Full name: Reginald Joseph Mitchell Born: 20th May 1895 Invention/Achievement: Supermarine Spitfire Date of introduction/Achievement: First flight, 5th March 1936, in production until 1948 Died: 11th June 1937

Reginald Joseph Mitchell is most well known as the designer of the iconic Supermarine Spitfire, without which the Battle of Britain might well have been lost, and yet it almost never made it to the ranks of the Royal Air Force.  

The prototype Supermarine Type 300 made its first flight on 5^th March 1936 and its public debut on 18^th June at Eastleigh.  As the pilot Jeffrey Quill started his take off run he noticed the oil pressure gauge drop to zero.  He took off, reduced power to circle then risked one last burst of power to come in safely to land.  An oil pipe had come adrift, draining the engine lubricants.  Had the only Spitfire in existence crashed, the RAF might well have cancelled its contract and looked elsewhere.  

As it was, the first Spitfire Mk 1 entered service with No 19 Squadron, Duxford, in July 1938 and at the height of the Battle of Britain the RAF fielded 19 Spitfire squadrons.  

The Supermarine Spitfire remained in production until 1948 and in service with the RAF until 1954.  Over 20,000 of all 24 marks were produced and the aircraft served in all theatres of war, in interceptor, fighter bomber, reconnaissance and trainer roles.  It showed almost limitless capacity for development with the final Spitfire having more than twice the power, double the takeoff weight, five times the firepower, 100 mph higher speed, with the 990-hp Rolls Royce Merlin engine replaced by the 2,340 hp Rolls Royce Griffon.  

Sadly, RJ Mitchell didn't live to see the ultimate triumph of his masterpiece.  He died of cancer on 11^th June 1937 and was replaced as head of the Spitfire team by his colleague Joseph Smith.  

Mitchell had left school at 16 and studied engineering and mathematics at night school.  In 1917 he joined the Supermarine Aviation Works at Southampton, becoming Chief Designer in 1919.  He designed a number of flying boats, Including the Supermarine Sea Eagle, Sea King, Walrus and Stranraer.