A Lancaster flies over Belgium and the Netherlands
© BBFM
As part of the May 4 commemorations in the Netherlands, the Lancaster of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight made a flight in northern Belgium and over a large part of the Netherlands.
A Memorial Flight
The flight is performed in two stages;
- Departure from Conningsby Air Base (United Kingdom) to then perform a series of low altitude passes over memorials of Lancaster aircraft shot down during the Second World War over northern Belgium as well as a low altitude pass at Beverloo/Sanicole airport (known for its annual airshow).
- Technical stopover at Gilze-Rijen Air Base (Netherlands) to then perform low passes over other Lancaster memorials that crashed in the Netherlands.
Every May 4, the Dutch pay tribute to the civilians and soldiers who died in the Netherlands as well as in the world since May 10, 1940. This day is very important in the Netherlands and the ceremonies are also broadcast on several television channels. national. At 6:00 p.m., all flags are lowered until sunset. At 8:00 p.m., public transport will stop and two minutes of silence will occur throughout the country but also in the aircraft of Dutch airlines. Tomorrow, the Dutch will celebrate the Liberation of their country following the surrender, on May 5, 1945, of the last German forces still present on Dutch territory. The commemorations will continue until May 8, Victory in Europe Day (VE Day). During this period, other aircraft overflights are planned.
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) is a memorial squadron forming part of the Royal Air Force (RAF). Moreover, all the planes of this squadron are piloted by RAF pilots still active. Its mission is to maintain aircraft known to the United Kingdom in flying condition and to participate in commemorations or special events related to the United Kingdom and its history. It thus includes:
- 6 Spitfire combat aircraft (Mk-IIA, VB, IX, XVI, XIX, XIX)
- 2 Hurricane Fighter Aircraft (Mk IIC)
- 1 Lancaster B Mk I heavy bomber
- 1 C-47A Dakota/C-47 Dakota III transport aircraft.
- 2 Chipmunk T.10/Mk 10 training aircraft allowing an easy transition for future BBFM pilots.
The Lancaster
The Lancaster of the BBFM is one of the only two examples still in flying condition out of the 7,377 examples integrated (the Lancaster Mk X FM213 is in Canada). It will not see combat in Europe because its construction will end on May 31, 1945, well after VE Day. It will also not have time to be deployed to participate in combat in Asia before VJ Day and will then be used as a reconnaissance aircraft after the war. It will then be used in several other functions and will see other owners. It returned to the RAF, via its acquisition by the BBMF in 1973.
Marked PA474, each side of its fuselage has different identifying markings:
- Port side (left): AR-L “Leader”, in memory of the Lancaster of the same name which served in Australian 460 Squadron (RAAF). The bombs painted on the nose represent a bombardment carried out in Germany, each ice cream cone represents the operations on Italy and each poppies for the memorial releases of poppies.
- starboard (right): VN-T, of the 50th squadron, formerly piloted by the fg officer Douglas Millikin (Distinguished Air Force Cross), in tribute to the grandfather of the former commander of the BBMF, the Sqn chief Andy Millikin.
Despite its advanced age (77), RAF technicians keep the bomber in flying condition. A fire had also taken place on one of its engines on May 7, 2015, but it had already turned on October 12 of the same year. The RAF estimates that the various “upgrades” and modifications allow the aircraft to fly until it is 120 years old.
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