back to article The Register Lecture: The Secret Spitfires

When Britain’s future hung in the balance in 1940, a covert army of men, women and children set to work in network of sheds, garages and bus depots across Britain building desperately needed Supermarine Spitfires for the RAF’s war effort. The Spitfire was on the frontline against Adolf Hitler’s Luftwaffe during the Battle of …

  1. Ol'Peculier

    Any ideas, for those of us who are lucky enough not to work in London, how we may be able to watch this film?

    1. Gustavo Fring
      Black Helicopters

      Will be

      On the Telly Box in six months ... think of all the quality of life you get from NOT working in Londonand think of that as your compensation. And dont complain about the slow broadband and cow noises!

  2. Wyrdness

    Adolph Hitler????

    "The Spitfire was on the frontline against Adolph Hitler’s Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain."

    How can we take this seriously with such a basic mistake?

    1. frank ly

      Re: Adolph Hitler????

      Can you suggest a correction for the 'mistake'?

      1. Geoff May (no relation)

        Re: Adolph Hitler????

        Spelling ... should be "Adolf Hitler".

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Adolph Hitler????

          Spelling... should be Adolf Schickelgruber.

          1. Daedalus

            Re: Adolph Hitler????

            Nope. He was christened "Adolphus". Look it up.

    2. Qwertius

      Re: Another basic mistake.

      Actually, there is an even more basic mistake than that. It wasn't the 'Spitfire' that saved the day during the Battle of Britain. It was the Hawker Hurricane that did the Lion's share of the fighting. But it wasn't as 'sexy' as the Spitfire --- so the propaganda arm of the government sidelined it in preference to the Spitfire. They wanted to show the British public that England could match any new technology that the Germans might possess. And even beat them - in terms of the most 'modern fighting equipment'.

      That's how the Spitfire became everyone's 'Pin-up' Fighter. I don't doubt that would have been 'secret factories' building Hawker Hurricanes in those early days.

      Finally, its worth mentioning the Miles M.20. Very few people know that there were plans to create this very cheap 'backyard' fighter. So once again the Myth of the Spitfire rules supreme.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_M.20

    3. diodesign (Written by Reg staff) Silver badge

      Re: Adolph Hitler????

      It's fixed - please email corrections@theregister.com if you spot any issues. Sometimes typos and whatnot slip through.

      C.

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