Bigwig's Birthday?

[rivetjoint]

Excellent BBMF lone fighter display over Innsworth last night, had us out in our gardens for at least 20 minutes watching it fly overhead and all that. I'm guessing it was someone's birthday at Innsworth's OM?

[Molesworth Hold]

It must have been a Bigwigs birthday. Mind you didn’t something happen about this time of year 62 years ago? I recall moustachioed gentlemen, their chests bedecked with medals collecting for some kind of appeal to do with wings. I wonder what it’s all about?

[FJJP]

In case you've all forgotten, it's the time of year when some of us remember that it is the anniversary of the Battle Of Britain, when the Royal Air force Fighter Command saved the country from invasion from Germany. At this time of year, most Stations celebrate with a cocktail party, often including a sunset ceremony with a flypast of a suitable fighter, like a Spitfire or Hurricane. Wyton managed a Spitfire followed by a Tornado. Cottesmore and Wittering usually field a Harrier.

Hence all the lone fighter flypasts at about 6-ish on Thurs/Fri around this date.

[BEagle]

Once upon a time, when we had an air force, most stations would hold Battle of Britain Open Days.

Sadly no more.

About 26 years ago I was 'holding' at Biggin Hill. We had occasion to move a filing cabinet, from behind which we found certain documents dating from the 1950s. One was a Flight Safety report, in which were such gems as 'Airmen are not to use the wings of Meteor aircraft as means of transport across the aerodrome' and 'Pilots are to be reminded that flight down to 50' a.g.l is only permitted in the station's approved low flying areas'.......

But the one I liked was 'Of the 32 Home Command stations holding Battle of Britain Open Days in the south of England this year....'

Now look at the pathetic state of us. Aerodromes closed, ancient aircraft, the creeping cancer of contractorisation...... Sorry to say, the pins are now out on my personal black-and-yellow handle......

[SPIT]

I have to agree with the above statements by FJJP & BEagle.
Terrible as it was it seems that people remember ONE BUILDING in the USA being flattened (God Help Them) on 9/11 is remembered whilst people seem to forget that HUNDREDS of buildings and people (mostly civ) were being flattened in Europe . It seems that the people of UK and Europe have Short Memories I have no gripe against the people of the USA but how would they react if it happened in AMERICA. I know that the services of the USA lost a huge ammount of personel then but it seems that it was only when they had to.Now I have said my bit because of the freedoms that we enjoy am off to my little bed.:( :( :confused:

[ORAC]

SPIT, at the time of the BoB, the only Americans fighting were who those who wanted to. We were fighting because we had to.

Seven Americans flew in the Battle of Britain, of whom 6 died.

Battle of Britain Roll of Honour

Pilot Officer A G Donahue, American, 64 Sqn, Killed.
Pilot Officer W M L Fiske, American, 601 Sqn, Killed.
Pilot Officer J K Haviland, American, 151 Sqn.
Pilot Officer V C Keough, American, 609 Sqn, Killed.
Pilot Officer P H Leckrone, American, 616 sqn, Killed.
Pilot Officer A Mamedoff American, 609 Sqn, Died.
Pilot Officer E Q Tobin, American, 609 sqn Killed.

Despite U.S. "neutrality," a full squadron of American fliers was established in September 1940 and became operational in January 1941. Two other Eagle squadrons followed: No.121 in May 1941 and No.131 in August 1941.

244 American pilots were to fly for the Eagle Squadrons. Command. It was the RAF's policy to pick Englishmen as squadron and flight commanders and 16 of these British pilots served with the Eagle Squadrons. From the time the first Eagle Squadron was formed in September 1940 until all three squadrons were disbanded and incorporated into the USAAF in September 1942, they destroyed 73 1/2 German planes while 77 American and 5 British members were killed.

http://www.flightjournal.com/fj/articles/britain/images/hurricanes_sm.jpg Hurricane Mk1s of 71 Eagle Sqn

[Jackonicko]

"they destroyed 73 1/2 German planes".....

A bitter blow for the Nazi wood-working industry I'm sure.....

Do you mean aircraft or aeroplanes, ORAC? ;)

[newswatcher]

ORAC,

Of the seven American pilots who flew during the BofB, only one - PO Fiske was actually killed during the period 10/7-31/10. The rest were killed later in the war. Andrew Mamedoff, now a Flt Lt, was one of 4 killed when they crashed in bad weather on the Isle of Man on 8/10/41, whilst 133 Eagle Squadron was flying from Fowlmere to Eglinton for further training. To compound this tragedy, two of the pilots who survived were killed in accidents before the end of that month.

It is interesting to read later on in the article from which you extracted your information, about the problems that the "simple" transfer of the squadrons, from the RAF to the USAF, caused. None of the seven had flown with the USAF, and therefore there was the problem of what rank to give them. Additionally, since they had not qualified within the USAF they had not been awarded wings, and so this had to be sorted.

Also the RAF did not want to release the aircraft without compensation from the US.

[canberra]

the eagle squadrons are still in existence. they fly f15e's at seymour - johnson afb. a lot of the eagle squadron pilots wore their raf wings on the right chest of their jackets when they were transfered, many of them didnt want to join the usaaf!!

[izod tester]

From the Gloucester Citizen today:

"A woman has spoken of her terror as a Spitfire performed "dangerous stunts" above her home in Gloucester.

Janet Schonbeck, 73, phoned the police because of her fears of an imminent air disaster on Thursday evening. Other residents also rang 999 because of the noise and the low level it appeared to be flying at.

The Spitfire was part of a fly-by display for an RAF Innsworth dinner to commemorate the Battle of Britain but for Mrs Schonbeck, "it seemed as if a mad man was intent on killing himself and possibly dozens of others".

She said: "It was more than a fly-past, he looped the loop, flew upside down and dive-bombed virtually above my garden. I couldn't believe it was happening - these were dangerous stunts above a densly populated area."

An RAF Innsworth spokesman said it was routine for planes to be used at ceremonies. She added: "The plane was flying at the legal height limit, not below it, but these planes are very noisy so it may have appeared to be closer than it was."

Police confirmed they had a number of calls but air traffic controllers told them the plane was not flying at an illegal height."

How sad. Perhaps next year RAF Innsworth could publicise the event prior to the day so that the Mrs Sconbecks of this world will know what it is all about. More importantly, those who live around Gloucester who are not fortunate enough to be invited but nevertheless would enjoy seeing a Spitfire display would have the opportunity to enjoy it.

[St Johns Wort]

'Schonbeck' is that a German name? :)

[Gainesy]

The lady is obviously of the same ilk as the BSE-infected one up the lane from me. Complained about Wokkas scaring her horses but didn't mind a Jetranger landing in her paddock to lift her substantial butt to Ascot races. :mad:

[rivetjoint]

I saw that article in the Glos Citizen last night too.
I take it that the 73 year old woman must have been at a totally different end of the galaxy when Spitfires doing that sort of thing were the norm during the Battle of Britain?

Does anyone know this woman, maybe she could be errr I dunno.