"Brad, who has done everything from sleep in the trenches to learn to drive a tank for [his new war drama Fury], has now invested in one of the iconic machines."

The 49-year-old actor is already a qualified pilot but will reportedly receive lessons on how to safely manage the vintage aircraft, which was popularly used by the RAF and other allied forces during the Second World War, at the Boultbee Flying Academy in Oxford.

A spokesman for the academy said: "We don't comment on who we teach, but we have high-profile people. Buying Spitfires is very popular with wealthy individuals."