Chris Lythe ‘The Spitfire’ 4″ centre pin reel. Right Hand Wind model.

The Spitfire is Chris Lythe’s homage (tribute, he says, and I can’t put it better) to the 1939 Allcock Aerial Match.

A friend of mine has what is probably the best original Aerial Match in existence and it’s a lovely reel. There are a fair few around but almost all of them are pretty knackered. Very much like me in fact. I wish Chris Lythe would re-engineer me like he’s done with the Aerial Match.

Unlike the  originals, which won’t take any abuse or hard use, this one, like all of Chris’s engineering masterpieces, will shrug off whatever use you care to give  it. I can imagine it  fixed to a 14′ float rod, liquidized bread and bread mash all over the place, chub after chub coming to the net. This could go on all winter, with grayling, perch and big roach joining in. After the season ends, a quick clean and the Spitfire’s like new. By comparison, an Allcock might be feeling a bit sorry for itself.

The thing is, both reels will do the same job equally well. Chris made 100 of these reels as a strictly limited edition. He’s sold out of them now. This one is number 84 and it hasn’t been used.

The spool is 4″ diameter by 3/4″ wide. The integral 1/4″ line guard and check are fixed for right hand wind.

When we produced a limited edition of centre pins, one third of  our orders were from right hand winding left handed people. When I was a small boy, being left handed was considered very bad form. My left handed younger brother was prodded and poked into right handedness, not entirely successfully. He’s not bitter.

This is a stupendous and desirable reel. You left handers are, like people with dyslexia, known for your creative powers, imagination and unusual grip on fountain pens. This reel is for you!