| Mick Freer reports from Duxford on the BBMF's anniversary celebrations. |
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The air of anticipation grew as the distant growl of Rolls-Royce Merlin and Griffon engines became louder. The magnificent sight of an Avro Lancaster leading a formation of two Hawker Hurricanes and five Supermarine Spitfires held those present in awe on this cold and grey day, as the magnificent formation flew low over Duxford airfield. This very special occasion was held at Duxford on Saturday May 5th to celebrate the Golden anniversary of The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Following the warmest and sunniest April on record, the weather was rather unkind on this very special day, with the sun not appearing until after the flying had finished.
The flight-line was a sight to behold with the whole of the Battle of Britain Flight lined-up including Douglas Dakota ZA947 and both De Havilland Chipmunk T.10’s WK518 and WG486. Free access for the public to the flight-line gave those present the unique opportunity to inspect these world famous aircraft at close quarters and to talk to veterans and present day BBMF crew alike. A very special visitor was also present in the shape of Spitfire PR.XIX PS 853 from Rolls-Royce. This aircraft was one of the original three Spitfires that formed the Historic Aircraft Flight (as the BBMF was known as then) back in 1957 when the Flight was formed at RAF Biggin Hill.
The present day connection was made by a symbolic flypast of Spitfire IIA P7350 (the oldest airworthy Spitfire in the world) alongside the Royal Air Force’s latest fighter, the Typhoon, an aircraft which (in the eyes of many seasoned pilots) is the best Royal Air Force fighter since the Spitfire.
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The Battle of Britain Flight is one of the longest continually-serving units within the Royal Air Force. Its history can be traced back to 1957 when the Historic Aircraft Flight was formed at RAF Biggin Hill with Spitfire PR.XIX’s PM631, PS853 and PS915 (the latter grounded until 1986). A further three Spitfire Mk.XVI’s joined the fleet later in the year with the arrival of TE330, TE476 and SL674 (all of these aircraft have since moved on).
RAF Biggin Hill closed in 1958 and the Historic Aircraft Flight moved to RAF North Weald for a very brief period, moving later in the year to RAF Martlesham Heath. Here the Flight stayed until moving yet again, this time to RAF Horsham St Faith (now Norwich Airport) during 1961. The nomadic existence of the HAF continued when it moved yet again to RAF Coltishall during 1963. Here it settled for a number of years and during this time grew in numbers with the addition of Spitfire Mk VC AB910 along with Spitfire IIA P7350 and Hurricane IIC PZ865. The largest addition to the Flight, Avro Lancaster B1 PA474, arrived during 1973, having been donated by No.44 Squadron.
It was during 1973 that the Flight was re-named "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight", moving to its present home at RAF Coningsby during 1976. Since then other aircraft have joined the fleet, namely Dakota ZA947, Chipmunk T.10’s WK518 and WG486 plus De Havilland Devon VP981 (between 1985 and 1997).
During this time other Spitfires have joined the Flight; Spitfire IX MK356 arrived during 1997 and two other non-flying Mk XVI’s (TE311 and TB382) were acquired for spares recovery during 2002.
In the early years engineers and aircrew made themselves available on a voluntary basis, but these days, with the growth of the fleet, engineering is on a more formal basis with a team of 25 full-time ground crew personnel led by an Engineering Warrant Officer
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From a very low-key operation during the late 1950’s when, typically, a total of fifty or sixty appearances per season was made, the popularity of the BBMF has grown enormously. During the year 2006, a staggering 783 individual appearances were made at 410 separate events; testimony to the huge public appeal of the Flight.
All of the aircraft that perform for us have fascinating backgrounds:-
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIA P7350
P7350 is the oldest airworthy Spitfire still flying in the world and is a Battle of Britain veteran, having served with 266 Squadron and 603 (City of Edinburgh) AuxAF Squadron. After the war she was sold for scrap for the amazing sum of £25, but she was saved from the axe-man and presented to the RAF Museum at Colerne. She was restored to flying condition during 1968 and appeared in the epic film The Battle of Britain and following completion of the film, P7350 was presented to the BBMF. The aircraft’s current markings are those of Gerald ‘Stapme’ Stapleton (a frequent veteran visitor to the BBMF) while serving with 603 Squadron.
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VB AB910
AB910 had a very colourful wartime history. Originally allocated to 222 (Natal) Squadron at RAF North Weald during 1941, this was soon followed by service with 130 Squadron. It was during this period that AB910 flew escort patrols for the bombing raids against the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. During 1942 she joined 133 (Eagle) Squadron at RAF Biggin Hill and later flew with Canadian Squadrons 242, 402 and 416. It was while serving with 53 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hibaldstow that a very famous event occurred. It was a common practice for ground crew to sit on the tail-plane while the aircraft was taxiing to take off. On one such occasion, LACW Margaret Horton (a WAAF ground-crew fitter) experienced more than she bargained for. The pilot, Flt Lt Neil Cox DFC, took off without realising that poor Margaret was still holding-on for dear life to the tail-plane. Following a circuit, AB910 landed safely with a very frightened WAAF still clinging to the tail.
