The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft which was used by the Royal Air Force throughout the Second World War. It was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft. After the Battle of Britain (1940), the Spitfire became the backbone of RAF Fighter Command and saw action in all theaters of operation.


Spitfires over England

A low-flying Royal Air Force’s Hurricane escorts rolling trucks of a New Zealand unit on the move in Egypt on August 3, 1942. The height of the truck’s roof respect to the plane give an idea of the flight altitude of the Hurricane. Note the Hurricane’s pilot flying with the canopy completely open. Victor Sierra

Low-altitude flight over the desert

Photograph of Irish sailor Johnny McMahon (standing) and an unknown friend taken weeks before Johnny was killed on the HMS Barham. It was taken from a postcard sent to his family saying "Tough looking blokes" on the back.