When did the RAF stop using the Spitfire?
Spitfires remained in RAF service after the end of the Second World War. The last RAF Spitfire mission was on 1 April 1954. This was a photographic reconnaissance flight in Malaysia, searching for communist guerrillas. Spitfires remain flying with the RAF today, as part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. At the height of the Second World War, the average lifespan of Spitfire fighter planes was just 200 hours. And it was quite common to see aircraft return for maintenance or repair with only 150 hours of flying time.The Spitfire carried ammunition drums of 300 or 350 rounds for each machine gun, which meant that in reality, a pilot could only fire these for a total of 14 to 15 seconds (a German Me 109 could fire for 55 seconds).