News & competitions

This month one lucky Club member will win this stunning framed Spitfire print.

Header image: Club members Adrian and Helen Johnson had a day behind the scenes at the BBMF as the winners of the BBMF Experience Day prize. (All photos: Clive Rowley).

On 28th June, Club member Adrian Johnson and his wife Helen, also a Club member, were able to take up their Club ballot prize of an Experience Day behind the scenes at the BBMF. Adrian had won the prize in 2024, but the day had to be cancelled after the tragic accident to BBMF Spitfire MK356 in May that year, so it was carried over to 2025. Saturday 28th June was Armed Forces Day nationwide, and the BBMF was busy with flights around the country from Coningsby.

Header image: BBMF Hurricane Mk II LF363 wore 501 Sqn AuxAF code letters on its starboard side in 2017-18. (Photo: Claire Hartley). Inset: Fg Off Philip Cox went missing on 27th July 1940 and for almost 85 years had no known grave.

On 27th July 1940, during the early and critical stages of the Battle of Britain, 12 Hurricanes of 501 (County of Gloucestershire) Squadron were scrambled from Hawkinge, taking off at 17.36 with orders to patrol Deal and Dover at 5,000 feet. The Squadron’s Red Section was led by the experienced pilot and recently appointed OC ‘A’ Flight, Flying Officer Philip Anthony Neville Cox, flying Hurricane P3808. Just seven days previously he had claimed a Me Bf 109 destroyed and shared in the destruction of another.