Steve Brooks, 58, and Matt Jones, 45, set off on Monday, Aug 7 with the words of the Duke of Sussex ringing in their ears. 

"Have fun", Prince Harry told them, as they took off from Goodwood in the 1943 fighter.

They have now completed their mission, which they have called "The Longest Flight" - flying the newly restored original MK IX Spitfire, named Silver Spitfire, around the globe in a world first.

Over four months, 27,000 miles, 91 stages and 30 countries, the pilots entered airspace in which no Spitfire has flown in a plane that last saw action in the Second World War before being grounded for 50 years.

Highlights of the planned four-month trip have included joining the Red Arrows in Ottawa to fly by the Canadian parliament and "victory rolling" over the pyramids. It is painted silver to avoid appearing "provocative".

Engineers and enthusiasts teamed up in a two-year restoration project in which they focused on repairing rather than replacing original parts.

A few modern elements, including iPads, have been added, with a small support team due to follow the plane.

The trip hasn't been without controversy. Mr Brooks and Mr Jones were left stranded in the Russian town of Sokoi in September following a delay in paying their handlers on the ground

Biography of the Silver Spitfire:

Like all aircraft of its kind, the Mark IX that will become the Silver Spitfire had an extraordinarily varied career before it ended up being bought at auction by Brooks and Jones in 2016. Here, we track that journey…

October 1943 MK IX LF Spitfire MJ271 was delivered from Castle Bromwich, Solihull, to RAF Lyneham, before being finished, tested and harnessed with guns and given to 118 Squadron at RAF Detling.

February 1944 With 118 Squadron, the Spitfire was immediately sent into action, sometimes completing several missions per day, including patrolling the Dutch coast and acting as cover to Fortresses attacking Berlin.

April 1944 Moving to be based at RAF Ford, the aircraft was frequently sent to divebomb targets and encountering greater degrees of flak (antiaircraft gunning) than before.

November 1944 Now housed with the 401 Squadron at the Dutch base of Volkel, the Spitfire saw out the war with several missions targeting railways, before sustaining damage in December 1944 and seeking repairs in the Belgian province of Wevelgem. It never returned to action.

August 1947 After the war, the Mark IX was delivered to the Dutch air force. Over the coming decade, it was struck off charge, used as a decoy at Volkel, and moved to the Delfzijl War Museum.

April 1973 After more than 25 years on the roof of Delfzijl War Museum, it was transferred to the Anthony Fokker Technical School, before being restored and moved to a museum in Schipol, near Amsterdam.

March 2003 The Spitfire made its final foreign move to Leylstad, before Historic Flying Ltd, based at Duxford, bought it and brought it home in 2006.

September 2016 Buying the aircraft at auction, Boultbee Flight Academy conjured a plan to have the plane restored to its former glory as the Silver Spitfire.

August 2019 The Mark IX, under the registration G-IRTY, is set to circumnavigate the globe.