Greece’s air force has announced that its only surviving Supermarine Spitfire, a British fighter during World War II, will be restored in England, 65 years after its last flight.
The air force added that the cost of the refurbishment, which will enable the plane to fly again, will be covered by Greece’s private Icarus Foundation, whose aim is to restore historic warplanes.
The single-seater Spitfire Mk IX, of which more than 5,000 were built, arrived in Britain in April and should be ready by early 2020, according to Associated Press.
The plane was produced in 1943 and took part in allied operations over France. In the Greek air force since 1947, it was used during the Greek civil war and later flew photo-reconnaissance missions before being put on ground display.
It is now a rare plane, with only 50 Spitfires worldwide still in flying condition.
