W
ith the airshow season
rapidly approaching, the
RAF Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight (BBMF) will be
raring to go when it reaches the
end of its winter maintenance
programme at RAF Coningsby,
Lincolnshire. The squadron has
also welcomed a new pilot, with the
addition of Sqn Ldr Mark ‘Suggs’
Sugden, who has previously flown
the Panavia Tornado F.3, and
instructed on both the BAe Hawk
and Eurofighter Typhoon.
Suggs is currently being put
through his paces on the flight’s
rigorous training programme by
current Commanding Officer Sqn
Ldr Andy ‘Milli’ Millikin, who will
be stepping down from the role at
the end of this year’s flying season.
He will be replaced by Sqn Ldr
Mark ‘Disco’ Discombe AFC, who in
turn will be succeeded by Sqn Ldr
Sugden in 2021.
During our visit in February we
noticed that Supermarine Spitfire
Mk.XVI TE311 was not on
show. It drew particular attention
during last year’s flying displays
when it appeared in unmarked
black undercoat. It has recently
been repainted into the colours of
Polish ace Aleksander Gabszewicz,
who flew with 131 Polish Wing.
The aircraft also bears his bulldog
mascot on the nose, the serial
number TD240 and the codes‘SZ-G’, of 316 ‘City of Warsaw’
Squadron. He ended the war with
the Polish rank of Generał brygady,
roughly the equivalent of Major
General.
Two aircraft remain in
maintenance, specifically: Spitfire
PR.XIX PM631 and LF.IXe
MK356. The former – which hasn’t
flown since 2014 – is expected to
return to the air again soon after
a comprehensive overhaul, and
MK356 is undergoing an engine
rebuild.
We’ll be presenting a series of
features on the BBMF later this
year as part of our RAF 100 series,
including a look at day-to-day life on
the Flight.Above
Perennially popular, Avro Lancaster B.1 PA474 dominates the view at the end of the BBMF hangar. The much-loved Lancaster – one of just two still airworthy – has
recently completed ground engine runs, and was expected to have fl own by the time ‘FlyPast’ is published.
May 2018 FLYPAST 127