The Mk. V version of the spitfire was Introduced with the Royal Air Force in 1941 in order to replace the preceding Mk. I, the backbone of the Battle of Britain. This model was used extensively on all theaters until the end of the war despite the appearance of more modern aircraft. Its sturdiness and maneuverability made it possible to successfully resisted most enemy aircraft. This Spitfire version employed in North Africa was characterized by various anti-sand filters used for the main air intake in order to operate from improvised airfields desert .
