GREAT Britain’s most iconic aircraft is taking to the skies for a triumphant tour of the UK to celebrate its heroic history.
Today the is still in Wales after it was grounded due to the weather – here’s everything you need to know about the nine-leg airborne anniversary.
The Spitfire is touring the UK 90 years after its first-ever flightCredit: Getty
The first took to the air on March 5, 1936.
Test pilot Joseph “Mutt” Summers lifted into the sky from Eastleigh Aerodrome – now Southampton Airport.
The flight lasted just eight minutes, and on landing Mutt reportedly told engineers: “Don’t change a thing.”
And the UK is marking the occasion in style 90 years on.
Working in partnership with the and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Spitfires.com painted the two-seater wartime Spitfire BS410 in the colours of the original prototype.
The aircraft is set to undertake nine flights across , and between Tuesday, April 7 and Friday, April 17, 2026.
Each day represents a decade of the Spitfire’s remarkable history.
What is today’s Spitfire flight path?
There was no Spitfire flight today (Tuesday, April 14) after converns were raised over forecasted bad weather.
Flight 6 of the nine-leg tour, from RAF Valley in Wales to MOD St Athan, has been moved to Wednesday, April 15, departing at 10am.
The Spitfire will be escorted by an RAF Texan, followed by a Jupiter HT1 helicopter.
The leg is expected to last around one hour and five minutes.
As with all legs of the tour, times are subject to weather and air traffic control.
This means they can be cancelled or changed at short notice.
You can see the full schedule below, per the website Military Airshows :
What is the full UK Spitfire tour route?
The tour began on Tuesday, April 7, at Southampton Airport – the site of the Spitfire’s first flight.
Departing at 1pm, it was escorted by an F-35B before being joined by a BBMF Dakota and a Spitfire Mk V, landing at RAF Coningsby, the home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
On Wednesday, April 8, the flew from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire to RAF Leuchars in Fife, escorted by two Red Arrows Hawk T1s and a Phenom T1.
On Thursday, April 9, the travelled from RAF Leuchars to RAF Lossiemouth, escorted by a P-8 Poseidon.
Each day of the nine-day voyage represents a decade of the Spitfire’s remarkable historyCredit: Alamy
On Friday, April 10, it headed to Prestwick Airport accompanied by two Typhoons.
After a weekend break, it flew from Prestwick to RAF Valley in Wales on Monday, April 13, with two Hawk T2s in formation.
On Wednesday, April 15, the Spitfire flies from RAF Valley to MOD St Athan, escorted by an RAF Texan and a Jupiter HT1 helicopter.
On Thursday, April 16, two QinetiQ Pilatus PC21s accompany the Spitfire from MOD St Athan to RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall, before an A400M Atlas then escorts it on to Exeter Airport later the same day.
The tour concludes on Friday, April 17, with a 40-minute flight from Exeter back to Southampton Airport, completing the full circumnavigation of mainland Britain.
A BBMF Dakota will provide the final escort, bringing the aircraft home to where the Spitfire’s story began 90 years ago.
For each leg the flights depart at 10am, with the only exception the opening stint, which set off at 1pm.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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