The Spitfire, Mitchell's Finest: What made it great?

A modern scientific evaluation and historical perspective.
On this 90th anniversary of the legendary Supermarine Spitfire's first flight at Eastleigh Airfield, we will explore the design of such an iconic aircraft from two perspectives:

• The insights modern test and evaluation tools provide into the Spitfire's design, performance and handling characteristics.
• The context of the period: the people, places and politics of the Spitfire.

Specifically focusing on R.J. Mitchell; the man behind the most illustrious fighter of all time.