British Spitfire receives makeover to commemorate World War II NZ fighter pilot

The Royal Air Force has given a makeover to the last World War II spitfire to commemorate one of New Zealand's most famous fighter pilots, Al Deere.

"Al Deere is just so synonymous with the Battle of Britain and it's one of those names you see all the time when you look over the Second World War fighter pilots," squadron leader Mark Discombe told 1 NEWS.

Air Commodore Deere was a decorated war hero who shot down at least 22 enemy aircraft during World War II.

He survived impossible mid-air collisions, explosions, and parachuted from three stricken aircraft.

"He was called the man the Germans couldn't kill because he survived about nine incidents where he probably shouldn't have," Deere's nephew Brendan says.

Deere's three spitfires were called "Kiwi" but were all met with disaster, so he stopped naming his aircraft.

Now, the Kiwi III spitfire comes with a new and improved look and is available for the British public to see what it would've looked like 79 years ago.