Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Coningsby, Friday 27 April 2007


News Updates

new13/06/2007 The July issue of Aeroplane magazine contains a six-page article on the events at RAF Coningsby on 27th April. This includes a potted history of the plane as it served in both 100 Squadron and 550 Squadron, and many photographs from the day including a nice photo of four of the 550 Squadron Association members in front of The Phantom. See: http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com/.

new17/05/2007 Note that BBMF will be producing an official DVD of the event. No information yet on the date of availability, but it is expected to cost around £17. When I have more information about when, where and how it can be purchased I'll post that here.


A Day to Remember


A personal account of the events of the day.


Arrival hall


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Lancaster PA474, City of Lincoln


Up-close and personal


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Mid upper gunner. 100 Squadron HW-R call-sign & 550 Squadron BQ-B call-sign


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Tail-gun position


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The business end ...


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The Phantom is unveiled ...


Pictures 1&2: Nose decoration: after the unveiling
Picture 3: Birds-eye view!
Picture 4: The original pilot (Flt Lt Ron Clark DFC, wartime pilot of EE139, 100 Squadron) hands over his flying jacket to the BBMF pilot


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The Phantom call sign BQ-B: 550 Squadron


Picture 1: BQ-B: The Phantom's 550 Squadron call sign
Picture 2: BQ-B with the Navigator, DFC and Bar, from her last flight
Picture 3: The local press show an interest


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The navigator is also the "wiry little Australian" from Jack Currie's Lancaster Target.


550 Squadron


Picture 1: 550 Squadron members and the current BBMF Lancaster Pilot
Picture 2: BQ-B Navigator, BQ-B Flight Engineer, 550 Squadron Association Secretary
Picture 3: 550 Squadron (various)


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The Phantom: out in the open and ready to go!


Picture 1: Out of the hanger ..
Picture 2: ... starting up ...
Picture 3: ... and firing on all cylinders!


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The Phantom flies again


No - still - photographs! All the pictures of the Phantom flying are as movie footage.
This includes video footage of PA474 firing up on the apron, taxing off to the runway and all of the Lancaster, and Spitfire, fly-pasts.
In order to enjoy those magnificent Merlins to the full do not forget to turn your speakers on!

Note that even the smallest of the AVI files will probably take a of the order of 20secs to download, depending on internet connection, and some considerably longer: see download-note for guidance on how long it might take for individual downloads.

If you have any difficulty playing the AVI files see here for advice.


Inside the hanger: Unveiling the Phantom

The sound quality inside the aircraft hanger is unfortunately not of the highest quality, so the speeches will in most cases not be very clear.

Icon  Name                    Last modified      Size  Description
[DIR] Parent Directory - - [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 9-6.avi 07-May-2007 20:19 10106K After the unveiling, general milling about (550 Squadron Association Secretary, 550 Squadron BQ-B Navigator, Current PA474 pilot, various others) [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 10-7.avi 07-May-2007 20:19 5872K After the unveiling, (550 Squadron BQ-B Navigator and current PA474 pilot, various others) [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 11-8.avi 07-May-2007 20:20 3976K 550 Squadron Association Secretary, 550 Squadron BQ-B Navigator, current PA474 pilot [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 13-10.avi 07-May-2007 20:20 3310K Off to the Officers Mess for lunch (550 Squadron BQ-B Navigator, 550 Squadron BQ-B Flight Engineer)

Outside the hanger: Starting up, taxing, fly-pasts
Icon  Name                    Last modified      Size  Description
[DIR] Parent Directory - - [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 14-11.avi 07-May-2007 20:21 4052K Lancaster PA474 on the apron, awaiting starters orders! [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 1-0.avi 07-May-2007 14:50 5611K PA474 starting up [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 2-1.avi 07-May-2007 14:51 5702K PA474 starting up [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 3-2.avi 07-May-2007 14:51 2085K PA474 starting up (modern jet formation fly-past salute) [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 4-3.avi 07-May-2007 14:51 6016K PA474 starting up (chocks away!) [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 7-6.avi 07-May-2007 14:52 5992K PA474 begins to taxi [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 8-7.avi 07-May-2007 14:52 5794K PA474 taxiing [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 9-8.avi 07-May-2007 14:53 5301K PA474 moving off to the runway [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 12-11.avi 07-May-2007 14:53 4710K PA474 taking off [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 13-12.avi 07-May-2007 14:53 681K PA474 taking off [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 14-13.avi 07-May-2007 14:54 5967K PA474 Turns for 1st fly-by [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 15-14.avi 07-May-2007 14:54 3029K PA474 1st fly-by [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 16-15.avi 07-May-2007 14:55 3949K PA474 Back she comes again [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 17-16.avi 07-May-2007 14:55 4540K PA474 flying overhead (close up) [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 18-17.avi 07-May-2007 14:55 4141K PA474 Turns to fly overhead again [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 19-18.avi 07-May-2007 14:56 4624K PA474 flying overhead again (close up) [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 20-19.avi 07-May-2007 14:56 1122K PA474 turns to head away [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 21-20.avi 07-May-2007 14:56 5337K PA474 flying overhead (close up) [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 22-21.avi 07-May-2007 14:57 2105K PA474 turns and flys into the distance [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 23-22.avi 07-May-2007 14:57 4196K 1st Spitfire takes off [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 24-23.avi 07-May-2007 14:57 3925K 1st, 2nd and 3rd Spitfires take off, Lanc in the background [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 25-24.avi 07-May-2007 14:58 4646K PA474 makes a super-smooth landing ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 26-25.avi 07-May-2007 14:58 4979K ... and taxis close by [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 27-26.avi 07-May-2007 14:58 4629K Spitfires in formation ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 28-27.avi 07-May-2007 14:59 3541K ... and again [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 29-28.avi 07-May-2007 14:59 3651K ... and again, rolling away [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 30-29.avi 07-May-2007 14:59 2070K Spitfires just having fun ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 31-30.avi 07-May-2007 14:59 3072K Spitfires just having fun ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 32-31.avi 07-May-2007 15:00 4127K Spitfires just having fun ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 33-32.avi 07-May-2007 15:00 3811K Spitfires just having fun ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 37-36.avi 07-May-2007 15:01 4381K Spitfires just having fun ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 39-38.avi 07-May-2007 15:02 3467K Spitfires just having fun ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 40-39.avi 07-May-2007 15:02 4424K Spitfires just having fun ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 43-42.avi 07-May-2007 15:03 4801K Sadly it is time to land ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 44-43.avi 07-May-2007 15:03 5640K ... and they ... [Image: copyright protected] Chpt 45-44.avi 07-May-2007 15:03 5374K ... all come home again

Lancaster taxiing past the control tower after the fly-past


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Spitfires (and probably a Hurricane somewhere!)


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Champagne and goodbyes

Picture 1: 550 Squadron BQ-B Navigator walking back from the fly-past
Pictures 2&3: The champagne tent attracts interest
Picture 4: 550 Squadron BQ-B Flight Engineer and Navigator


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Contacts

For general questions or issues about the web-site please contact webmaster@coulterfamily.org.uk.
For questions about 550 Squadron or Lancaster call-sign BQ-B then please email BQ-B@coulterfamily.org.uk or go to http://www.550squadronassociation.org.uk/.


Disclamer

All efforts have been made to respect copyrights. If you suspect that a copyright has been infringed please email details (addresses above).
As far as I am aware, all information is correct. In the event of error please send an email (addresses above) and I will endeavour to correct the error on the site.