Spitfire to star at Armed Forces Weekend

8 hours ago

Eleanor MaslinEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

News image — A Spitfire of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, alongside a two-seat Spitfire specially painted to mark the 90th anniversary of the plane's first flight

PA Media Two Spitfire fighter planes flying over fields under a hazy blue sky. In the foreground, flying horizontally, a Spitfire painted in a green and grey camouflage design with white and black "D-Day" stripes, a large RAF roundel in yellow, blue, white and red and the identification markings AE-H and AB910. In the background, peeling off to the right with the underside of the wings visible, a Spitfire painted in light blue with RAF roundels in blue, white and red. — A Spitfire of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, alongside a two-seat Spitfire specially painted to mark the 90th anniversary of the plane's first flight

Iconic RAF planes will take part in an annual celebration of the armed forces.

Flypasts by a Typhoon jet and a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight are due to be among the highlights of Armed Forces Weekend in Cleethorpes from 26 to 28 June.

This year's event will see some changes because of work on Pier Gardens, while the Red Arrows, which usually take part, will be in the US for the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Alex Baxter, the managing director of the Armed Forces Major Events Team, the group of volunteers that runs the event, said they had "pulled together a great weekend".

Chris Shaw, who is one of the organisers, said it had always been known that the Red Arrows would be in the US.

"Although we're quite a big draw at Cleethorpes, the Americans have got a bigger draw I'm afraid," he explained.

"The armed forces are made up of the navy, the Army and the air force. It's not just the Red Arrows."

A landscape view of groups of people along the seafront at Cleethorpes. You can see people sat around next to a cafe which has ice creams signs, several cars parked along the promenade and a peer in the distance with a long building at the end. — Armed Forces Weekend is the biggest event in Cleethorpes' calendar

Highlights of the event are due to include flypasts by an RAF Tutor and a Chinook helicopter, as well as a parade of vehicles.

Unlike in previous years there will be no community parade or fireworks display due to cost and logistics. However, there will be an evening concert, with a small charge for tickets.

Pier Gardens is undergoing a revamp costing £7.9m, which will include a water play feature, an event space and a quieter area.

Baxter added: "We've had to work hard this year to adjust to things going on in the resort, and we've had lots of challenges to deal with in terms of changing locations, and things outside our control."

What's on this year?

Armed Forces Weekend will run from Friday 26 June to Sunday 28 June.

Spitfire displays on Saturday (13:15 BST) and Sunday (15:00).
Other military aircraft flying displays centred off the Ross Castle, including Typhoon and RAF Tutor display team on Saturday and Sunday, as well as a Chinook on Saturday.
Armed forces personnel parade and vehicle parade between Sea Road and the leisure centre on Saturday (11:15 BST).
Military vehicles at Meridian Showground on Saturday and Sunday.
Local choirs, dance and theatre groups on the Associated British Ports (ABP) community stage at the boating lake main car park area, from Friday to Sunday.
Twist and Shout ticketed show (£2 a ticket) on Saturday night on the ABP stage, with a live band taking people on a trip through the 1960s.
Trade village on Lower Kingsway, from Brighton Slipway to the leisure centre.
Big wheel at the leisure centre.
Trade stalls, food and drink stands at the boating lake.

A detailed timetable of events is available on the Armed Forces Day website.

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