Noon: Flypast today to mark 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain

HURRICANES and Spitfires will fly over Hampshire tomorrow as the nation celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Due to the poor weather, take off will be postponed from noon to 2pm.

The fighter is a full-size replica of one of the 17 Spitfires built during World War Two thanks to donations from our readers. They are scheduled to reach Chipping Ongar at 2.44pm, Brentwood at 3.04pm, Chelmsford at 3.07pm, Witham at 3.10pm, West Colchester at 3.12pm, Sudbury at 3.16pm and Haverhill at 3.20pm.

A fleet of Spitfires, Hurricanes and Bristol Blenheim bombs will take part in a fly past from Goodwood Aerodrome at 2pm before dispersing across wartime airfields in the south of England.

The Spitfire Scholarship – which supports wounded, injured and sick members of the forces – was launched by Prince Harry this year, with the support of the Royal Foundation’s Endeavour Fund.

As the prince, dressed in the green flying suit he would have worn in the aircraft, watched the Spitfire take off, a group of schoolchildren sang Happy Birthday to him.

One of the three routes for the Spitfires’ fly over.

William and Harry followed in the footsteps of their father, the Prince of Wales, who was pictured sporting a beard at the Badminton Horse Trials in 1976.

Prince Harry gave up his seat to 95-year-old Battle of Britain veteran Tom Neil.

The day promises to be a historic and fitting tribute not only to those courageous pilots who defended Britain’s shores in 1940, inspiring Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s iconic speech “The Few”, but to everyone who contributed to the war effort.

“Southampton played a major role in the Second World War and also suffered enormously”.

The prince told reporters he was “unbelievably fortunate and lucky” to spend his birthday at the flypast event, The Mirror reported.

On Sunday, September 20, St Andrew’s Church in Tangmere will hold its annual Battle of Britain memorial service at 11am.

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“He’s a lovely man”, Mr Neil said of Harry.