THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST FLIGHT OF A SPITFIRE, SOUTHAMPTON, BRITAIN - 05 MAR 2006

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Rex Features The 70th Anniversary of the first flight of a Spitfire is marked by a celebration flight over Southampton, the home of the aircraft. The landmark occasion was attended by 93-year-old Alex Henshaw, the last surviving Spitfire test pilot. Mr Henshaw, of Newmarket, Suffolk, was the aircraft's principle test pilot for most of the war, from the Battle of Britain in 1940 onwards. The Spitfire's maiden flight took place four years earlier at Eastleigh Airfield, which is now Southampton International Airport. In a re-enactment of that day, the five planes flew together for eight minutes from 4.35pm. "For me this is really full circle, as I first flew the Spitfire from Eastleigh on my birthday in November 1939," said Mr Henshaw. "This is the last time I will go up in one, so it's very nostalgic. I am feeling my age and it's not good having ideas in the mind that the body cannot carry out." The former test pilot compared the Spitfire to a thoroughbred racehorse. "With a thoroughbred racehorse as you know, if it's got a tender mouth it'll respond or it will reject it or resent it. And a Spitfire was exactly like that. If you treated a Spitfire badly, it would tell you." And he added: "The Spitfire is the most outstanding low wing monoplane ever built. The Hurricane was a fantastic aircraft and contributed as much as the Spitfire, but although the Spitfire didn't win the war, it would have been lost without it." THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST FLIGHT OF A SPITFIRE, SOUTHAMPTON, BRITAIN - 05 MAR 2006 EX FORMER WWII 2ND WORLD WAR SECOND TWO VETERAN RAF ROYAL AIR FORCE 577136b

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