The pretty little Spitfire was the most successful British fighter of the war, but it got off to a rough start. The first Spitfire to be unveiled for the public bellied in because her pilot forget to lower the landing gear, and the first air to air kills made by the Spitfire were a pair of unlucky Hurricanes that the Spit pilots mistook for enemy aircraft. Eventually, RAF pilots got better and the Spitfire earned a reputation as a formidable dogfighter.

Cool stuff for Spitfire lovers:

The Big Show is a superbly written narrative of the wartime experiences of Spitfire pilot Pierre Clostermann.

The Battle of Britain is one of the few movies where you can see dogfighting Spitfires, Heinkels and Messerschmitts in non-computer-enhanced, living color.

Check out the Spitfire T-shirt in the gift shop!