Supermarine Spitfire IX MH434  is widely considered the most famous Spitfire flying today due to its exceptional history. Built at Castle Bromwich in August 1943 and tested by renowned pilot Alex Henshaw, it quickly entered combat with 222 Squadron at RAF Hornchurch where South African pilot Flt Lt Henry Lardner-Burke scored 3½ victories with it. After the war, MH434 served operationally with both the Royal Netherlands Air Force in Java and later the Belgian Air Force before entering civilian life. The Spitfire gained cinematic fame appearing in "The Longest Day," "Operation Crossbow," and most notably the "Battle of Britain" film. Purchased by Sir Adrian Swire in 1969, it became renowned for displays by Neil Williams and especially Ray Hanna, whose 30-year relationship with the aircraft included the spectacular under-bridge flight for the "Piece of Cake" TV series. Today, MH434 continues flying in its original 222 Squadron markings, managed by Ray's daughter Sarah, and recently celebrated 40 years at Duxford - another milestone in this remarkably original Spitfire's storied existence.

Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF L6739 (G-BPIV) stands as the world's only flying example of over 4,400 Blenheims built. Born from a 1934 challenge by Lord Rothermere to create the world's fastest civilian aircraft, the Bristol Type 142 proved faster than any RAF fighter, prompting its military adaptation as the Blenheim bomber in 1936. This particular aircraft has a fascinating history - while most of its airframe was built in Canada as a "Bolingbroke" in 1943, its distinctive nose section comes from the original L6739, which served as a night fighter during the Battle of Britain before being partially scrapped. Remarkably, that nose section enjoyed a second life as an electric car created by Bristol employee Ralph Nelson. After an 11-year restoration requiring 25,000 volunteer hours, the complete aircraft returned to flight in 2014, subsequently appearing in Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk," winning multiple concours awards, and now offering passenger experiences following a 1000-day grounding during the pandemic.