elliptical wing

aviation history Battle of Britain R.J. Mitchell Rolls-Royce Merlin Supermarine Spitfire WWII aircraft

The Hangar Sep 3, 2026

The Supermarine Spitfire, R.J. Mitchell's Dying Design, and the Elliptical Wing That Saved Britain

R.J. Mitchell designed the Spitfire's revolutionary elliptical wing before dying of cancer in 1937, never seeing his aircraft save Britain in 1940.

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The Hangar Aug 19, 2026

R.J. Mitchell, the Supermarine Spitfire, and the Dying Designer Who Drew the Elliptical Wing While the Clock Ran Out

How a dying R.J. Mitchell designed the Supermarine Spitfire's elliptical wing and died in 1937, before it saved Britain.

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