Who is right and who is wrong?
On March 6th, 75 years ago
today Jeffrey Quill flew Mutt Summers from Brooklands to Eastleigh aerodrome to fly K5054 on its first flight. I quote from JQ's book, "Spitfire - A Test Pilot's Story" as follows:
Popular folklore has it that the first flight of the Spitfire was 5 March 1936 but I flew Mutt to Eastleigh for the particular purpose of making that first flight on 6 March.
However, Caroline Grace commemorated the first flight as being 5th March 1936. A fundamental error. But how can it be that the wrong day was chosen to celebrate one of the most important dates in the history of aviation?
Could it be that JQ has it wrong? It seems very unlikely to me. So why was 5th March chosen with all the history that Southampton has about Supermarine ready to hand. Was it a mistake? If so by whom.