Inside the cockpit of a Spitfire

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The cockpit of the Spitfire has many features typical of British aircraft of the Second World War.

The Instrument panel is dominated by the six primary flight instruments housed in a Blind Flying Panel which was common to most British military aircraft of the era. The control column has a rounded ‘spade’ grip with the gun and cannon switch on the left and the break lever behind. The top of the column is articulated allowing increased aileron control. Above the instrument panel is the gun sight which projects an aiming point onto a glass screen.

The push button radio controller is found on the left with the engine controls below. The large undercarriage selector is on the right. The positioning of this leaver meant that to raise the undercarriage, pilots had to change hands just after take-off which could result in an involuntary movement on the control column. The resulting ‘bump’ was a common sight when inexperienced pilots were at the controls.