A FULL-SIZE replica of an iconic aircraft will "land" in Southampton this weekend.

The Supermarine Spitfire affectionately known as ‘Our Lucy’, will land in Guildhall Square as part of 'Southampton Celebrates' - the opening celebrations for Studio 144, Southampton’s multi-million pound arts complex.

Brought in by Lytham St Annes Spitfire Display Team and funded by the city's business improvement organisation Go!Southampton, the plane is an exact replica of a Spitfire F Mk IX, with many of the original instruments and controls as well as added sound and light features the craft.

It will be in place on Saturday and be open to the public tomorrow with a team of four 'living history' crew members on hand to help wannabe pilots climb aboard and get their hands on the historic controls for a taste of what it took to man a WW2 fighter plane.

The plane will be flying in to help celebrate The Shadow Factory - Nuffield theatre's inaugural play at its new city centre venue.

The shadow factories were smaller community-based assembly plants for Spitfire parts.

The Supermarine Spitfire F Mk IX was initially to be Mk IA/B but was eventually built as a F Mk IX. The first flight of this type was on August 31 1942.

Families will also be able to take part in a cultural quarter Spitfire trail to help celebrate the plane's iconic history.

You can pick up or download a #SpitfireTrail map, spot the spitfires in windows and on buildings and cross them off as you go along.

All children completing the free trail will get a prize

For grown-ups a 90 minute walk with See Southampton tour guides, visiting many of the locations referenced in the Shadow Factory play will run on February 17, 21, 24, 28 and March 3 starting from Woolston Memorial Gardens and timed so that participants can catch the bus in time for the start of The Shadow Factory.

A series of city centre walks will lead from Studio 144 on February 16, 23, and March 2 - with the theme of Southampton's wider role in WW2, focusing on 1940 - the city's "year of destiny."

Members of the public will have the opportunity to sit in the Spitfire replica on February 17 between 11am and 5pm.