Route silver spitfire will take as pilots to fly it around the world

This afternoon, two British pilots took flight in what is the first trip of its kind. Steve Brooks, 58, from Burford, Oxfordshire, and Matt Jones, 45, from Exeter, Devon, will stop off at

100 locations in 30 countries during the five-month journey. Their plane is a newly-restored Spitfire, and they set off from the Goodwood aerodrome on their 27,000-mile journey around the

world. The trip is named Silver Spitfire, and before take-off, an event was held which saw Gone Girl actor Rosamund Pike, Rocketman star Taron Egerton and Formula One driver David Coulthard

attend. Speaking ahead of take-off, Mr Jones said: “I’m a bit nervous but excited to get going. It’s been a long time in planning and we’ve put a lot of work into this aeroplane.” He

explained that the biggest challenges the expedition faced were the weather and supplies of aviation fuel (Avgas). He said: “The weather is going to be the biggest part of it but also

getting fuel to the right places, Avgas is very common here and in the US, but in other countries, we are having it supplied for us.” Read More: Spitfire hero to be buried – 74 years after

being shot down Mr Brooks said: “I am terribly excited, it has taken us two-and-a-half years and the time has come to stop making excuses and to get going. “The biggest challenge is the

weather as well as some of the longer flights. The longest flight will be Hong Kong to Vietnam which is 500 miles. “The Spitfire was built as an interceptor which had a range of 300 miles,

so the question now is can we nurse it around.” The countries the pair will visit are listed below, multiple stops will be made in some countries. * UK * Faro Islands * Iceland * Greenland *

Canada * USA * Russia * Japan * Taiwan * Hong Kong * Vietnam * Thailand * Myanmar * Bangladesh * India * Pakistan * United Arab Emirates * Bahrain * Kuwait * Saudi Arabia * Jordan * Egypt *

Cyprus * Greece * Italy * France * Switzerland * Germany * Holland This route could change due to weather, engineering issues or international border regulations. The reason for the trip is

detailed on the Silver Spitfire website, which says: “The expedition will reunite the Spitfire with the many countries that owe their freedom, at least in part, to this iconic aircraft.

"The unmistakable sight and sound of this aircraft once again gracing the skies aims to inspire future generations more than eighty years after R.J. Mitchell’s timeless design first

graced the skies.” The pair will first head to Scotland, then westbound to places including the US, Canada, Japan, Russia and India and back to Britain with a single-seated Mk IX Spitfire

originally built in 1943, followed by a chase plane for safety. The two pilots said they will be taking regular breaks and switch at different stops. The chase plane, which will have a

full-time captain, an engineer, as well as a film and camera crew to video the journey for a documentary, will follow the Spitfire. Either Mr Jones or Mr Brooks, a property developer, will

also be in the plane whenever they are not flying the Spitfire. As part of the journey, the aviation enthusiasts will travel to Scotland, then spend a couple of nights in Iceland, head

through Greenland into Canada, before heading across the US into Russia and then Asia.