On Thursday 13 August 2015, Spitfires from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will be joined by private Spitfire owners to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Eagle Attack, the first day of Unternehmen Adlerangriff, the German operation to destroy the Royal Air Force in World War II.
Up to 13 Spitfires will launch from Humberside Airport and split into three sections of aircraft to fly over as many villages, towns and cities as fuel will allow, enabling the public to see and hear these wonderful historic aircraft and remember the sacrifices made by the young men of Fighter Command 75 years ago.
The destruction of the Royal Air Force would have cleared the way for the invasion of Britain. The German attacks on 13th August 1940 inflicted significant damage and casualties on the ground but they did not make a significant impression of Fighter Command’s ability to defend British air space.
The engagements resulting from Adlertag became known as the Battle of Britain.
Timings for this significant event are:
Section 1:
- Humber Bridge 1603
- York 1612
- Linton on Ouse 1615
- Thirsk 1618
- Leeming 1621
- Teeside 1625
- Whitby 1635
- Scarborough 1640
- Bridlington 1644
- Hull 1651
Section 2:
- Grimsby 1612
- Mablethorpe 1618
- Skegness 1621
- Boston 1627
- Grantham 1634
- Newark 1638
- Gainsborough 1645
- Scunthorpe 1649
Section 3:
- Lincoln 1611
- Nottingham 1621
- Derby 1625
- Chesterfield 1631
- Doncaster 1638
- Scunthorpe 1644
