Battle of Btitain Memorial Flight

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight ( BBMF ) is an RAF contingent of old aircraft particularly concerned to remember the RAF in WW11. Although called the Battle of Britain flight and containing a Hurricane and Spitfire it also has the only flying Lancaster bomber in the UK. The Hurricane and the Spitfire were the two main types used by the RAF during the Battle of Britain. The Lancaster came into service much later in the war and was the backbone of the bomber attack on Germany.

The three aircraft appear at ceremonial events and at some selected air shows. For example commemorating 70 years since the war’s end they flew over Buckingham Palace.

The BBMF actually contains several Spitfires and Hurricanes so that they are fairly sure to have flyable ones available. The BBMF also uses a Dakota as transport which was also a WW11 aircraft. The Dakota isn’t used for display but acts as a support aircraft when the BBMF is away from their base. The Lancaster is the only flying one in the UK although at least one other is in good enough  condition to give taxi demonstrations but not to fly.

While a Spitfire is small and elegant with its elliptical wing the Lancaster is a brutal ugly aircraft. With gun turrets at the front, middle and aft it is far from streamlined. It can only be a machine for war.

I visited the BBMF base at RAF Coningsby quite a few years ago. Coningsby is an active base but the BBMF hangar is on the edge of the airfield and open to the public.  I went as part of a Flypast magazine group but I’m fairly sure the BBMF is open generally to the public.

As it happened the flight was in residence with a Spitfire being flight tested. Through much of my visit therefore the sound of the Spitfire’s Merlin engine echoed around. In a way I was surprised how crude some of the Hurricane attachments were. To trim the elevators small patches were stuck on much as one might on a model aeroplane. The Hurricane used a fabric skin at this stage of its development. The Lancaster was having an engine change and was posed at the end of the hangar with one propeller off while the work was undertaken.

Outside the hangar were examples ( dummies I hope! ) of the bombs used. The massive Tallboy and Grand Slam were particularly used by the Dambusters after the dams raid.

There is of course the obligatory gift shop. Our party actually went there first as there is a control on numbers in the hangar at any one time. As I said Coningsby is an active base and is was incongruous to see modern fast jets on the hard standing while looking at these vintage aircraft.

On the same trip I also visited East Kirby, a WW11 base, which is now a museum devoted to the bomber campaign and featuring Just Jane, the taxi capable Lancaster mentioned above. The sound of four Merlins together is quite mind blowing. One can only imagine the wall of sound given by a squadron forming up on the taxiway. Touchingly East Kirby ( called the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre ) was set up by Fred and Harold Panton in tribute to their elder brother, Christopher, killed on a raid in March 1944.

The East Kirby runway has been taken up but the perimeter track, control tower and much else is preserved. There is a current effort to return Just Jane to flyable condition which is a massive task. When I visited I was told it was badly corroded.

During my visit to the area I stayed at the Petwood Hotel, Woodhall Spa which was the officers mess for 617 squadron ( the Dambusters ) during the war. The hotel makes a feature of 617 squadron memorabilia. Woodhall Spa features a sculpture of a dam bursting and the squadron motto , Apres moi le deluge.

A Lancaster