International collectors from around the world are expected to bid up to £1m when a rare, Supermarine Spitfire fighter comes up for sale on the 70th anniversary of the famous Southampton aircraft entering service.

The 1945, Spifire MK XVI , originally the creation of the famed designer, R.J.Mitchell, will be the star item in a major sale of cars and aircraft to be held in New Zeland later this year on September, 14.

The sale comes in a double anniversary year for military aircraft - it is the 90th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Air Force at the end of the First World War, and it is also exactly seven decades since the Spitfire first became operational in 1938.

This historical aircraft, RAF Serial No. TE 330, was constructed at the Castle Bromwich works in late April, 1945 and was accepted by RAF Cosford.

After seeing active service with the RAF it was flown in the 1957 Battle of Britain Memorial flight before being donated to the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1959.

It was displayed at the USAF academy in Colorado Springs until around 1997 when the Aircraft found its way to New Zealand via the Hong Kong based businessman James Slade.

That same year work began on the restoration of the aircraft and in two years it was purchased by the present owners who have continued to refurbish the aircraft to its current near complete condition.