Video: Spitfire Flight Around The World Lands In California!

The pilots flying the WWII fighter from the UK to the UK have been battling weather gremlins, but they’re still on track.

Plane & Pilot

Thursday, August 29, 2019 at 01:11 PM ET

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Well on its way around the world, the Silver Spitfire landed in Santa Monica, California, on August 28, 2019, on its way to the UK after departing from England on August 5, 2019. Here, the Spitfire shares the sky with another iconic World War II fighter, the North American P-51 Mustang. Photo: @stampproductions

Key Takeaways:

The "Silver Spitfire," a meticulously restored 1943 MK. IX Supermarine Spitfire, is undertaking the first-ever around-the-world flight, sponsored by IWC Watches.
Piloted by Matt Jones and Steve Brooks, the journey began in England on August 5, 2019, successfully completing the North Atlantic crossing and traversing America to land in Santa Monica, California, by August 28, 2019, having covered 5,561 miles.
The ambitious expedition is planned to cover approximately 27,000 miles over four months, visiting more than 30 countries, with major segments across Alaska, Russia, and Asia still ahead.

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Spitfire and Mustang — Well on its way around the world, the Silver Spitfire landed in Santa Monica, California, on August 28, 2019, on its way to the UK after departing from England on August 5, 2019. Here, the Spitfire shares the sky with another iconic World War II fighter, the North American P-51 Mustang. Photo: @stampproductions

The restored Supermarine Spitfire known as the Silver Spitfire, has made it across America, in fact, all the way to Santa Monica, California, as of Wednesday. The trip log has covered 5,561 miles so far. And the pilots have many, many more miles to fly, with new adventures surely waiting at every turn.

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The Silver Spitfire, an impeccably restored bare-metal 1943 MK. IX model, is a years-long venture by a talented team of pilots, mechanics, flight planners and photographer/videographers that has been supported by principle sponsor IWC Watches. The planned flight, the first-ever around-the-world flight in a Spitfire, was targeted to visit more than 30 countries, cover around 27,000 miles, stop off at 15 iconic destinations, and last for four months.

They got started on time. British pilots Matt Jones and Steve Brooks took off in early August from England, heading Westbound against the prevailing winds, and successfully made the North Atlantic crossing.

The pilots perhaps feel as though they’ve come a long way already, and they have, but they’re not even close to halfway around. From California, they’ll head up to Alaska, across to Russia and then across Asia. The route will doubtless include more detours and unexpected challenges.

Check out this video to get a feel for the beauty and majesty of the plane. You can follow the journey here, as well!