This year AB910 wears a new colour scheme of Squadron Leader Jan Zumbach, Officer Commanding number 303 (Kosciusko) Squadron, at RAF Northolt.
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Supermarine Spitfire LF.Mk.IXE MK356
MK356 saw war time service with 443 (Hornet) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force and took part in the D-Day landing operations. After the war a period of gate guardian duties followed at RAF Hawkinge and RAF Locking. She was later used as a static airframe in the Battle of Britain film. During 1992 a complete refurbishment to airworthy condition commenced and in November 1997 she flew for the first time in 53 years. The aircraft presently flies in the markings of 443 Squadron.
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Supermarine Spitfire PR.Mk.XIX PM631
Powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon 66, PM631 was built as a high altitude photographic reconnaissance aircraft. Later modified for meteorological work, she was flown by civilian pilots of the Temperature and Humidity Monitoring (THUM) Flight at Hooton Park and later Woodvale. On 11th July 1957, in formation with Spitfires PS853 and PS915, the aircraft flew to RAF Biggin Hill to form the Historic Aircraft Flight. PM631 has remained in flying condition with the BBMF ever since, with 2007 being her 50th year of continuous service - an incredible record. She now wears the markings of a 541 Squadron aircraft.
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Supermarine Spitfire PR.Mk.XIX PS915
PS915 first saw service with 541 Squadron just after the war. She was later assigned to No.2 Squadron at Wunsdorf in Germany before joining the THUM Flight at Woodvale in 1954. Though a founder member of the Historic Aircraft Flight, she was soon relegated to gate guardian duties, serving in that capacity for nearly thirty years at RAF stations West Malling, Leuchars and Brawdy. She re-joined the BBMF during 1987 being modified to take an ex-Shackleton Rolls Royce Griffon 58 engine.
She now wears the markings worn by PS888 of 81 Squadron while based at Seletar, Singapore. This aircraft conducted the last ever operational RAF Spitfire sortie on 1st April 1954, hence the application of The Last markings.
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Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIC LF363
LF363 saw wartime service with 26, 63 and 309 Squadrons. After the war she became something of a film star appearing in the films Angels One Five, Reach for the Sky and The Battle of Britain. She later became a founding member of the Historic Aircraft Flight at Biggin Hill. Following a crash landing at RAF Wittering on 11th September 1991, when the aircraft was nearly burnt-out, a complete re-build was under taken by Historic Flying Ltd at Audley End between 1994 and 1998.
She currently wears the markings representing P3878 ‘YB-W’, the aircraft of Flying Officer Harold Bird-Wilson of number 17 Squadron during the Battle of Britain.
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Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIC PZ865
This was the last Hurricane ever built and was used as a company communications aircraft flying as G-AMAU. It appeared in the Battle of Britain film before being presented to the BBMF during 1972. She is currently painted to represent Hurricane IIC BE581 Night Reaper, the aircraft flown by Czech fighter ace Flt Lt Karel Kuttelwascher DFC of No.1(F) Squadron.
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Avro Lancaster B.Mk.1 PA474
PA474, one of only two remaining airworthy Lancasters in the world, first saw service with 82 Squadron shortly after the war. Later she was used by the Royal College of Aeronautics at Cranfield for trials with the Handley Page Laminar Flow Wing. The trial wings were mounted vertically on the upper fuselage. During 1965 she was flown to RAF Waddington to come under the care of No.44 Squadron. She joined the BBMF during 1973.
PA474 has recently been re-painted in dual markings as worn by EE139 Phantom of the Ruhr. She sports the letters HW-R of No.100 Squadron on her port side and letters BQ-B of 550 Squadron on her starboard side. The mission marks are of interest. The yellow bombs signify normal missions over Germany (if there ever was such a thing as a normal mission) and the red bombs for "the big one", the missions to Berlin. These were the most feared sorties by Bomber Command crews, with the run-in coming-up against intense flak and an umbrella of fighters over the target. The ice cream cones markings were for missions made over Italy.
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Douglas Dakota ZA947
Before joining the BBMF during 1993, ZA947 had flown with the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough (and at West Freugh) wearing the technically-incorrect serial KG661. She now wears the livery of 267 (Pegasus) Squadron and is used for crew training and support.
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| The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a national treasure and serves as a living testimony to the courage of those men and women who fought so valiantly during one of the darkest periods of our history. |
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