A look at the iconic combat aircraft, 90 years on from its first flight, and why it was the people's plane.

The Supermarine Spitfire single-seat fighter aircraft of the Second World War marks nine decades since its first flight in 1936.

Even nowadays, it is impossible for anyone who knows a bit of military aviation history to not recognize the famous Supermarine Spitfire from WWII, the aircraft that fought in the Battle of Britain, ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. GettyImages 613462410 Hulton Deutsch Collection Corbis Getty Images 2 The Supermarine Spitfire, a British fighter that fought in ...

During the Battle of Britain, perhaps the most fraught moment in the UK’s history, the Spitfire performed admirably. The ...

During the Battle of Britain, perhaps the most fraught moment in the UK’s history, the Spitfire performed admirably. As Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill said about the Royal Air Force (RAF) ...

The Supermarine Spitfire is a legend in British air history. With the Hawker Hurricane, it successfully defended England against the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, and throughout the war it saw ...

A tribute flypast and new plaques are planned for the Supermarine Spitfire's anniversary.

This Spitfire had it all. It was a Mark Vc, the distillation of everything the Royal Air Force had learned in the desperate days of the Battle of Britain. "This is the gold standard," Martin Henocq ...

The Supermarine Spitfire was a popular single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Allied Forces during World War II, the only British fighter in production throughout the war. Check out LIFE.com for ...