The Hangar

RAF Fighters

Supermarine Spitfire Mk I & II

The Schneider Trophy              winning  Supermarine S6b in     1931.

The first prototype Spitfire -   K5054, seen here in still           unpainted in March 1936.        Note the two bladed wooden    propellor.

K5054 seen here in at                Eastleigh in June 1936. The      airframe has been painted in      preperation for the press          gathering it was attending.

Spitfire I production at the             Supermarine factory in Eastleigh    1939.

Spitfire I's of 19 Squadron in    flight in Oct 1938. The              numbers on the tail-fin were     painted on for the benefit of     the Press.

A Spitfire Ib of 92 Squadron     based at Manston. If you look  closely at the larger picture        you'll notice that this is one of  the rare Mk Ib's that were         fitted  with 20mm Hispano       cannons instead of the               standard 8 x .303 Brownings.

A Spitfire I               damaged during a      dogfight with Me     109 E's.

Here's another picture of the     Spitfire Ib fitted with the 20      mm Hispano cannons. Note      the blister that houses the          cannon on the wing. Also note  the introduction of the 3            bladed metal propellor.

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A Spitfire Ia testing its guns     and aligning them for the           correct harmonisation. Note      the spent cartridge cases           flying out beneath the wing.

Spitfire IIa 'City of Norwich'     seen here as part of 65 East       India Squadron. This                 particular Spit survived its        frontline tour of duty and was  posted to several training          units until Nov 1944 when it    was struck off.

An absolutely            beautiful colour         picture of a Spitfire   Ia

Scramble!! A Spitfire I taking    off to do battle with the            darstadly Hun over the              Channel :o)

Mayday! Mayday! A  Spitfire IIa's fate        caught on the Gun     Camera film of its      victor, an Me 109F,   in action over             France in 1941.

This shows the gorgeous lines   and elliptical wing shape that    makes people watch it in awe.

A Group of 4 Spitfire IIa's of    65 East India Squadron in          1941. Note the Groundcrew      helping to keep the Spitfire       balanced whilst it taxis out.

Another colour picture of a       Spitfire Mk IIa taken from the  rear gun turret of the Battle of   Britain Memorial flight              Lancaster.

One of the early production of   Spitfire I's delivered to 66          Squadron in Spring of 1940.       Note the accumilator trolley in   the foreground connected to       the engine of the Spitfire.

Film shot of a practice               interception by two Spitfire      I's on their leader.

Another classic profile of a       Spitfire I. Note that this one     has already been fitted with      the 3 bladed  de Haviland          metal variable pitch bladed        propellor.

Ouch!! That's just gotta hurt.    A Spitfire I crash landed in a     field after a skirmish.

The Roar of the Merlin! For       those that have heard it they      will never forget the spine          tingling feeling it creates when    you hear it start up.