Battle of Britain Memorial

Had a day off to day, and the weather was nice so decided to revisit a place I last saw about 14 yrs ago, with my Dad.
He was in the RAF during WW2, but I think he joined up actually after the Battle of Britain, even so because he was attached to a fighter squadron he was always pretty keen on this kind of thing.

Anyway just a few pics, its worth a visit if you are in the area and have an intrest in aviation.



The visitor centre has a cafe on the top floor, the bloke up there said on a crystal clear day you can see the greenfields of France from there, that's how close things were.


It was a bit misty, I was there mid morning, but looking out across Folkestone to the right.

And to the left, Dover.

 

Amazing pictures ! Thanks for sharing !

 

looks a lovely day out! great images, thanks for posting

 

Nice one Pete

 

Wonderful. I wonder if my father ever rubbed shoulders with yours.

My father was sparks for this plane.

 

That looks like a bomber to me Lori, if so, might have met my Mum, she was part of bomber command from 1942 onwards, mostly stationed in East Anglia/ Midlands.

By that time my Dad was in North Africa I think.

 

Yes it is a bomber. My Dad rarely talked about his experiences. He did mention that the very worst missions were those where they dropped incendiary bombs on places where they could already feel the heat from the inferno below.

My Mother was a war bride from Darlington.

 

If I'm not mistaken, that is a bomber, a Handley Page Halifax...I stand being corrected though.

 

here is another pic - my dad was very proud of all of those "hits" painted in the first pic I posted.. particularly after my Uncle Tom's plane was shot down and he was taken to a POW camp. The first pic is his squadron- my dad, James Bond, is the fellow on the right in the back row.

 

It was a Halifax, the anorak in me thinks it a later one fitted with the Bristol Hercules sleeve valve engines.

By pure chance, one of my relations was aircrew in one. He took part in one of the raids that tried to destroy the german battleship Tirpitz when it was moored in a Norwegian fjord.