Where to see a Spitfire in the UK: museums and flying displays

Where to see a Spitfire on display

IWM Duxford, Cambridgeshire

IWM Duxford’s visit page pictures Spitfire N3200 in a hangar and invites visitors to see Spitfires fly from the airfield. It opens 10am to 6pm, last entry 5pm, closing at 4pm from 25 October. The address is Duxford, Cambridgeshire, CB22 4QR. Admission is charged, and the page links to booking.

RAF Museum London, Colindale

The museum’s collection entry places Spitfire I X4590 in Hangars 3 and 4 at the London site. Entry is free, though the museum recommends booking ahead. It opens daily from 10am to 5pm at Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL, a seven-minute bus ride from Colindale Underground station.

RAF Museum Midlands, Cosford

Cosford invites you to see its Battle of Britain display and “the world’s oldest Spitfire”, and to sit in one. Entry is free, with booking recommended. It opens 10am to 5pm from March to October and 10am to 4pm from November to February, at Lysander Avenue, Cosford, TF11 8UP, ten minutes’ walk from Cosford station.

Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum, Manston

On the old RAF airfield at Manston in east Kent, the museum lists Spitfire Mk XVI(LF) TB752 and Hurricane IIc LF751 in its collection. Admission is free. Its opening times page gives 10am to 4pm every day, and warns that times may change without notice.

Solent Sky, Southampton

Solent Sky lists Spitfire F24 PK683 and says Southampton is the birthplace of the Supermarine Spitfire. It is open all year, 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm to 5pm on Sunday, last entry 4pm, at Albert Road South, Southampton SO14 3FR.

Thinktank, Birmingham

Thinktank’s Spitfire gallery is on level 1. The museum says Birmingham’s Castle Bromwich factory produced over 10,000 Spitfires, including the one on display.

Spitfire museums with free entry

Three of the venues above charge nothing to get in: the RAF Museum in London, the RAF Museum at Cosford and the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum at Manston. Duxford, Solent Sky and Thinktank charge admission; check their own pages for current tickets.

Where to see a Spitfire fly

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

The BBMF’s RAF page says the Flight operates five Spitfires, two Hurricanes, a Lancaster, a C47 Dakota and two Chipmunks from RAF Coningsby, seen over the UK from May to September each year. Its displays page lists where it is booked to appear. On the ground, the visitor centre at Coningsby runs guided hangar tours on weekdays, and says one of its Spitfires, P7350, is the oldest airworthy Spitfire in the world. Particular aircraft cannot be guaranteed to be home. Plane spotting at RAF Coningsby covers the visit.

Duxford air shows in 2027

IWM lists its 2027 air show dates: Flying Days: D-Day on 5 June, the Summer Air Show on 19 and 20 June, a Flying Evening on 14 August, the Battle of Britain Air Show on 11 and 12 September, and the Flying Finale on 2 October. Flying lists for 2027 are not out yet, so no particular Spitfire is promised. For the D-Day event, IWM says tickets must be booked in advance and go on sale in 2027.

Before you travel to see one

Aircraft move. Museums rotate displays, and flying aircraft go away for servicing, so check the venue’s own page on the morning. For the aircraft’s story, read the Spitfire’s short history; for photographing one, the plane spotting photography guide. Buying for someone who loves them? Spitfire gifts is the page for that.

Whichever Spitfire you stand under, the photo you take of it can become an aircraft print from your photo, redrawn in one of five styles and previewed free.