The Silver Spitfire, with the new G-IRTY registration, has been taking off for flight tests this month, before embarking on an unprecedented flight around the world in August.
The ambitious goal of Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight, is to circumnavigate the world in a spitfire plane. IWC is supporting Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones with their expedition as official timekeeper and main partner. Never before in the history of aviation has the legendary British aircraft embarked on such a long and arduous journey. The two British pilots and founders of Boultbee Flight Academy will fly the propeller-driven aeroplane around the world, covering a distance of over 43 000 kilometres and visiting some 30 countries on their way. The start of the expedition is scheduled for 5 August from Goodwood Aerodrome.
The restoration was a herculean task for everyone involved. A Spitfire is made up of tens of thousands of distinct parts. More than 20 000 rivets had to be individually inspected, cleaned and, if necessary, replaced. The goal of everyone involved was to keep the Spitfire MX.IX in its original condition, as far as possible, and procuring the different spare parts proved to be a real challenge.
“The final result is simply breathtaking. Thanks to the shiny surface of polished aluminium, the beautiful silhouette of this iconic aircraft – with the unmistakable elliptical wings – is visible in its purest form. I am looking forward to the test flights and the start of this unique adventure,” said Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen.