News & competitions

Header image: Tony Cooper with BBMF Spitfire Mk Vb AB910, which is painted in the colours and code letters of the 64 Sqn Spitfire he flew on D-Day. This picture was taken in June 2015 when Tony was 99. (photo: Clive Rowley)

Regular and long-term readers of these newsletters who know of veteran Spitfire pilot and great friend of the BBMF, Tony Cooper, will be saddened to hear that he passed away peacefully on 26th January, aged 100, in the residential care home where he had been living for the past year. He missed his 101st birthday by 11 days.

Header image: The veterans with BBMF Spitfire Mk IX MK356. Left to right: Martin Nicholson (ATA pilot), Tom Clark (Mosquito navigator), John Pilkington (Hurricanes and Spitfires), OC BBMF, Tom Carter (Spitfires and Hawker Typhoons), Eddie Habberley (Spitfires). (All photos: Craig Sluman)

Today the surviving veterans of World War Two are getting fewer and fewer, but as part of its strongly held commitment and allegiance to veterans, the BBMF actively seeks out surviving wartime RAF aircrew and ground crew and invites them to visit the Flight.

We’re starting the year with another fantastic ballot prize! One lucky club member will win a flight in the 1946 de Havilland Devon, which was previously part of the BBMF at RAF Coningsby. 

As if that wasn’t good enough, the winner will fly alongside a Spitfire in the same air space that the Battle of Britain was fought. The experience would usually cost £579 and has been kindly donated by the team at Aero Legends.