The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s (BBMF) pre-season work-up flying is now well underway at RAF Coningsby, as detailed in the RAF Memorial Flight Official Club’s March newsletter. In a special message to Club members on 19th March, Squadron Leader Mark ‘Suggs’ Sugden, Officer Commanding BBMF, explained that the pause in flying for the BBMF’s Merlin-engine fighters had officially been lifted. On the very day that announcement was made—14th March—he carried out the post-winter-maintenance air test on Spitfire Mk XVI TE311. This marked not only the first BBMF Merlin-engine fighter flight since May 2024, but also the first time TE311 had flown with its new tribute markings honoring the Flight’s late friend and colleague, Squadron Leader Mark Long. The aircraft passed its air test with flying colours.
Next up for testing was Hurricane Mk II LF363, which took to the skies on 18th March for the first Hurricane flight of the year. While the aircraft performed well, a minor undercarriage indication fault was detected and quickly rectified. Fittingly, this sortie came just one day after the passing of Group Captain John “Paddy” Hemingway, the last surviving RAF Battle of Britain pilot. In tribute, his name has since been added to the side of LF363.
Griffon-engine Spitfire PR Mk XIX PM631, which had seen occasional winter activity, also underwent an engine change after its previous unit reached the end of its calendar life. Following ground runs, PM631 returned to the air on 26th March for an engine air test and has now rejoined the pre-season flying program.
With these successful tests completed, the BBMF has launched into pre-season training in earnest, with a series of re-currency and practice display sorties flown over RAF Coningsby in unusually fine weather. Additional aircraft, including Hurricane Mk IIA PZ865 and Spitfire IIa P7350, are expected to return to the skies later this month. Meanwhile, efforts continue to ready Lancaster PA474 for a busy event schedule beginning in early May. At Duxford, C-47 Dakota ZA947 is awaiting final sign-off on its post-major maintenance paperwork and will soon rejoin the fleet, providing vital training for BBMF ‘Bomber’ crews.
Harvard Training for BBMF Fighter Pilots
Before flying solo in the Hurricane, new BBMF fighter pilots undergo dual instruction in a two-seat Harvard training aircraft. The Harvard serves as a crucial stepping stone between the de Havilland Chipmunk and the Hurricane, offering a larger airframe, more powerful engine, and increased torque. Harvard IIB KF183—owned and operated by Rolls-Royce and generously provided to BBMF at no cost—is based at East Midlands Airport. It is flown to Coningsby by ex-OC BBMF Squadron Leader Mark ‘Disco’ Discombe MBE AFC, who leverages his dual military and civilian instructor qualifications to train new BBMF pilots.
The first pilot to fly the Harvard this year was Squadron Leader Simon ‘Jessy’ Jessett, who joined the BBMF at the end of the 2023 display season. Jessett had completed his Harvard training in April 2024 and flown several Hurricane sorties in May 2024 prior to the pause in Merlin-engine fighter operations following the loss of Spitfire MK356. With flying resumed, he refreshed his Harvard experience on 26th March under clear blue skies.
The Harvard returned to Coningsby again on 3rd April to support the introductory fighter training of Squadron Leader Al Luckins, a Typhoon pilot with 41 (Test and Evaluation) Squadron at RAF Coningsby. Having completed his tailwheel work-up in the BBMF’s Chipmunks over the winter, Luckins flew the Harvard under Discombe’s instruction and is now ready to progress to the Hurricane. For more information about the RAF Memorial Flight Official Club, visit www.memorialflightclub.com.
