Battle of Britain memorial flight cancels flypasts due to engine fault

A much-anticipated flypast of historic World War 2 aircraft has been cancelled due to engine trouble. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, including a Lancaster and Spitfires was due to visit a number of locations in the country today to mark Armed Forces Day.

But the Royal Air Force said a fault had been found on a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and flying had been paused. In a statement the Royal Air Force said: “The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is currently investigating a fault on a Merlin engine and has taken the decision to temporarily pause flying. Several of our aircraft are powered by the Merlin and as a result, these historic aircraft will be unable to support Armed Forces Day events around the country as we would have liked. This is hugely disappointing for us and to all those who love to see these iconic aircraft, however, safety remains our paramount concern.”

The move was “hugely disappointing”, it said, but safety was “paramount”. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) is based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and its aircraft, also including Hurricanes and a C47 Dakota, regularly participate in flying displays.

Leicester had been due to host a fly-past by the BBMF’s Lancaster bomber. Leicester City Council said it had been made aware of the cancellation, but the its Armed Forced Day event will still go ahead with 250 service personnel, veterans, reservists and cadets taking part in a march through the city from Jubilee Square at 12:15 BST.

The flight had been due to visit these locations today and tomorrow – but all have now been cancelled. The letters denote which aircraft were due to take part: Spitfire, Lancaster, Hurricane or Dakota

• 24 Jun – Boston, Lincolnshire – between 11.03 & 11.33am

• 24 Jun – S – Thorney 1940s Weekend, Cambridgeshire – between 11.12 & 11.42am

• 24 Jun – S – Chatteris Festival, Cambridgeshire – 11.33am

• 24 Jun – Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire – between 11.30 & 12.00pm

• 24 Jun – Shillington, Bedfordshire – between 11.34 & 12.04pm

• 24 Jun – Northolt AD, London – between 11.45 & 12.15pm

• 24 Jun – Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire – between 11.52 & 12.22pm

• 24 Jun – Worthing Armed Forces Day, West Sussex – between 12.11 & 12.41pm

• 24 Jun – Winthorpe, Newark-On-Trent, Nottinghamshire – between 12.15 & 12.45pm

• 24 Jun – East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire – between 12.20 & 12.50pm

• 24 Jun – Swadlincote, Derbyshire – between 12.31 & 1.01pm

• 24 Jun – Newport, Shropshire – between 12.43 & 1.13pm

• 24 Jun – SH – TankFest, Bovington Camp, Dorset – 12.59pm

• 24 Jun – Ropsley, Lincolnshire – between 12.58 & 1.28pm

• 24 Jun – L – Leicester City Centre Armed Forces Day, Leicestershire – 1.27pm

• 24 Jun – L – Rushden Armed Forces Day, Northamptonshire – 1.40pm

• 24 Jun – L – Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire – 2.15pm

• 24 Jun – Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire – between 1.41 & 2.11pm

• 24 Jun – Adderbury, Oxfordshire – between 1.52 & 2.22pm

• 24 Jun – Bloxham Rally, Oxfordshire – between 1.56 & 2.26pm

• 24 Jun – SH – Long Compton Fete, Warwickshire – between 2.03 & 2.33pm

• 24 Jun – L – Trowbridge Armed Forces Day, Wiltshire – between 2.24 & 2.54pm

• 24 Jun – Epsom Downs, Surrey – between 2.30 & 3.00pm

• 24 Jun – Home Front, Hever Castle, Kent – between 2.38 & 3.08pm

• 24 Jun – New Ash Green, Kent – between 2.44 & 3.14pm

• 24 Jun – Rayleigh, Essex – between 2.52 & 3.22pm

• 24 Jun – L – Barnstable Armed Forces Day, Devon – between 2.56 & 3.26pm

• 24 Jun – Wilburton, Cambridgeshire – between 3.10 & 3.40pm

• 24 Jun – RAF Wyton Armed Forces Day, Cambridgeshire – between 3.15 & 3.45pm

• 24 Jun – Stamford, Lincolnshire – between 3.24 & 3.54pm

• 24 Jun – Kingston Upon Hull, East Yorkshire – between 3.59 & 4.29pm

• 24 Jun – Scunthorpe Armed Forces Day, Lincolnshire – between 4.00 & 4.30pm

• 24 Jun – S – Doncaster City Centre Armed Forces Day, South Yorkshire – between 4.08 & 4.38pm

• 24 Jun – North Anston, South Yorkshire – between 4.13 & 4.43pm

• 24 Jun – Worksop, Nottinghamshire – between 4.16 & 4.46pm

• 24 Jun – S – Staveley Canal Festival, Derbyshire – 4.41pm

• 24 Jun – Southwell, Nottinghamshire – between 4.29 & 5.00pm

• 25 Jun – Wellington, Somerset – between 1.02 & 1.32pm

• 25 Jun – Wimborne, Dorset – between 1.11 & 1.41pm

• 25 Jun – L – TankFest, Bovington Camp, Dorset – 1.18pm

• 25 Jun – L – Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day, Ryde, IOW – 1.31pm

• 25 Jun – H – Sunderland Armed Forces Weekend, Tyne and Wear – between 1.28 & 1.58pm

• 25 Jun – Highley, Worcestershire – between 1.39 & 2.09pm

• 25 Jun – Billingshurst, West Sussex – between 1.41 & 2.11pm

• 25 Jun – National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire – between 1.52 & 2.22pm

• 25 Jun – Home Front, Hever Castle, Kent – between 1.54 & 2.24pm

• 25 Jun – Swadlincote, Derbyshire – between 1.56 & 2.26pm

• 25 Jun – H – The Horbury Show, West Yorkshire – between 1.58 & 2.28pm

• 25 Jun – Holmfirth, West Yorkshire – between 2.04 & 2.34pm

• 25 Jun – H – Mansfield Armed Forces Day, Nottinghamshire – between 2.08 & 2.38pm

• 25 Jun – H – Bolsover Gala, Derbyshire – between 2.12 & 2.42pm

• 25 Jun – S – Yelden Strawberry Fayre, Bedfordshire – between 2.31pm

• 25 Jun – S – Geddington Summer Fete, Northamptonshire – between 2.22 & 2.52pm

• 25 Jun – H – Staveley Canal Festival, Derbyshire – 2.30pm

• 25 Jun – L – Maldon Armed Forces Day, Essex – between 2.36 & 3.06pm

• 25 Jun – S – Thorney 1940s Weekend, Cambridgeshire – between 2.38 & 3.08pm

• 25 Jun – Market Deeping, Cambridgeshire – between 2.43 & 3.13pm

• 25 Jun – S – Chatteris Festival, Cambridgeshire – 2.48pm

• 25 Jun – Chingford, London – between 2.50 & 3.20pm

• 25 Jun – Brickett Wood, Hertfordshire – between 2.58 & 3.28pm

• 25 Jun – L – Blaston Show, Hallaton, Leicestershire – 3.37pm

• 25 Jun – L – Castle Bytham Midsummer Festival, Lincolnshire – between 3.32 & 4.02pm