Spitfire's maiden flight marked in home city 90 years on

The legacy of the Supermarine Spitfire, which played a pivotal role in the RAF's victory in the Battle of Britain, will be commemorated in its birthplace 90 years after its first flight.

The iconic aircraft took to the skies on 5 March 1936. At the beginning of World War Two it was only being manufactured at the Supermarine works beside the River Itchen in Southampton.

Commemorative plaques and flypasts are planned at Mayflower Park and Southampton Airport on Thursday, while the National Spitfire Project (NSP) will also be marking a significant milestone in the development of the National Spitfire Monument.

NSP chair John Hannides called it "a moment of national pride and reflection".

The Supermarine Spitfire was designed by Reginald Joseph (RJ) Mitchell, who worked for the Southampton aviation company Supermarine from 1916 until 1936.

The first plane was piloted by Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers at Eastleigh Aerodrome, now Southampton International Airport.

After just eight minutes in the air, he famously declared: "Don't change a thing."

Southampton Airport will host the unveiling of the Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust plaque and the World Origin Site plaque, honouring both the fighter's global significance and the thousands of local people involved in its design and build.

NSP representatives will host a programme at Voco Hotel and Mayflower Park which will include "a ceremonial groundbreaking, an immersive augmented reality experience of the future monument, and - weather permitting - a commemorative Spitfire flypast".

Hannides said they were "honoured to celebrate this milestone in the city where the Spitfire story began".

"The 90th anniversary of the Spitfire's first flight is a moment of national pride and reflection," he added.

"This event marks not only the legacy of an aircraft that helped shape history, but also the beginning of a permanent monument that will inspire future generations."

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