There have been many familiar favourites seen in Brigg this summer, including the horse fair.
But it's sad that we have not seen the wonderful aircraft of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, in the skies over Brigg.
The Lancaster bomber was grounded for some time but returned to duty last month.
From time to time in past years we've had one of the flighters from the BBMF come over Brigg en route to events elsewhere, and the Dakota transport aircraft has made occasional appearances in the same vein.
However, there's nothing to beat a flypast by two fighters and The Lanc in close formation.
We took these pictures on the evening of May 9, 2008 from the lofty vantage point afforded by the old cast iron footbridge (since removed) at Brigg railway station.
The BBMF's Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane made a memorable flypast over the town, with three passes to mark the Brigg Amateur Social Historians (BASH) 1940s Night at the Servicemen's Club.
Scores of Brigg folk turned out to watch the flypast, many from the Old Courts Road car park adjoining the Servicemen's Club. The venue was decorated with patriotic flags.
We think the final picture we took that night (below) echoes the lines of John Binyon's famous war verse, paying tribute to fallen colleagues:
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember them
It would be wonderful if a Brigg group successfully applied for the Lancaster and the fighters to repeat the memorable flypast we enjoyed eight years ago.
Read about the BBMF Lancaster's return to duty in 2016....
2 comments:
How many Merlin engines in the photo, Nige?
Even in the 60s, the RAF had some elderly aircraft....the Avro Anson, designed and built in the early 30s was still operational.
Another was the Transport Commands Handley Page Hastings...rushed into service for the Berlin Airlift.
At RAF stations, it was used for dispersal exercises when, for example Vulcans were posted to isolated sites around the UK...all part of Cold War exercises.
The Hastings had essentially the same wings as a Lanc and was powerered by Bristol Hercules engines...sometimes used on variants of the Lanc.
One characteristic of the aircraft was that the wings would flex....a bit disturbing if one didn't realise that it was part of its flying habit.
Anyway, I can claim that I've flown in part of Lanc-like aeroplane.....other strange claims include jumping from a barrage balloon..and parachuting from a bi-plane....now, not many folks can claim that!....and that was the modern RAF of the 60s...
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