A polished Spitfire made brief stops in B.C. on Sept. 5 on a round-the-world flight that began in the U.K. on Aug. 5. The Longest Flight worked its way through the U.S. before taking off from Paine Field (WA) for Kelowna on Thursday morning. After a two-hour fuel and Customs stop and a public viewing organized by COPA Flight 36/Kelowna Flying Club, the sparkling warbird left for Williams Lake and Fort St. John. The organizers of the flight were impressed by the reception in  Kelowna where hundreds of people showed up to see the aircraft.

The speedy fighter has a notoriously short range and flying it around the world has been a logistical challenge. After leaving B.C. it will head to Alaska before going over Bering Strait to Russia and through Asia and Europe back to England. The flight is scheduled end in the U.K. on Dec. 8.