Low-flying Spitfires in winter black and white version

These Mk IX LF Spitfires were optimised for low altitude operations - meaning about 20,000ft. But a couple of pilots from 222 Squadron take advantage of a break in the rain and mist in early December 1943 to get in some very low flying practice near their base in Essex.

At the time the regular pilot of MH434 (foreground) was New Zealander Bill Burge, who retired to Australia and died at the age of 99. MH434 is still flying but this Flight Artworks realisation restores it to its wartime appearance, which involved changing various details such as the exhausts, cowling, carb air intake, wing blisters, cannon fairings, and the appearance of all roundels, squadron code letters and registration.

A version of this picture was selected by Sarah Hanna of The Old Flying Machine Company, MH434's operator, as the image for their 2012 Christmas branding.