New Spitfire aircraft could enter production after Cornwall unveiling
A new version of the Supermarine Spitfire could return to the skies after a team in Cornwall revealed plans to build a modern aircraft inspired by the wartime original. The full-scale concept aircraft, called the Aerolite Spitfire Type 433, was unveiled in Bodmin and will tour air shows and military festivals across the UK this spring and summer as the project team looks for investors and potential buyers.
Built by Great British Supermarine Ltd, the two-seater aircraft has been designed using modern composite materials based on wartime plans that explored alternatives to aluminium fuselages during the Second World War. Those original government-backed plans involving a material known as Gordon Aerolite were abandoned in 1940, but the team behind the new aircraft has continued developing the concept using modern engineering techniques.
The company says the aircraft could be built for around £750,000, compared with more than £3 million for an original operational Spitfire.
Jeremy Meeson, chief executive of Great British Supermarine Ltd, said the project aims to keep the balance and flying character associated with the original aircraft while introducing modern materials and avionics.
Only around a dozen two-seat Spitfires are still operational worldwide, making them one of the rarest versions of the aircraft still flying today. The Aerolite Spitfire has also been designed to withstand outdoor conditions without permanent hangar storage because of its composite construction.
David Spencer Evans, former chairman of the Spitfire Society and the Spitfire Heritage Trust, said the project should be seen as a continuation of the Spitfire story using modern materials. He said the team hopes to have a flying prototype completed within two and a half years if investment plans move forward.
The Spitfire became one of Britain’s defining wartime aircraft during the Battle of Britain and remains one of the country’s most recognisable aviation designs. Interest in historic aircraft continues to draw crowds to events across the UK, including major summer air displays and aviation museum experiences.
Interest in historic aircraft continues to draw crowds to events across the UK, including major summer air displays such as the Southport Air Show. Visitors exploring Britain’s aviation history can also experience interactive cockpit displays at the RAF Museum in London. The continued fascination with wartime aircraft has also been reflected in recent D-Day anniversary commemorations featuring historic flypasts and military displays.
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