News & competitions

This month, the RAF Memorial Flight Club is giving away two copies of the Battle of Britain RAF Operations Manual, published by Haynes.

How to enter the ballot

All current members of the Club have been entered into the prize draw. If you’re not already a member, please join the RAF Memorial Flight Club before 31 December 2017.

Header images: Left: Joy Lofthouse in ATA uniform in 1943, aged 20.
Right: Joy was a guest in the Royal Box at Wimbledon Centre Court in July 2016. A keen tennis player in her youth, she received an ovation from the crowd.

Joy Lofthouse, one of the last surviving female Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) pilots who delivered aircraft of all types during the Second World War, died on 15th November, aged 94.

Long-standing members of the RAF Memorial Flight Official Club may remember that Joy kindly provided some reminiscences for us, in her own words, recalling her experiences for an article which was published in the Club’s 2016 Club Autumn Journal.

Header image: In December 1942 RAF Bomber Command was heavily involved in the bombing offensive against Germany. (Ground crew refuelling and bombing-up a Lancaster of 75 (NZ) Sqn.)

Seventy-five years ago, as Christmas 1942 approached, RAF Bomber Command, which now included 12 squadrons of Avro Lancasters, was heavily involved in the bombing offensive against Germany. The last major raid before Christmas was launched on the night of 21st / 22nd December 1942 against Munich. The Command’s intention was then to give the crews something of a break over Christmas Day and, as it happened, extensive and persistent fog over many of the Bomber Command airfields between 25th and 27th December precluded further major operations until after then.