1. The Spitfire was the only British aircraft to be in continuous production throughout World War II.
2. R. J. Mitchell designed the Spitfire at Supermarine Aviation, starting in 1938.
3. The name Spitfire comes from Old English meaning strong or fiery. Other names considered for the bomber were Snipe and Shrew.
4. The plane weighed 2400 kilos and had a top speed of 582 kph.
5. There were 20,000 Spitfires built and they remained in service until 1955.
6. The Spitfire helped Britain win the Battle of Britain even though they were outnumbered in aircraft capacity 2000 to 700.
7. The Spitfire has been mentioned in movies like Battle of Britain, Malta Story and Reach for the Sky.
8. There remain 50 Spitfires in the world in operation.
9. Many pilots were unfamiliar with the Spitfire's innovative retractable undercarriage. Early accidents were often the result of pilots forgetting to the lower the wheels before landing.
10. Rather than carrying bombs, some of the Spitfires were modified to house two small barrels of beer.
Source: primaryfacts.com
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