RAF Eurofighter Typhoon to join Spitfire for Battle of Britain Anniversary flypast at IWM Duxford
This article originally appeared on Culture24.
Separated by 70 years, the RAF's frontline fighter aircraft of WWII and its hi-tech modern day equivalent will fly together for the Battle of Britain 75th anniversary
The Spitfire and Typhoon fly together in the same paint scheme for the anniverseary of the Battle of Britain© Ben DunnellThe state-of-the art Typhoon fighter jet will join a WWII Spitfire for the one-off display with both frontline fighters painted, for 2015, in the same Battle of Britain-era colour scheme to acknowledge the bravery and sacrifice of the aircrews who took part in the battle 75 years ago.
Based at 29 (Reserve) Squadron, RAF Coningsby, much like the Spitfire the twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole Eurofighter Typhoon is a highly capable and extremely agile multi-role combat aircraft, capable of being deployed in what the RAF describes as “the full spectrum of air operations, including air policing, peace support and highintensity conflict.”
RAF Coningsby Station Commander, Group Captain Jez Attridge said the fully operational Typhoon will offer “a dynamic reminder to all that see it over the summer of the link between the modern Royal Air Force and The Few that defended our nation 75 years ago during the battle”.
A mass flypast of Spitfires will be another highlight of the IWM Duxford airshow© IWM“The technology has changed since the Battle of Britain but themission for the RAF to protect the UK remains unchanged”.
The pairing is just part of IWM Duxford’s two day festival of air displays, events and exhibitions marking the anniversary of the battle, with a range of activities which organisers are promising will be an “immersive experience”.
Living history groups will be on site to recreate the daily life of RAF Duxford as a Battle of Britain Fighter Station in 1940 while the flying displays will explore the development of the Battle of Britain and its significant role in the Allied victory of the Second World War.
A Spitfire scramble will see living history interpreters representing RAF fighter pilots racing to the airfield with Supermarine Spitfires chasing off enemy aircraft.
Visitors will hear the audio memories of Battle of Britain pilots, recalling waiting to scramble and the exhilaration of the dogfight.
Living history has become an important part of the Duxford Battle of Britain Airshows© IWMDuxford played a key role in the history of the Spitfire, with 19 Squadron, based at the airfield, the first to take delivery of the new fighter in August 1938. In February 1940, the most famous of a number of Fighter Command aces who flew from Duxford, Flying Officer Douglas Bader, was posted to No.19 Squadron.
Bader found himself on familiar territory, as he left the RAF from Duxford in April 1933, retiring on medical grounds and entering civilian life – if he couldn’t fly, he didn’t want to remain in the RAF.
As Bader said, “The fact that I left the Royal Air Force at Duxford and I came back into it at Duxford, through the same bloody gate, is what comes to mind.”
- The IWM Duxford Battle of Britain Anniversary Air Show is by Advance Tickets Only. Tickets are now only available for Saturday September 19. Online Booking closes on Sunday September 13. See www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-duxford/the-battle-of-britain-anniversary-air-show for more information.
- Find out more about the history of Duxford and the Spitfire with this audio slideshow telling the story of the special relationship between the aerodrome and this iconic aircraft of the Battle of Britain www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-fascinating-story-of-duxford-and-the-spitfire
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Three museums to explore the Battle of Britain:
Kent Battle of Britain Museum, Hawkinge: a volunteer-run labour of love at the former RAF Hawkinge aerodrome includes thousands of evocative objects recovered from Battle of Britain crash sites, a range of replica aircraft including a Boulton Paul Defiant and the stories of the men and women caught up in the battle.
Tangmere Military Aviation Museum: based at a former Battle of Britain aerodrome, Tangmere's collection includes the uniform of Battle of Britain VC hero James Nicholson, the recovered remains of an excavated Hurricane and hundreds of period artefacts
RAF Museum, London: the Battle of Britain collection at the RAF Museum is the best in the world with examples of the Spitfire, Hurricane, Boulton Paul Defiant, Ju 87 Stuka, Messerschmidt 109, Heinkel 111 among the many aviation treasures.
