80 Years Ago Today

The Spitfire had it's maiden flight.

We (HelenJG and her husband Matt, and Chris of AnnieAndChris fame) were booked on a photo day at North Weald airfield, photographing the P40 Curtis Kittyhawk, and here, the Mk XI Spitfire of Hangar 11.

It was a pretty nice afternoon and evening, even if it was quite fresh, to photograph these classic and historic planes.

Fortunately, when they ran up the spitfire, they got it warm enough to spit some fire out of the exhaust stubs.

Nice to see it run up so close, but there is nothing quite like the roar of a Merlin when a Spitfire is in flight.