Spitfire Mk XVII: How do you restore a 60-year-old Spitfire to its former glory? With patience, a set of machine guns and the RAF’s top mechanics | Mail Online Posted on January 27, 2013 by bbri420 Spitfire Mk XVII: How do you restore a 60-year-old Spitfire to its former glory? With patience, a set of machine guns and the RAF's top mechanics | Mail Online.