Club prizes and winners – April to June 2018
All members of the RAF Memorial Flight Official Club are automatically entered into the Club’s monthly prize ballots and Club members have won some brilliant ballot prizes in the last three months. In addition, there were additional bonus competition prizes on offer each month. These were the Club prizes and winners for April to June 2018:
April ballot prize – Experience Day at the BBMF
This is the third year that we have been able to offer an ‘Experience Day’ at the BBMF as one of the Club’s ballot prizes; truly a ‘money cannot buy it’, chance of a lifetime and an indication of how much the Flight values the Club and its members. The lucky winner was able to take three guests to the BBMF’s home at RAF Coningsby on Sunday 17th June, with access to the RAF Station, to experience a typical flying day during the display season from behind the scenes. See a report on the day in the separate news item. This fantastic and exclusive prize was, of course, available only to Official Club members.
Winner: Martin Wright from Wiltshire
May ballot prize – Two copies of ‘Our Story, Your History – The International Bomber Command Centre’
This newly-published book (RRP £25) explains the story behind the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincoln. As well as describing the concept for the Centre and the remarkable efforts to raise the necessary funds, the authors provide a military history of Bomber Command throughout World War Two, tell the human stories of those who served with Bomber Command and detail the tragic stories behind the loss of specific crews, all of whom are remembered on the IBCC’s Wall of Names.
Winners: David Jones from Glamorgan and Ken Smith from Durham
June ballot prize – An internal tour of the BBMF Lancaster
Another ‘money cannot buy it’ opportunity for a lucky member of the RAF Memorial Flight Official Club to experience what it is like inside BBMF Lancaster PA474, which is very representative of operational wartime Lancasters. The lucky winner can share the experience with up to two guests as they climb inside PA474 and make their way up to the cockpit with a BBMF guide.
Winner: Adam Chester from Essex
Bonus prizes
In addition to the fantastic ballot prizes for Club members in April, May and June there were also additional bonus competition prizes on offer each month.
April bonus prize – Two copies of ‘The Royal Air Force: A Centenary of Operations’
There were two bonus prizes in April, with two lucky winners each getting a copy of the new book ‘The Royal Air Force: A Centenary of Operations’ by Michael Napier, signed by the author. This 340-page book (RRP £30) uncovers – both in words and with stunning photographs – the almost continuous operations and the heroic exploits and accomplishments of RAF personnel since the formation of the world’s first independent air force 100 years ago.
Winners: Sarah Huthwaite and Sean Concannon
May bonus prize – A pair of tickets for the Chalke Valley History Festival
On top of the May ballot prize we were able to give away another brilliant bonus prize of a pair of tickets to the Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival on Sunday 1st July 2018 in Broad Chalke, Wiltshire. The festival includes Living History encampments, Live History Live events, pop-up talks, static displays (Spitfire and tanks), food stalls, emporium and fly-pasts of historic aircraft. The prize also included tickets to three fascinating talks by Patrick Bishop, John Nichol and Paul Beaver.
Winner: Andrew Scourfield
June bonus prize – A signed copy of ‘Spitfire: A Very British Love Affair’
The bonus prize for June was a signed copy of ‘Spitfire: A Very British Love Story’ by John Nichol. This new book about the iconic Spitfire and why it is still so loved today focusses on the personal stories of the men and women who designed, built, flew and serviced the Spitfire from its earliest days, to the veterans and pilots who still fly and love it today.
Winner: Elizabeth Martinez
