Somerset heritage charity Navy Wings acquires Seafire aircraft

Rear Adm Ray Rawbone was shot down while flying in a Seafire in World War Two

Seafire aircraft are among the most "beautiful" and best in the world, a World War Two navy pilot has said.

The Seafire is the Royal Navy version of the Spitfire, modified to operate from aircraft carriers during WW2.

Somerset Rear Adm Ray Rawbone even continued flying them after being shot down in one over Normandy.

He was quickly rescued by the French resistance and smuggled back to Italy where he climbed into another Seafire to resume his duties.

"Its one of those aircrafts where you knew you had something as good as anything else in the world," Rear Adm Rawborne said.

"As I turned away, the engine got rougher and rougher and eventually cut out around 800ft (244m), so I had to land.

"It was too low to bail out."

The Navy Wings charity said the Seafire was the Spitfire's "big brother"

The 98-year-old said he was grateful to the French Resistance for taking him back to Italy where he boarded another Seafire, which he described as a "beautiful" aircraft, to continue his mission.

"There was a very kind lady there who could speak English and she owned a vineyard. I'd never drank before.

"I was able to join up with one or two of my people who had parachuted in.

"I was back on board within 14 days."

The Seafire was modified to operate from aircraft carriers during World War Two

A Seafire aircraft flew over Yeovilton to formally welcome it into the Navy Wings charity collection.

The charity, which has collected iconic aircraft from the early 1900s to the present day to put on display, estimated the aircraft was worth about £3m and said it was an example of "one of the most evocative British fighters of all time".

'Spitfire's big brother'

Former harrier pilot Alistair McLaren flew the Seafire over Somerset for the charity and said the experience was "wonderful".

"My first flight in this single-seat aeroplane was every bit as exhilarating as my first flight in a Harrier," he said.

"[It is] Every bit as good to fly as a Harrier."

Navy Wings chief executive, Commodore Jock Alexander, said the latest acquisition was his favourite.

"This will be the star of the show for us. This is the big brother of the Spitfire," he said.