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Biggin Hill Heritage Hanger Visit Steve Chalmers 11 Region

January saw the first of many planned trips to Biggin Hill Heritage Hanger. This iconic airfield is home to one of the largest collections of Spitfires in the world. B reakfast is an excellent way to start any day , but to begin the day at the Spitfire Café in Biggin Hill really set the scene for what was to be a fantastic

opportunity to see the largest collection of Spitfires undergoing restoration in the world. The Café itself has wall-to-wall photos, letters, models and other stuff that immerses you in the history of a village, which was at the very centre of the Battle of Britain. Every wall is covered in reminders of the efforts of ‘The Few’, even the loo’s. As one member said: “It’s unusual to go to the loo and have to set aside more time to read and study the wall art.” Having all eaten far too much, it was a short drive to the Airfield, and after negotiating the security barriers we all met at the Heritage Hanger. The first sight to greet us was a huge Merlin engine, resting in the foyer. This was accompanied by a truly stunning CCM ‘Spitfire’ edition motorcycle, gleaming in powder blue paintwork and chrome, set off by some beautiful leather. I was sorely tempted. Handshakes and introductions over, we were introduced to our guide, Austin, who I have to say was the cornerstone of the experience. Knowledgeable and engaging, he made the whole experience come alive for us all. For those expecting a museum type experience, I am glad to say they were disappointed. This is a fully functioning restoration facility, with aircraft at different stages of being re-built. You are inches away from skilled craftsmen who are engaged in the painstaking detail of assembling critical parts of wings, crafting new metalwork, servicing engines, and breathing life back into these magnificent machines. Whilst at times this meant it was noisy, this added to the experience immensely. Austin regaled the group with stories and tales of derring-do, including the infamous dashes to the local pub between sorties against the Luftwaffe. At the end of the tour for a reduced fee (negotiated by Region 11), several of the group took the opportunity to ‘Sit in a Spit’, a very moving experience, as it turned out, especially for one of our Group, whose father had flown these iconic aircraft during the war. It was a very special moment for them, sitting in a Spitfire with a black and white photograph of their father placed on the cockpit dials, like so many a film scene has portrayed before. All too soon it was over, but several of us captured the memories.. This is the first of hopefully many of these trips, and at specially negotiated IPA rates for our groups. Who knows, as summer approaches, there may even be the chance to see one of these in action on the hanger apron. If you are interested in joining one of our future trips please contact Steve Chalmers, Chair 11 Region IPA at 11Chair@ipa-uk.org . If you are interested in Flying in a Spitfire (it is not cheap starting at about £2800!) we have negotiated a discount code. Quote IPA150 and you will get £150 off as a member.

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POLICE WORLD Vol 64 No.2, 2019