The Royal Air Force joined the nation this morning in wishing Happy 100th Birthday to Captain Tom.

Here’s what you saw in the sky

Flying over Captain Tom’s home at just after 8:20am today was Spitfire MK356 and Hurricane LF363 from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.

Built at Castle Bromwich in early 1944, Spitfire MK356 was first allocated to a Royal Canadian Air Force ‘Hornet’ Sqn at RAF Digby in Lincolnshire, and on 14 April 1944 flew its first operational mission as part of a ‘Rodeo’ fighter sweep over occupied France.

From then on, ‘MK’ was involved in fighter sweeps and in attacking ground targets by dive-bombing and strafing in the lead-up to the ‘D-Day’ invasion. ‘MK’ also flew in support of the landings and the fierce fighting afterwards.

In 60 days of furious flying and fighting, ‘MK’ flew 60 operational sorties, was damaged by enemy fire on three occasions and suffered three ‘wheels-up’ landings.

Hurricane LF363 was built at the Hawker factory at Langley near Slough. It first flew in January 1944 and is amongst the last Hurricanes to enter service with the RAF.

The aircraft served with No 63 Squadron at Turnhouse, No 309 (Polish) Squadron in East Lothian, where it was used on shipping protection patrols off the east coast of Scotland, and No 26 Squadron with which it flew naval artillery spotting and reconnaissance missions before the end of the War.

As with all the display aircraft in the BBMF fleet — 6 Spitfires, 2 Hurricanes, a Lancaster and a Dakota — the aircraft involved in today’s flypast are maintained by full time RAF engineers and aircrew.

Once this current battle is won the BBMF will “reach for the skies” once more, at future air shows and national celebrations.