FIGHTERS OF WW2 BBMF HURRICANE & SPITFIRE DOGFIGHT DEMO DISPLAY • PDA DAY 2024 RAF CONINGSBY

Hawker Hurricane LF363 & Supermarine Spitfire TE311 of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight took to the skies for a dogfight demo on a very important day, PDA day. Each year the BBMF is subject to a Public Display Approval (PDA) process, without which there could be no public displays by the Flight’s aircraft and pilots. On Monday 20th May 2024, AVM Flewin, Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group, flew in personally to RAF Coningsby to inspect the displays on the day. He awarded the BBMF Pilots their Public Display Authority, which means that they are now allowed to display at airshows and festivals. Spitfire TE311 was built at the Castle Bromwich ‘shadow’ factory as a ‘low back’, ‘clipped wing’, Packard Merlin 266 powered L.F.XVIe. This year we were treated to a new Typhoon display livery to commemorate the 80th D-Day landings anniversary but another new livery is also taking to the skies, the BBMF's Spitfire TE311. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) Spitfire Mk XVI TE311 has had major servicing and work carried out with The Spitfire Company (Biggin Hill) Ltd since May 2022. This caused delays to the planned output date for TE311. In fact the Spitfire’s wings had to be completely overhauled, with new wing spars being fitted. The wings were overhauled and then refitted to the Spitfire and TE311 has been painted into its new colour scheme which represents Spitfire TD322 ‘3W-M’ of 322 (Dutch) Squadron. It also features nose art showing the 322 Squadron mascot, ‘Polly Grey’, a red-tailed parrot. The aircraft underwent post-Major ground engine runs in late November and needs its Military Airworthiness Review (MAR) – similar to an annual MOT on a car – completed by the MilCAM MAR team before it can fly. 322 Squadron (RNLAF) is the oldest operational squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). It currently operates the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II from Leeuwarden Air Base, Friesland. The Squadron were originally founded at RAF Woodvale, United Kingdom, on 12 June 1943 as No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron with Dutch personnel under Royal Air Force control. BBMF Hurricane Mk II LF363 was repainted into its new colours as ‘RF-J’ of 303 Kościuszko (Polish) Squadron during the Battle of Britain. RF were the squadron markings for the squadron along with the red band towards the back of the fuselage. This wonderful Hurricane of the BBMF first flew on the 1st January 1944. It was delivered to 5 MU on the 28th January 1944 and was in continual RAF service from then until it crash landed in 1991. Believed to be the last Hurricane to enter service, LF363 served with 63, 309 (Polish) and 26 Squadrons before the cessation of hostilities. Unlike many other Hurricanes, LF363 was not scrapped but served on various station flights and appears in the Jack Hawkins film Angels One Five. Hawkers received the aircraft in September 1952 to be fully refurbished before she returned to RAF duties. In 1954, whilst being operated by the RAF Waterbeach Station Flight, she appeared in the television series 'The War in the Air' and the following year in the film of the late Group Captain Douglas Bader's life 'Reach for the Sky' followed by becoming a founder member of the RAF Historic Flight at Biggin Hill in July 1957. On September 11th 1991, whilst enroute from Coningsby to Jersey, the aircraft's engine started running rough, pouring smoke from all twelve exhaust stubs. The pilot, Squadron Leader Allan "Slam" Martin, attempted to land at Wittering, but the engine then failed completely resulting in a crash landing on the airfield. LF363 finished a complete rebuilt and flew for the first time in 7 years in the autumn of 1998, finished in the colours of No 56(F) Squadron from its time at North Weald in 1940, 'A Phoenix Rising from the Ashes' Today, TE311 has a special tribute marking on the starboard side in honour and remembrance of the late Squadron Leader Mark Long, who will always be remembered. REFERENCE: https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/... #spitfire #303squadron #battleofbritain #dday #normandy #tedconingsby #rafconingsby #lestweforget #runway #ww2 #fighteraircraft #historicaircraft #hurricane #hawker #dogfight #bbmf Official Ted Coningsby Merchandise https://tedconingsby.co.uk/shop/ noTEDS https://tedconingsby.co.uk/noteds/ Ted Social stuff Instagram   / ted_coningsby   Facebook   / tedconingsbyuk   X   / tedconingsby   www.tedconingsby.co.uk Ted Coningsby Membership: Join our channel to get access to members only perks. In reality, we rely on your subscriptions to keep our channel growing, so this is a MASSIVE help and thank you to ALL of you who have subscribed. We go all over the country to get the footage we need for you to enjoy but this comes at a cost. Your membership will help fund us with the fuel and the equipment we need...    / tedconingsby