Spitfire could return to production 90 years after first flight

A group of enthusiasts and engineers are looking to revive one of the Britain’s most iconic war aircraft.

During the Battle of Britain, German commander Adolf Galland was asked by Herman Goering what his pilots needed to defeat the British.

In his frustration, he replied ‘I should like an outfit of Spitfires for my squadron’.

Now designers have drafted up a new model of the Supermarine Spitfire, which first took to the sky in 1936.

The Aerolite Spitfire Type 433 has been developed using wartime plans to replace aluminium with a composite material known as Gordon Aerolite.

It has been built for £750,000, significantly less than the £3million needed to acquire a classic Spitfire.

Only a dozen of the original two-seater aircraft are thought to remain operational.

The weather resistant properties of the new composite material will avoid the need for the plane to be stored in a hangar.

After being unveiled in Bodmin, Cornwall, the new model will tour 10 air shows and military and motor festivals this summer.

The project’s backers hope to get the model flying within two-and-a-half years.

Jeremy Meeson, the chief executive of Great British Supermarine Ltd, said: ‘The moment is right to reimagine the Supermarine Spitfire because today’s materials, propulsion, and digital engineering finally let us evolve an icon without losing what made it exceptional.

‘This design stays true to its 1940s’ lineage – lightweight performance, balance, and pilot connection – while introducing advanced composites, modern power systems, and intelligent avionics.

‘Just as the original Spitfire pushed the limits of its time, this one does the same.’

He added: ‘Aerolite anticipates a brisk progress towards full production with significant interest from UK and international buyers and investors.’

The original Spitfire became a defining symbol of the Second World War, playing a crucial part in the Battle of Britain.

David Spencer Evans, a former chairman of the Spitfire Society and the Spitfire Heritage Trust, said the new project would ‘continue the Spitfire story’.

He hailed the original plane as a ‘wonderful machine’.

‘Every red-blooded Brit has some affection for the Spitfire. It’s something beautiful’, he said.

But he added: ‘We are looking at a number of air shows this year to gauge the interest and also to invite potential investors to the project because it’s going to be an expensive business getting the prototype flying.’

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