BBMF hangar visit

Some time ago, I saw a display box on eBay with three 1:144 models of aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight: Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane. 

Guess what happened next ...

Given that the BBMF hangar is just 20 minutes down the road from East Kirkby, where we met up with "Just Jane", it would be silly (and rude!) not to drop by for a visit and see the real aircraft. Minus the Lancaster, that is; we were aware that the Lancaster was not present, undergoing major maintenance at Duxford.

So we drove to Coningsby the day after having met "Just Jane".

The BBMF hangar has a small visitor centre ...

... and also offers hangar tours, which, of course, we signed up for. We were there to see the aircraft, after all!

The BBMF currently has five Spitfires, two Hurricanes, one Lancaster and one Dakota. As mentioned already, the Lancaster wasn't present in the hangar, but all other aircraft were (though two of the Spitfires were at the back, with engines removed, undergoing major maintenance).

The first Spitfire we saw is the oldest airworthy Spitfire and the last still-flying Spitfire that saw combat in the Battle of Britain. 

Next up was the first of the BBMF's two Hurricanes (out of only 12 airworthy Hurricanes in the world). This is the first aircraft acquired by the BBMF, and a model of this Hurricane was included in the BBMF box.

The second Spitfire we saw in the hangar is the one that's also represented in the BBMF box. The real aircraft in the hangar is sporting invasion stripes.

Spitfire number three, a later model. A bit more detail on the Spitfires we saw is here.

The second of the BBMF's Hurricanes, with a 'Nightfighter' paint scheme. This is the last Hurricane ever built, and we've actually seen this aircraft fly over Stokes Bay recently!

And then, finally, the Dakota. 

Even though the Lancaster wasn't present in the hangar, there was a space dedicated to it and Lancaster history in general ...

 

... including a very nice model.

Finally, outside the Lancaster Exhibition room, two bombs that were carried by Lancasters: Tallboy and Grand Slam.

Really pleased to have visited the BBMF hangar and seen the actual aircraft!