Seats in the rear cockpit of the two-seat Spitfire will be auctioned as part of a charity fundraising effort. Successful bidders will have the opportunity to join the aircraft on one of the nine tour legs, effectively becoming part of the anniversary event themselves.
Proceeds from the auction will be donated to two aviation-related charities: the Mark Long Trust and the RAF Benevolent Fund, organisations that support members of the armed forces and the wider aviation community.
Adding further spectacle to the anniversary flights, the Royal Air Force plans to provide escort aircraft on each leg of the tour.
These formation flights could involve a variety of modern and historic RAF aircraft, potentially including the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Boeing Chinook helicopter and BAE Systems Hawk T1s flown by the RAF Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows. Aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight may also take part.
Scramble the X #Spitfire Wing! @BeaverWestminst @James1940 @JohnNicholRAF @1940Andy @SpitfireFilly @TonyHoskins16 @trevorbmbagency @clark_aviation @FlightPolish #Spitfire90 https://t.co/a2c9R9qBrj
— Tim Robinson (@RAeSTimR) March 5, 2026
On the 90th anniversary of the Spitfire let’s remember Lucy, Lady Houston who donated the equivalent of £7,000,000 of her own money in 1931 to Supermarine to keep the Spitfire project alive
“Every true Briton would rather sell his last shirt than admit that England could not… pic.twitter.com/zHwQuVgLI7— Tony Brown (@agbdrilling) March 5, 2026
