Spitfire stuff @ Southampton Airport

Spitfire Makers plaque #23 was unveiled at Southampton Airport last month, to commemorate the 90-year anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire, from that very same site (then called Eastleigh Aerodrome). Unfortunately, we couldn't attend this unveiling at the time due to work getting in the way. But we flew to the Netherlands for a double family visit over the Easter days, so that gave us the perfect opportunity to take some pictures of the plaque and the wall it's now situated on.

Information on both RJ Mitchell and 'Mutt' Summers is provided at either side of the plaque(s).

And here is Spitfire Makers plaque #23 in close-up.

Once through security check and customs, in the area near the departure gates, there is a sign pointing towards a 'Spitfire Lounge.

Following the signs through some doors and corridors eventually leads past a large black-and-white image of a Spitfire ...

... and this is as far as I could get, not having a business class ticket!

We flew to the Netherlands in a KLM Cityhopper, from the same place that the first Spitfire flew 90 years ago.

On Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, we met with our respective families; this double family visit was after all the primary reason for going.

And then back home after Easter, again in a KLM Cityhopper. 

Underneath the plane, on the approach to Southampton Airport, is the site of the Supermarine Woolston works, bombed in 1940.

We landed back at Southampton Airport on the day that Spitfire BS410, repainted light blue and sporting the registration of the original prototype (K5054), would depart from Southampton Airport on a 9-leg flight around Britain, celebrating the 90-year anniversary of that very first flight in 1936. 

Fortunately, our own flight had arrived early enough to give us time to get to the top of the multi-storey car park to see 'K5054' take off. We weren't the only people there! 

A teasing light blue wing tip was just visible for some time ...

... and then she taxied towards the runway.

'K5054' ready for take-off! With apologies for the very shaky video ... I had to zoom in quite a bit to 'see through' the metal fence around the car park, and that made it very hard to keep the camera steady.

Off she went on her 9-leg tour of Britain; we'll definitely follow her via Facebook over the coming week!

So in the end, we had a great Easter family break in the Netherlands, book-ended by Spitfire 'stuff'.