I'm a great Seafire fan - but that's not "it"
What aircraft?
1) it was at the cutting edge of technology when introduced - but didn't stay there long.
2) it was used by 7 nations
3) the chief design engineer used to make part of his living performing at a circus
4) the design was derived from a 3 seat amphibian airplane
5) same lineage can be seen in a more famous fighter design that the company produced - later, after changing company name.
6) a few of these were used for racing, and with some success too.
7) some deliveries to a "foreign" country were canceled because of an arms embargo.
8) as the blocked aircraft were already built, the aircraft were delivered elsewhere, with instruments and documents in a different language.