IWC CELEBRATES THE SILVER SPITFIRE’S TAKE-OFF

Over the last two years, more than a dozen specialists have worked to restore an original Spitfire MK IX aircraft, which was originally built in Castle Bromwich back in 1943. Following several successful test flights in July, the “Silver Spitfire” finally took off from Goodwood Aerodrome today, beginning its much-anticipated circumnavigation of the globe. Piloting the iconic British aircraft, on the first leg of its journey, is Matt Jones, co-founder of the Boultbee Flight Academy.

EXCLUSIVE DINNER AND AIR SHOW

On Sunday evening, ahead of the flight, IWC hosted a private dinner with the two pilots and their crew at Goodwood House. Today, about 400 guests gathered on the Goodwood Estate for a big farewell party. The funfair atmosphere included live music, an air show and other attractions. Amongst the guests were British actress Rosamund Pike and former Formula One™ star David Coulthard, both IWC brand ambassadors, British actors Taron Egerton and Finn Cole, as well as TV and radio presenter Dermot O’Leary.

On the flight around the world, the two British pilots will cover more than 43,000 kilometres and visit 30 countries. The route will initially take them to Iceland, and from there to Canada and the USA. A total of approximately 100 flight segments will be needed to complete the mission from start to finish. During their journey through the different time zones, Boultbee Brooks and Jones will wear the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Spitfire Edition “The Longest Flight” (Ref. IW395501). As the official watch of the expedition, this timepiece makes it possible to set the time to a different time zone by simply turning the bezel to the desired location.

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BOULTBEE FLIGHT ACADEMY

Boultbee Flight Academy is the world’s first Spitfire training school and approved Spitfire flight provider and is owned by British pilots Matt Jones and Steve Boultbee-Brooks. Boultbee Flight Academy offers Spitfire experience flights and a ground-breaking Spitfire flight simulator to non-pilots and Spitfire training to certified pilots. Boultbee Flight Academy offers flights and experiences around the UK in an ever-expanding number of locations. Its headquarters is based at Goodwood Aerodrome, West Sussex; its proximity to the white cliffs of Beachy Head and the Needles means the Spitfire flying experience is conducted around one of the most iconic landscapes on the south coast of the United Kingdom. Matt Jones and Steve Boultbee-Brooks have partnered with IWC Schaffhausen to bring to fruition their dream of flying an original Spitfire around the world in “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight”.

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC brand ambassador Rosamund Pike attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC brand ambassador Rosamund Pike attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC brand ambassador David Coulthard attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC Schaffhausen and the Boultbee Flight Academy, in collaboration with Aviation Adventures Ltd, have celebrated the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC Schaffhausen and the Boultbee Flight Academy, in collaboration with Aviation Adventures Ltd, have celebrated the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC Schaffhausen and the Boultbee Flight Academy, in collaboration with Aviation Adventures Ltd, have celebrated the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: Pilot Steve Boultbee Brooks attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC Schaffhausen and the Boultbee Flight Academy, in collaboration with Aviation Adventures Ltd, have celebrated the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC Schaffhausen and the Boultbee Flight Academy, in collaboration with Aviation Adventures Ltd, have celebrated the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 4: IWC black tie cocktail reception followed by a private dinner with the pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones at Goodwood House to celebrate the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: Finn Cole, David Coulthard, Dermont O’Leary, Christoph Grainger-Herr, The Duke of Richmond, Taron Egerton, Steve Boultbee Brooks, Matt Jones and Rosamund Pike attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC brand ambassador Rosamund Pike attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: British actor Taron Egerton attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: British actor Taron Egerton attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: British actor Finn Cole attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC brand ambassador Rosamund Pike attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC Schaffhausen and the Boultbee Flight Academy, in collaboration with Aviation Adventures Ltd, have celebrated the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: IWC Schaffhausen and the Boultbee Flight Academy, in collaboration with Aviation Adventures Ltd, have celebrated the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: Christoph Grainger-Herr attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: Pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: Pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 5: Pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones attending the celebration of the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. To the roaring applause of more than 400 guests, the carefully restored and polished Spitfire aircraft embarked on its unprecedented flight around the world (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 4: Steve Boultbee Brooks and Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, attend a black tie cocktail reception followed by a private dinner with the pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones at Goodwood House to celebrate the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 4: Viktor Fors, Maria Fagerstroem and Guillaume Laffon attend a black tie cocktail reception followed by a private dinner with the pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones at Goodwood House to celebrate the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).

GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – AUGUST 4: IWC black tie cocktail reception followed by a private dinner with the pilots Steve Boultbee Brooks and Matt Jones at Goodwood House to celebrate the official start of the “Silver Spitfire – The Longest Flight” expedition in Goodwood. (Photo by Remy Steiner/Getty Images for IWC).