JLT Sponsors the Grace Spitfire

As one of the most innovative aviation insurance brokers in the world, JLT is passionate about our British heritage.

It is a great privilege to sponsor the Grace Spitfire, a wonderful piece of global aviation history.

The Grace Spitfire was built at Castle Bromwich in 1944 as a single seat fighter plane, and served in the front line of battle throughout the last 12 months of World War II.  In total, it flew 176 combat missions with six different squadrons of the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force.

In 1950, the Grace Spitfire was converted to a two seat advanced trainer for the Irish Air Corps where she flew until 1960.  She was used for Battle of Britain, the quintessential British war film.  Upon retiring from the Irish Air Corps, the Grace Spitfire was sold to the Strathallan Museum, where she remained until 1979 when she was acquired by Nick and Carolyn Grace.

The couple spent five years meticulously restoring the plane to flying condition and she went on to fly at many air displays and in many films including Perfect Lady and Piece of Cake.  When Nick Grace was tragically killed in a car accident in 1988, his widow Carolyn took on the task of learning to fly the Spitfire and is now the only female pilot in the world to fly this type of plane. 

JLT Aerospace became a sponsor of the Grace Spitfire earlier this year and arranged a bespoke insurance policy for the plane.  The Grace Spitfire exemplifies everything that we have a right to feel proud of, and we hope it will continue to grace the skies of Great Britain for many years to come.