The planes of a squadron of British aircraft from the Second World War are no longer expected on the 80th anniversary of the Landings on June 5 and 6, as a safety measure after a fatal accident, the Royal Air Force announced on Friday May 31. Mark Long, a British Air Force pilot, was killed on May 25 in the crash of his Spitfire, a fighter used during the famous Battle of Britain in 1940.
An investigation has been opened but the cause of the accident remains “unknown” for the moment. “It has been decided to extend the flight suspension” of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) aircraft, said the Air Force in a press release. “Flights will only resume when it is safe and appropriate to do so,” “therefore and regretfully, BBMF aircraft are not expected to be able to participate in D-Day commemorations on June 5-6, 2024.” , she explained.
The crashed aircraft was flying near Coningsby airbase in eastern England, where six of the dozen or so Spitfires still in flying condition were based.