Southampton Marks 90 Years of the Iconic Spitfire

Southampton is marking the 90th anniversary of one of Britain’s most iconic aircraft, the Spitfire, with a special display highlighting the city’s crucial role in its production.

At first, production of the Spitfire was concentrated at the Supermarine factory in Woolston, Southampton. However, during the Second World War, the original production site was destroyed by enemy bombing in 1940, threatening to halt manufacturing of the fighter that would become synonymous with Britain’s defence.

Instead of stopping production, the manufacturing process was rapidly reorganised. Workshops across Southampton and other towns and villages in southern England were converted into a dispersed production network known as “Phoenix factories”.

Bus garages, laundries, and small engineering workshops were transformed into vital manufacturing and assembly sites. This decentralised system allowed production to continue despite the destruction of the main factory and ongoing bombing raids.

The Spitfire went on to play a critical role in the war, particularly during the Battle of Britain, and remains one of the most recognisable aircraft ever built.

To commemorate the anniversary and the city’s contribution to the aircraft’s story, SeaCity Museum in Southampton has created a display exploring the Spitfire’s local heritage and the innovative wartime production effort that kept the aircraft flying.

Images from the Southampton Archives collection.