In 1940, the Germans succeeded in destroying the Spitfire factories in Southampton, believing that in doing so they’d put an end to the threat from their nemesis. But unknown to them, the British decided to build Spitfires in secret…

With a workforce mainly made up of unskilled young girls, boys, women, elderly men and a handful of engineers, around 2,500 Spitfires were built in cities and rural towns in southern England, hidden in sheds, garages, back gardens, a bus depot and even a hotel.

The story behind this amazing achievement is revealed in a new film, The Secret Spitfires, which has its East Midlands pre-release screening at the National Civil War Centre in Newark on Friday 24 November.

Set against a backdrop of picturesque English countryside, it features tales of terrible sadness along with more joyous moments shared by GIs and the RAF pilots who fly the iconic Spitfires today, a Glen Miller concert and a Joe Louis boxing match.

Concluding with a moving poem written by a Spitfire pilot, read by Vera Lynne, this screening starts at 7pm. Tickets are £10 each and are available online or by calling 07746 576521 – for a taste of what’s in store, watch the film trailer here…