Spitfire MJ271, a Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX built in 1943, returned to the skies in 2019 as the “Silver Spitfire.” Restored to airworthy condition by the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford, England, the aircraft received a polished aluminium finish and civilian registration G-IRTY. On August 5, 2019, it departed Goodwood Aerodrome on an ambitious expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

Aircraft Overview

• Type: Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXc
• Manufacturer: Supermarine Aviation Works
• Serial Number: MJ271
• Civil Registration: G-IRTY
• Construction Number: CBAF.IX970
• Original Construction: Castle Bromwich, England, 1943
• Expedition: The Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight
• Departure: Goodwood Aerodrome, England
• Date: August 5, 2019
• Pilots: Matt Jones and Steve Brooks
• Restoration: Aircraft Restoration Company, Duxford, England
• Finish: Polished aluminium, with military armament removed

Historical Background – MJ271

Built at Castle Bromwich in 1943, MJ271 entered service with the Royal Air Force in early 1944. It flew operational missions over occupied Europe, including bomber escort, fighter sweeps, and operations against German V-1 flying-bomb launch sites.

The aircraft subsequently served with other RAF units before being transferred to the Royal Netherlands Air Force after the Second World War. Retired from flying service in the 1950s, it spent decades in museum collections in the Netherlands, eventually returning to England in 2006.

In 2016, MJ271 was acquired for restoration by the Boultbee Flight Academy. After an extensive rebuild at Duxford, the aircraft took to the air again on June 27, 2019, wearing its distinctive polished aluminium finish.

The Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight

On August 5, 2019, G-IRTY departed Goodwood Aerodrome on a westbound journey around the world. Pilots Matt Jones and Steve Brooks set out to demonstrate the enduring capabilities of the iconic fighter while bringing its history to audiences across the globe.

The expedition crossed multiple continents and covered approximately 27,000 miles (43,500 km), visiting more than 30 countries. The aircraft returned to the United Kingdom in December 2019, completing an extraordinary journey in an airworthy Spitfire.

The polished aluminium finish, with its military armament removed, revealed the aircraft's distinctive lines in a way that conventional wartime camouflage could not. The restoration transformed a veteran fighter into an ambassador for aviation history and engineering.

Kit details

• Kit: 1:72 scale by Eduard 7431 (+Draw Decal 72s-Spitfire-01)
• Scale: 1:72
• Completed on: 10/26/2026