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Graphic toont de route van de Silver Spitfire met details van het toestel en de expeditie.
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Silver Spitfire vlucht rond de wereld

By Ninian Carter

December 3, 2019 - Twee vliegeniers hebben in het jaar dat de Britse Royal Air Force honderd jaar bestaat, in vier maanden rond de wereld gevlogen in een spiegelgepolijste aluminium Spitfire uit de WO II.

A World War II Spitfire aeroplane is due to return to the UK on Dec 5, following an epic 40,000km, four-month flight around the world.

The striking aircraft, which has had its customary camouflage paint removed and instead its aluminium body mirror-polished, set off westwards in August taking in such countries as Greenland, Canada, United States, Russia, Japan, Thailand, India, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.

It is flown by two pilots who alternate flying shifts – while one flies the Spitfire, the other rests in a Pilatus PC-12 support plane flying alongside. It also carries an engineer and spare parts, as well as a documentary film-making team.

Weather has been the expedition’s biggest challenge as, unlike modern aircraft, Spitfires do not have instruments that allow them to fly in bad conditions or cloud. The plane is deliberately flown low as often as possible so as to be visible from the ground.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 04/12/2019; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Handouts
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