insideKENT Magazine Issue 39 - June 2015 | Page 107
DAYSOUT
The Battle of Britain Ball & Air Show
SATURDAY 11TH JULY 2015
Headcorn Aerodrome will once again be resonating to the sound of the mighty Rolls
Royce Merlin when on Saturday 11th of July 2015, Aero Legends will be putting on
one of the most impressive WW2 air displays of the season to commemorate the
75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
There will also be an evening Ball with 1940’s
dance music to be held in the large hangar flanked
by Spitfires and Hurricanes, and the air show
won’t fail to impress with the array of aircraft
including no less than four Spitfires and an equal
number of Hurricanes.
“Those with VIP tickets will be able to get up
close and personal to the aircraft as well as hear
a trailer mounted Merlin engine being run. They
will have the benefit of one of the display pilots
talk to them about the aircraft and what they are
like to fly.”
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) will
field four of its aircraft and will be stopping at
Headcorn overnight in readiness for departure
to Capel le Ferne the next day for the
Commemorative service being held there with
the remaining ‘Few’ who will be in attendance.
In the evening, BBMF's Flt Lt Anthony ‘Parky’
Parkinson will be displaying Aero Legend’s own
1944 Spitfire MK IX at the Leeds Castle Open
Air Classical Concert and will treat those fortunate
enough to have secured a Ball ticket to a
twilight display upon his return at about 9pm.
The atmosphere will be enhanced with some
very realistic firing from replica gas powered .50
and .30 calibre machine guns, and those holding
VIP tickets will be able to have a go on the
machine guns prior to the main event. The guns
the same as those used in the latest blockbuster
movie Fury starring Brad Pitt and again add an
extra flavour of excitement to the event. VIP ticket
holders will be transported to the firing station in
an old Routemaster bus.
During the day there will be an array of activities
to suit all ranging from live 1940’s music to trial
flights and a fun fair. Keith Perkins, owner of Aero
Legends, commented: “We have tried to achieve
a number of things with the Battle of Britain Air
Show and Ball. Firstly we wanted to make the
show as accessible as possible to all people so
that the events of 75 years ago remain current
– our ticket pricing and structure reflect that.
Throughout the day there will be trial flights
available to the public in an impressive array of
Aero Legends’ vintage aircraft such as one of its
three DH82a Tiger Moths, its closed canopy
Thruxton Jackaroo (modified DH82a) and one of
four Harvards. In addition, and subject to weather
conditions, there will be a hot air balloon trip in
the evening which the Aero Legends’ Spitfire will
rendezvous with for a spectacular visual, aural
and photographic opportunity. The balloon ride
with the Spitfire will be limited to 16 passengers
so book early to avoid disappointment.
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Aero Legends started operating their Ultimate
Experience at Headcorn last year, which entails
flights in the training aircraft and fighters that RAF
fighter pilots would have learnt and fought in
during WW2. The name of the experience reflects
for many what is the dream of a lifetime and
culminates in a flight in a two seat Spitfire T9
where the customer can get hands-on control of
the aircraft once airborne. The feedback from
customers who experienced the package last
year has been exceptional and 2015 is going to
be a busy year.
Aero Legends will be operating its full experience
packages from Headcorn and flights will be
available on the Sunday following the air show,
so if you don't manage to get in the aircraft of
your choice on the Saturday you will have another
opportunity the next day. However it is best to
book as early as possible and this can be done
either on line through the website
www.aerolegends.co.uk or by telephone 01622
812830.
Let us all wish for perfect weathe ȁ