Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, using several wing configurations, and it was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft. It was also the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the war. The Spitfire continues to be popular among enthusiasts; nearly 60 remain airworthy, and many more are static exhibits in aviation museums throughout the world. The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft by R. J.
Raymond Saulnier (aircraft manufacturer) Raymond Saulnier (aircraft manufacturer) Raymond Victor Gabriel Jules Saulnier (Paris 27 September 1881 – Chécy 4 March 1964) was a French aeronautical engineer. He was a graduate of the École Centrale Paris, and first collaborated with Louis Blériot on the Blériot XI used for the Channel crossing. In 1911, he founded the Morane-Saulnier company with the Morane brothers, where he designed many aircraft and for which he filed numerous patents. He also designed the aircraft in which Roland Garros made the first crossing of the Mediterranean on 23 September 1913. He was chief editor of an aviation periodical, and wrote