A last of its kind Spitfire is to be auctioned for charity in London to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain.
The fully restored Vickers Supermarine Spitfire Mk.1A was exhibited by Christies in the Churchill War Rooms in London, with the auction house estimating its worth to be between £1.5m - £2.5m ($2.33m - $3.89m).
There are only two remaining Mk.1 models in the world and both belong to Thomas Kaplan. He said bringing the plane back to life was a personal adventure.
First and foremost it is arguably one of the most beautiful pieces of technology ever created. It is physically beautiful, aesthetically beautiful. It is as graceful as any piece of modernist design, said Kaplan.
The spitfire is in a way the most iconic symbol of the battle of Britain and that was really one of the most pivotal turning points in modern history. The implications of what wouldve happened if Britain had fallen are possibilities are something which stagger the imagination, he said.
The sale at Christies will benefit the RAF Benevolent Fund, and Panthera, a leading wildlife conservation charity.
Phil Reed, the Director of the Churchill War Rooms, said the Spitfire is an icon of British resistance: Its a truly iconic aircraft. When you think of Churchills famous speech where he highlighted the role of the fighter command and the pilots who he described quite simply as the few, you always think of those few flying spitfires.
Although now theyre probably flying hurricanes and not spitfires, but you always think of them; it really captures the imagination because it was the spitfires who went after the fighters. And its that sort of dog fighting experience that is just so heroic and romantic; but its also terrifying thing as well - its a life and death struggle.
The Spitfire P9374 will go to auction on 9 July.
