VE Day 80 flypast London 5.5.25

[Zoom]

The whole day (including the flypast) wasn't about the RAF (and certainly not the current fleet) it was about 80 years since a hard fought victory on land air and sea.

I watched the proceedings in The Mall and also the interviews on TV and thought it was completely appropriate.

[keithjs]

Would anyone happen to have the serials from yesterday please? Much appreciated.

[Herkdriver]

I thought it was very odd not to have the Dakota, a Spitfire, and a Hurricane in the flypast. Please don't misunderstand as it was a beautiful flypast especially at the end with the Reds and Typhoons together but it seemed much smaller than it should have been and again I thought it was very strange to only have the Lancaster in the flypast especially when they have been included for birthday flypasts and other commemorations. The parade seemed much smaller in size as well for what was the last major celebration of VE Day that would have any WW2 veterans in attendance.

[Suffolkblue1]

I thought it was very odd not to have the Dakota, a Spitfire, and a Hurricane in the flypast. Please don't misunderstand as it was a beautiful flypast especially at the end with the Reds and Typhoons together but it seemed much smaller than it should have been and again I thought it was very strange to only have the Lancaster in the flypast especially when they have been included for birthday flypasts and other commemorations. The parade seemed much smaller in size as well for what was the last major celebration of VE Day that would have any WW2 veterans in attendance.

The Dakota is still a couple of weeks away from flying at Duxford and the fighters were allocated for other commemorations across the country.

[Herkdriver]

I thought it was very odd not to have the Dakota, a Spitfire, and a Hurricane in the flypast. Please don't misunderstand as it was a beautiful flypast especially at the end with the Reds and Typhoons together but it seemed much smaller than it should have been and again I thought it was very strange to only have the Lancaster in the flypast especially when they have been included for birthday flypasts and other commemorations. The parade seemed much smaller in size as well for what was the last major celebration of VE Day that would have any WW2 veterans in attendance.

The Dakota is still a couple of weeks away from flying at Duxford and the fighters were allocated for other commemorations across the country.

Fair enough on the Dakota but the BBMF have I think 6 Spitfires and 2 Hurricanes. For the main event for the UK commemorations I think a Spitfire and or a Hurricane could have been added but I say that not being part of the BBMF so not fully aware of maintenance schedules and commitments.

[Stagger2]

I think the main reason for not having a Spitfire or Hurricane flying with the Lancaster is much less to do with "other weekend committments" & more associated with the recent extended grounding of the BBMF Fighters following the loss of the Spitfire & pilot at Coningsby.
Single-engine aircraft are not generally permitted to fly over the City of London due to lack of emergency landing sites. There WAS special dispensation for the immaculately fettled BBMF fighters, but that has literally 'gone up in smoke' following the tragic loss referred above!
You will recall that historically the Harrier didn't partake in the London flypasts for the same issue of evolving risk assessment-vs-single engine.
Quite why the F-35B is exempted now (with a Glide Angle of 85 degrees ) is beyond my understanding?

[aceyone]

I think the main reason for not having a Spitfire or Hurricane flying with the Lancaster is much less to do with "other weekend committments" & more associated with the recent extended grounding of the BBMF Fighters following the loss of the Spitfire & pilot at Coningsby.
Single-engine aircraft are not generally permitted to fly over the City of London due to lack of emergency landing sites. There WAS special dispensation for the immaculately fettled BBMF fighters, but that has literally 'gone up in smoke' following the tragic loss referred above!
You will recall that historically the Harrier didn't partake in the London flypasts for the same issue of evolving risk assessment-vs-single engine.
Quite why the F-35B is exempted now (with a Glide Angle of 85 degrees ) is beyond my understanding?

"Quite why the F-35B is exempted now (with a Glide Angle of 85 degrees ) is beyond my understanding?"

Because it has a built in " INITIATE DESTRUCT SWITCH " of course

[Herkdriver]

I think the main reason for not having a Spitfire or Hurricane flying with the Lancaster is much less to do with "other weekend committments" & more associated with the recent extended grounding of the BBMF Fighters following the loss of the Spitfire & pilot at Coningsby.
Single-engine aircraft are not generally permitted to fly over the City of London due to lack of emergency landing sites. There WAS special dispensation for the immaculately fettled BBMF fighters, but that has literally 'gone up in smoke' following the tragic loss referred above!
You will recall that historically the Harrier didn't partake in the London flypasts for the same issue of evolving risk assessment-vs-single engine.
Quite why the F-35B is exempted now (with a Glide Angle of 85 degrees ) is beyond my understanding?

I knew about the single-engine restriction but I didn't realize it now encompassed the BBMF after the accident last year. Thanks.

[Wings and Things]

Harriers were part of the 1990 50th BoB Anniversary flypast. Or was that before the restriction was put in place?

[aviodromefriend]

Quite why the F-35B is exempted now (with a Glide Angle of 85 degrees ) is beyond my understanding?

Maybe because (contrary to the A and C) the B has two engines (one with the exhaust in the tail, one in the bottom of the fuselage)?

[FGR2]

I heard on TV that there is a flypast this evening over Horse Guards Parade, by a Spitfire and Hurricane.

[Archer]

It was just a Lancaster.

Quite why the F-35B is exempted now (with a Glide Angle of 85 degrees ) is beyond my understanding?

Maybe because (contrary to the A and C) the B has two engines (one with the exhaust in the tail, one in the bottom of the fuselage)?

A shaft-driven fan that relies on the single engine does not count as an extra engine I'm afraid.

[Comet102]

I heard on TV that there is a flypast this evening over Horse Guards Parade, by a Spitfire and Hurricane.

Only a Lancaster flew over.

[FGR2]

I heard on TV that there is a flypast this evening over Horse Guards Parade, by a Spitfire and Hurricane.

Only a Lancaster flew over.

Saw it in the distance over Brentwood before the flypast, but missed it on its way back into Southend. It is there at the moment.