617 Sqdn 70th Anniversary Tails ...

One of the most amazing things to me is the amount of active support and encouragement that Dambusters2013 gets from the Royal Air Force, from 617 Squadron themselves, from RAF Scampton, RAF Lossiemouth, the BBMF, even the use of the official Dambusters70th logo etc for our Dambusters 70th Anniversary charity motorcycle ride in aid of Help for Heroes (www.helpforheroes.org.uk)  and Motorcycle Outreach (www.motorcycleoutreach.org) ... quite humbling in fact!

An example of that support was a phone call I received this Tuesday morning from Sqdn Ldr Mark 'Jacko' Jackson, a pilot on 617 Sqdn inviting me to be part of the official unveiling of the commemorative Tornado GR4 tail art for the 70th Anniversary of the formation of 617 Sqdn today, March 21st 2013 at the home of the BBMF, RAF Coningsby. What a privilege!

The event started at 09.30am with a few words from Dan Snow who was there both to introduce the event to the gathered press and also to be flown in the commemorative Tornado by 'Jacko' up and low past Derwent Water for a BBC TV programme due to be screened around the time of the Dams Raid in May. Dan spoke for about 5 minutes and then the hangar doors were rolled back to reveal the decorative tail art for the first time.

Despite the biting east wind that cut across the Coningsby airfield we all spent the next 45 minutes taking pictures from every angle of the Tornado and the BBMF Lancaster PA474, the Dambusters equipment in 1943 and today. The team from the BBMF were fabulous hosts for the event - thank you to all involved!

The Tornado had been flown down the previous evening by Sqdn Ldr Mark 'Jacko' Jackson and his WSO and they spent the whole of this time out in the cold talking with anyone from the press who wanted their time, as did the BBMF Team. Top effort by all concerned.



At the same time Dan Snow was doing pieces to camera for anyone who wanted his time too ... and also for his own TV programme.

Then it was time for Dan to be taken for his 'chance of a lifetime' trip in the Tornado, his words not mine. Although you cannot feel it from the images the wind was getting colder as we stood whilst Dan was strapped into the back seat of the Tornado GR4 and all the start up checks and routines completed.

Just before frostbite was starting in the waiting press gallery the canopy on the Tornado was closed and Sqdn Ldr 'Jacko' Jackson taxied past us to the runway with his new 'backseater, Dan Snow, complete with his GoPro camera for all the internal shots!

The Tornado might be 30 years old but it is still a mighty fine looking aircraft and a powerful one too! With the 'burners lit 617 sqdn Tornado GR4 ZA412 accelerated down the RAF Coningsby runway and took off for Derwent Water and the waiting BBC cameras! What a cracking end to a really excellent event.

 

A truly memorable event which I am delighted to share with readers of this blog! At the same time there is a serious message here - and that is that 617 sqdn support and encourage the efforts by all involved with the Dambusters2013 70th Anniversary Charity Motorcycle Ride to raise a complete shedload of cash for our two charities.

If you are a biker and reading this, visit www.dambusters2013.org.uk and get involved directly with the fund-raising as a rider. If you're not a biker, feel free to visit our charity giving page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Dambusters2013 and donate on line safely and securely. You can even add 'Gift Aid' if you are a UK tax-payer too.
Thank you.