Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire was a single-seat fighter family whose thin elliptical wing, retractable undercarriage, and evolving Merlin and Griffon power made it one of the defining aircraft of twentieth-century aviation. Designed by Reginald Mitchell's Supermarine team, it grew from the K5054 prototype into a long-running series of marks used for interception, reconnaissance, and training, while its performance and production helped shape Britain's air defence in the Second World War.