Bitter sweet news for Biggin Hill aircraft restorers over fly past to celebrate Captain Tom Moore’s 100th birthday

There is good news and not so good news for the Biggin Hill Hangar Association regarding the Spitfire Fly Past to celebrate Captain Tom Moore’s 100th birthday on Thursday (30 April).

My Sevenoaks Community reported last week how the local Association, which restores Spitfires and puts them back in the air, offered to perform a fly past over the Bedfordshire home of Captain Tom Moore.

The second world war veteran has captured the nation’s hearts in recent weeks by not only raising an incredible £26m for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden, but by also becoming the oldest person to have a number one hit with a version of You’ll never walk alone which he performs with actor, singer and broadcaster Michael Ball.

The good news is the fly past does look like it is going to go ahead, but the bad news for the Hangar Association is that the privilege has now been awarded to the BBMF (The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight), an arm of the RAF which provides an aerial display with an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane.

A spokesperson for the Biggin Hill Hangar Association said: “We are sad to say the proposed fly past for Captain Tom Moore has been handed over to the BBMF and not the Hangar Association.”

The Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar is a restoration facility dedicated to putting historic Spitfires back in the air. To date it has restored six Spitfires to flying condition, with several more projects waiting to get underway. As well as up to 13 Spitfires on site the association has a 1940 Hawker Hurricane and Battle of Britain veteran Messerschmitt 109 on view.

The organisation is not a museum but a working hangar and cannot accommodate ‘drop-in’ visitors. However, it is possible to book a visit or tour in advance. For information on how to book a visit go to the website at:

bigginhillheritagehangar.co.uk

UPDATE: Since this story was published, news has been released that there will be no fly past at all. For the full story, CLICK HERE