Chocks away for a very special Dambusters Spitfire flight! This is vintage military aviation at its very best as you fly over historic Eyebrook Reservoir in a de Havilland Devon accompanied by a Spitfire.
It’ll be a magnificent MkIX Spitfire that’ll be joining you in the air. Beautifully restored and maintained TD314 now flies under the moniker ‘St George’ and it’s a superb example of this impressive fighter plane. And whilst the St George is undoubtedly the star of the show the plane you’ll be flying in for this tour is actually quite special too…
The de Havilland Devon is the military equivalent of the Dove civil passenger plane. It boasts a very retro 1950s style harking back to the decade when post-war air travel was quite literally just starting to take off. G-DHDV flying under the serial number VP981 has a fascinating flying history. This included a stint as the personal air transport for Sir Basil Embry when he was Commander of Allied Forces Central Europe based in France.
After a final role as the crew plane for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight from 1985 this graceful Devon was retired from military life. For her new lease of life operating de Havilland Devon flights alongside the St George Spitfire she has kept her resplendent RAF livery.
What’s more the cabin configuration inside couldn’t be better for observing the Spitfire flying beside you. Carrying a maximum of just eight passengers in a one by one configuration every seat is a window seat and they are really large windows at that – nothing like the commercial jets of today!
This all means you are guaranteed fabulous unobstructed views from the de Havilland Devon as the glorious Spitfire glides effortlessly into view. The back drop of Eyebrook Reservoir is highly appropriate too. This is where Dambuster training sessions took place in May 1943 prior to the raids. All in all your Dambusters Spitfire flight lasts around 40 minutes and once back in the hangar try and make time to visit delightful on-site Aviation Museum – a must for historic aviation fans.
