As 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the RAF, the purpose of that flight was to honor “The Few” (the pilots), as well as the many (ground crew, fabricators), and especially the forgotten people who took part in the Battle of Britain.
As the Royal Air Force (RAF) celebrated its centenary, a ton of fantastic events were happening all around the United Kingdom. Here’s a brave flyer who flew a Spitfire-shaped route over the nation to honor the service’s fallen aviators.
Andy McKee sought to reproduce a Spitfire outline in the plane he made in his garage after being inspired by Boeing’s 787 outline stunt in August of last year. It was difficult to map out the route because of the crowded airspace around London and the fact that Andy would be flying manually the entire time without the aid of an autopilot.
The purpose of this flight, according to a Royal Air Force news release, is to remember “The Few” (the pilots), as well as the many (ground crew, fabricators), and in particular, the forgotten people from outside the UK who were involved in the Battle of Britain, 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of the RAF.
About 1 in 5 of the participating pilots came from nations other than the United Kingdom. With 135 participants, New Zealand fielded the second-highest number of pilots. (Andy McKee was born in New Zealand but has spent the previous 18 years residing in the UK.)
According to Lord Tedder, Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Keith Park, a New Zealander, was the commander of the number 11 Group during the Battle of Britain.
“If anyone man won the Battle of Britain, he did. I do not believe it is realized how much that one man, with his leadership, his calm judgment, and his skill, did to save, not only this country but the world.”
Andy McKee, a resident of Bedfordshire, is 46 years old. Since 2004 he has become a pilot. He flew in a home-built plane called the “Silence Twister.” Over the course of 5.5 years, Andy spent more than 3,000 workshop hours building it from a kit.
In his Twister, Andy set off on an “epic” journey last year, flying from Canada to the U.S. and back via the North Atlantic, Iceland, Greenland, and other locations.
Here is a video that demonstrates McKee shaping a Spitfire.
Photo by Crown Copyright