The words ‘THANK U NHS’ were painted onto the Spitfire owned by the Aircraft Restoration Company.
The aircraft has now toured England and Scotland with Northern Ireland and Wales being next up.
In order to raise money, the public had the chance to nominate names of loved ones to be written on the aircraft, which has an 80,000 name capacity, to raise money for NHS Charities Together.
The plane took off from Duxfield in England and has flown over hundreds of hospitals, today the aircraft was in Scotland. I was lucky enough to see it first hand in Glasgow.
On their website, the Aircraft Restoration Company say:
“We have finally found a provisional weather window for our biggest trip of the entire NHS Spitfire Project. On Wednesday 16th September, we will be taking off from our home base of Duxford Airfield on a 3 day tour of the North of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and North Wales. This expedition has required a huge amount of planning and one we are really excited for… The route waypoints can be found below, we hope to see as many of you as possible along the way!
If we have not flown to the skies near you so far during the NHS Spitfire Project then please don’t be disheartened, we are planning routes in different areas of the nation throughout the year and could well be heading towards you soon.
To have your name or the name of someone you love hand written onto the Spitfire this summer simply visit the NHS Spitfire Project JustGiving Page.”
The plan for flights through Northern Ireland and Wales tomorrow is displayed below.
Was in stirling today when it flew over magnificent aircraft and what a sound from the merlin engine
A two-seater Spitfire flies over our house, in East Sussex, several times a week. An ‘experience’ flight, I think. Very distinctive engine and ‘Invasion’ stripes.
That’s interesting I thought the only ones still flying where part of that battle of Britain setup.
I just googled it, seems to be plenty still flying
https://flyaspitfire.com/how-many-spitfires-are-still-flying#:~:text=07%20Jun%20How%20many%20Spitfires%20are%20still%20flying%3F&text=Out%20of%20the%2020%2C000%2B%20Spitfires,around%2060)%20are%20still%20airworthy
Yah there more than people think, gladly some old spitfire gate guardians were taken down and restored to flying status. And there’s actually a company that still builds Spitfires in the UK.
But they are fibreglass replicas though..
Hi BB, There are now today plenty of airworthy Spits – about 60 does sound about right.
What’s also gratifying is that the Hurricane population has relatively “soared” in recent years! There are now about a dozen flying examples.
It’s private restorers, not the armed forces, that are responsible for the increase in numbers – there are lots of millionaires keen to own a Spit or a Hurri!
There’s a few other Spits flying about the UK all the time BB85. You should go up in a two seater some time and in turn that helps keep It in the Air and in good condition. Its on my bucket list, sadly there not many up here in the highlands!.
But I would prob prefer to fly in a Hurricane, But I’m not sure if there’s any two seaters though, anyone know?
Cam – I think the 45min trip in a Spitfire starts at about £2,500. That’s without all the extras (photos, etc). There are longer trips, of course – heavy bread, man!
Ha, as per my mention of the football elsewhere here, the couple who sit behind us are pretty well off farmers, for his 60th last year he got one of those ‘shots in a Spitfire’. I knew they weren’t cheap but didn’t know it was that much. Like I say, they ain’t short of a quid.
Wow Crabfat! I didn’t know it was that expensive!!
If you’re ever in NZ do it there. Half the price!
Crabfat – Im in Kent,its been a good year for hearing the RR Merlin Drone in the sky,as has been said there are a few about.Ignoring the obvious locations like Biggin Hill and Duxford pop over to Headcorn Aerodrome they have a couple there too.
Hi Paul
I think the one I see is from Headcorn. Flies quite a lot directly over my house (north of Eastbourne).
I know the NHS done a good job and that, but isn’t it their job that they get paid for anyway.
Sadly I’ve had a bad experience with NHS staff in the past at the worst times of my life like my Dad dying. But then I’ve had good experiences at other times. I think the majority are nice people though, but some are really cold and nasty Quite frankly..
And same goes with paramedics some are great and some are not so great. For example I had to phone an ambulance just last night for a homeless guy who tripped over and hurt his back and couldn’t move, but because he was homeless and the paramedics knew him from past encounters on the streets, they treated him with little respect and like he was a burden or that, i was really surprised how rough and cold they were With him.. Oops I went off topic a bit!!!
Cam, I kind of bow to their superior knowledge on this. A couple years back my missus ‘took a turn’ at the football and we ended up getting an ambulance to the hospital (first for both of us) and the paramedics were brilliant. As were the first aiders in the ground and the club doctor who heard about it over the comms. When we got to the hospital, again, everyone fantastic and she was quickly taken through to a ward where she was monitored. One of the other inhabitants of a bed was clearly ‘ripped to the tits’ on something and dragged himself out of his bed and stumbled to the bog and fell flat on his face. I went to pick him up and a nurse told me not to bother as they would sort him. Took them a few minutes and at least one of them knew him, it must really piss them off having to deal with these ‘frequent fliers’, I can understand why they lack sympathy.
I hope your missus is fine Andy P?, and I Suppose we are really lucky we have the NHS and the services they provide. It only takes a visit to another nation that doesn’t have national health to realise we are really lucky!.
And I can see how it must be annoying for paramedics dealing with the same homeless or drunks weekly. Maybe they knew more than me when picking that Homeless guy up to take to hospital.
Cherish the NHS guys. Here in South Africa Medical Aid is essential-my ex wife was a Paramedic and her mantra was”Medical Aid before food”-you don’t want to end up at Addington(a local government hospital).
On topic sort of-there was a private company in Cape Town that did flights in a two seater Lightning and a Hawker Hunter. i think the going rate was about R 100 000-roughly 5000 pounds for a short trip over the city. Closed up shop now.
Cheers
Thanks Cam, aye, she’s fine, bloody malingerer. 😉
Agree that we’re fortunate to have the NHS and we probably do take it for granted, at least some seem to. I take my hat off to the medical folk, they have more patience than I do and I’ve heard some horror stories about the way they’re treated from friends who worked in hospitals. Heard some quite humorous ones too, apparently its amazing the number of people who accidentally fall and impale themselves on phallic shaped items….
Its soldiers jobs ti fight, but we still hold remembrance day. Even though many service men can be less then pleasant.
My brother (in Wales) was taken into hospital on a Wednesday, with Covid. On the Sunday morning his wife, Jill, was called in and warned he wouldn’t last much longer. She was kitted out with full PPE and was allowed to stay for about six hours. They were able to chat and he even spoke to his daughter on the phone.
The nurse then suggested (rather pointedly, I think) that Jill went home and got some lunch, and they would call her if there was any change. She hadn’t been home more than 30 minutes and she got the call that he had passed away. Jill said she couldn’t thank them enough for giving her those last few hours with her husband.
Sorry to hear that mate, I’m glad she got a chance to say bye, god knows lots can’t even do that sadly!
Thanks Cam.
Sorry to hear it Crabfat, hope you’re all doing alright.
When my old man went a few years back, it was a similar thing, my mum wanted to be with him so I stayed too, all night and when we went home to get some kip, 10 minutes later we got the call that he’d died. The nurses said it happened a lot, even when in a coma a lot of folk want to slip away on their own.
Had a phone call from a mate this morning about 2 Spitfires flying over his house, he only lives a couple hundred yards away and I didn’t hear a thing. That’ll explain it then.
Includes also those non-covid preventable deaths due to covid obsession?
Because those deaths will be also part of this history despite many attempts to hide them.