Pilot a two-seater Spitfire for £8million

An original two-seater Spitfire - one of only three surviving - is being put up for sale at a London antiques fair next week.

The fighter plane has a guide price of £8million and is one of the exhibits at the Masterpiece London art, antiques and design fair in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Previous passengers in the prototype, a London to Paris air race winner, have included Prince Charles who flew in it in 1971. The owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "Spitfires are so iconic and important. I have collected cars for a long time and owning historic aircraft is a level up from historic cars.

"People take more interest in my Spitfires than anything else I have ever owned. It is much more exciting."

Built in 1944, it is the only Spitfire prototype surviving, in any condition, in the world and was used by the RAF for secret trials and developments during the Second World War. It has its original Vickers workhorse Merlin 66 engine.

On June 30, the machine will be part of a silent auction for the Masterpiece midsummer party in support of CLIC Sargent. Enthusiasts will be able to bid for a flight in the iconic aircraft.

Also for sale at the fair are Still Life, Broken Statue and Shadow by Francis Bacon, which is worth
£8 million.

Also up for purchase is a fourth edition of the Latin Bible which was printed 150 years before the King James Bible. Dated from 1462 it is priced at £1 million.