Reaction in 2010 to IWM Duxford's 16-ship of Spitfires which roared around in trail - serendipitously against the perfect backdrop of a ' Wootton' sky - left little doubt as to public expectations for the Battle of Britain Anniversary Air Show in 2015. The agreed aim with the IWM was to mount a formation of 20 of these iconic aircraft to mark the 75th anniversary. This was not to ignore the mighty Hurricane, which any Battle of Britain historian will argue warrants more than equal recognition for having deterred Hitler's invasion attempts. Whatever the reality, the influence of wartime propaganda ensured that the public's imagination was well and truly captured by the Spitfire, and the reputation of the real workhorse suffered. Seventy-five years on, purists and Hurricane enthusiasts will continue to despair whilst the majority clamours for Spitfires.
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