Glorious Colour pictures of a British WW2 Classic!

Start-up of a Spitfire named 'The Flying Scotsman', paid for by donations from LNER personnel ('The Flying Scotsman,' England, 1942.
Start-up of a Spitfire named 'The Flying Scotsman', paid for by donations from LNER personnel ('The Flying Scotsman,' England, 1942.

The RAF Supermarine Spitfire has got to be one of the most classic planes of WW2. Examples can be seen as static exhibits in museums all over the world,  and Spitfires are a common sight at airshows. More than 50 functioning planes still exist, performing at airshows and appearing in films.

Feast your eyes on these full-colour pictures of this classic, British-designed WW2 plane!

A Spitfire in flight over England, 1939-1945. Source © IWM (COL 189)
A Spitfire in flight over England, 1939-1945. Source © IWM (COL 189)
Three Spitfires flying in formation over Essex, 1939-1945. Source © IWM (COL 190)
Three Spitfires flying in formation over Essex, 1939-1945. Source © IWM (COL 190)
Spitfires of the Royal Canadian Air Force in Tunisia, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 823)
Spitfires of the Royal Canadian Air Force in Tunisia, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 823)
An RCAF Spitfire pilot preparing for take-off, Tunisia, 1943.Source © IWM (TR 872)
An RCAF Spitfire pilot preparing for take-off, Tunisia, 1943.Source © IWM (TR 872)
Royal Canadian Air Force Spitfires flying over the Tunisian desert, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 865)
Royal Canadian Air Force Spitfires flying over the Tunisian desert, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 865)
A crashed RCAF Spitfire being dismembered for parts, Tunisia, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 1009)
A crashed RCAF Spitfire being dismembered for parts, Tunisia, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 1009)
A Spitfire pilot of the South African air force conferring with his Number 2, Tunisia, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 1033)
A Spitfire pilot of the South African air force conferring with his Number 2, Tunisia, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 1033)
RAF Spitfires flying past Mount Vesuvius, Italy, 1944. Source © IWM (TR 1536)
RAF Spitfires flying past Mount Vesuvius, Italy, 1944. Source © IWM (TR 1536)
The personal Spitfire of Air Vice Marshal Keith Park, Commanding Air Officer of Malta, as he prepares for a ceremonial take-off to inaugurate Malta’s new aerodrome at Safi, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 1069)
The personal Spitfire of Air Vice Marshal Keith Park, Commanding Air Officer of Malta, as he prepares for a ceremonial take-off to inaugurate Malta’s new aerodrome at Safi, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 1069)
And…. take-off! Source © IWM (TR 745)
And…. take-off! Source © IWM (TR 745)
Refuelling and re-arming of a Spitfire, England, 1939-1945. Source © IWM (COL 191)
Refuelling and re-arming of a Spitfire, England, 1939-1945. Source © IWM (COL 191)
RAF pilots in front of a Spitfire, England, 1939-1945. Source © IWM (COL 192)
RAF pilots in front of a Spitfire, England, 1939-1945. Source © IWM (COL 192)
RAF Spitfires banking over Tunisia during a sortie, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 857)
RAF Spitfires banking over Tunisia during a sortie, 1943. Source © IWM (TR 857)
A Spitfire in flight over the English coast. Source © IWM (TR 139)
A Spitfire in flight over the English coast. Source © IWM (TR 139)