Members’ Day 2016 at the BBMF
The annual Members’ Day, when the BBMF says thank you to its supporters, was held at the Flight’s home at RAF Coningsby on Sunday 2nd October. A crowd of 2,500 members of the Lincolnshire’s Lancaster Association and the RAF Memorial Flight Official Club enjoyed a superb autumn day with plenty of flying and action.
The original flying programme planned by OC BBMF was affected by a northerly crosswind blowing across both runways at Coningsby with a 12-15 knot crosswind component, which meant that the BBMF aircraft and pilots limited to a maximum crosswind of 10 knots could not fly. Two of the available and serviceable Spitfires, Mk IIa P7350 and Mk Vb AB910 therefore had to sit the day out on the ground.
With only the Lancaster, the two Hurricanes and Spitfire Mk XVI TE311 able to fly, the Flight still put on an extensive flying programme with numerous displays and some spectacular flypasts right over the crowd. Members’ Day normally sees some unusual formations and this year was no exception with a ‘vic’ of the three fighters being followed closely by the ‘Lanc’ and then the three fighters formating on the bomber. In addition, the crowd were treated to a full Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire display, a rarely-seen pair of Hurricanes doing a tail-chase, a Hurricane and Spitfire ’synchro’ display, and Group Captain Jez Attridge’s last display in a BBMF Spitfire, in TE311, to finish the day. He is posted on from being the Station Commander at RAF Coningsby having completed his two-year tour of duty.
Top right: The three fighters in ‘vic’ formation with the Lancaster close behind (photo: Tim Reddick)
Lower right: The unusual sight of the two Hurricanes in formation together. (photo: Mick Gretton)
As usual there were also various displays and stalls on the ground, including some impressive cars, to occupy time before the flying commenced around lunchtime. Amy Sell, the Official Club Membership Manager was also present in the hangar to meet members and chat, to get feedback, to complete membership renewals and to sign up some new members.
Club members will be aware that when the tickets for the day were released to members on-line, they sold out within the day. So if you would like to attend next year’s event be sure to act quickly when the tickets are released. We would like to thank those members who, having bought tickets and were then unable to attend, returned their tickets so that Amy could offer them to people on the waiting list. A number of grateful Club members were able to attend as a result. Thank you.
