The Supermarine Spitfire was developed by the chief designer at the small Supermarine Aircraft Company, Reginald J Mitchell, and based on his racing seaplanes.

After a few experimental prototypes had been built, the Spitfire emerged as a true killing machine. It had all the hallmarks of a machine built for war - strength, speed and an almost brutal impression of power, whilst also giving an air of grace and beauty.

The Spitfire proved its prowess in the air in hundreds of battles throughoout the world between 1939 and 1945, though it was during the Battle of Britaiin that it became a legend.

This programme maps out the Spitfire's early development from the mid 1930s through to the dogfights in the skies over southern England against the famous German Messerschmitt 109, amongst others, and then follows its many successes and few failures through the remainder of the war, thus telling the complete and dramatic history of this ooutstanding fighter plane.