An Ace flies again.

[@Warbirdnz]

Rest in Peace Alan, it was a true honour to have met you. Blue skies sir.

[@michelangelo6533]

He was a great Man

[@clevernamegotban1752]

RIP from America.

[@Useaname]

What an incredible man, and an inspiration. RIP brave sir.

[@kamikazeyamamoto4545]

This ladies and gentlemen is the physical embodiment of the word "hero" in every way. Thank you, Sir. (salute)

[@Mattman1ism]

What a lovely bloke! Typically modest yet as brave as they come.Respect from England and thanks go out to all the Commonwealth who fought so heroically in our time of need!

[@rollonsummertime]

One of the many people who actually took this wonderful machine into combat, fighting for his life and our freedom, Thank you for your service Sir,,,,,RIP

[@johnfellows2867]

The world will never see the likes of these guys ever again, God bless em' !!

[@Hawkertempest1]

Alan Peart fought against the Luftwaffe, the Regia Aeronautica and the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force during World War 2. He rose to the rank of Flight Lieutenant won the DFC and scored 7 confirmed kills. He flew in 610 and 81 Squadron's RAF.He served in Britain against the Germans over occupied Europe, then Tunisia, Malta, Sicily, Italy, and the Japanese over Burma.His favorite Spitfire was the Mk VIII, and he gets a twinkle in his eye and you can tell he has a real love affair with that particular mark of Spitfire. I have tried to argue the merits of the IX and the XIV with him but he is absolutely adamant that the VIII is the Spitfire to rule them all.Probably has to do with the number of times the VIII has got him out of some very sticky situations. On one very famous occasion in Burma he and his CO came up against 50+ Japanese and in the ensuing battle his CO was quickly shot down and killed, leaving Alan in a hair raising position. For forty odd minutes he threw his beloved VIII around like a toy in a hurricane, managing to knock a couple of the enemy down in the process, then just when he thought it was all over, he managed to slip away.When asked if he had any really close calls during his combat career, he recons that there were at least 13 that he believes he should have been killed. One in particular was when another pilot was supposed to be covering his tail and failed to do so. Alan said the next thing he knew was that a Messerschmitt 109 was sitting off his starboard wing tip and the pilot was looking at him incredulously wondering why he wasn't dead or in flames? Alan still doesn't know why he is still here today or how he didn't have a heart attack, because that German pilot had him cold. Alan is one of life's Gentlemen, a friendly and very unassuming man. He is still very alert and full of life and great to have a talk to. I am proud to know him and have a lovely photograph of him and his Mk VIII which he has signed for me.

[@atropiaveteran]

Men like him are one in a million, and we are lucky such men existed.

[@Useaname]

Incredible man. RIP sir.

[@Bjornontour]

One of the true Rolls-Royce Merlin heroes.RIP Sir!

[@BobbyTucker]

We were so Blessed to have so many Brave men and women back then, it's unfortunate we don't seem to have so many in this day and age. God Bless them all.

[@rotorseven]

That was great, like Adrian said, I wish all these twin seat planes could have our returning heroes sat in the front. Thank you Alan Peart for your efforts so long ago.

[@FreeInternet777]

This little story was on TV here in Australia too. I liked the way that Alan, on taxi-ing out put both his hands out of the cockpit to say "look, no hands" (this time) God Bless Alan and his comrades for what they did for us. There are so many stories.......personally I am a fan of the P51 engine..yes Rolls Royce but perhaps it was what Packard added that gets my attention...And I dont care what the DB-600 fans say , I just love that dip in the revs a naturally aspirated engine does at certain moments.

[@lsesternester3231]

There is no measure for a badass. You it when you see it, and you know it when you don’t. This man is a badass.

[@colehara]

That must have brought back so many memories for him. That man was a true hero but I'll bet he never thought of himself that way.

[@glensullivan5737]

Thank you for this!! Rest in Peace Alan

[@avoidingtrees6692]

Thank you Sir for liberating my nation FRANCE.......kind respect👍

[@shankarbalan3813]

Salute to all the brave men and women of the Armed Forces…

[@patriciabracken7546]

Respect to you Sir... A modest hero.. Also thank you for you're service.. Bless you..💖💕💟💞💞👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Dan-sq5cv]

Salute to a heroic man.

[@tommydemis9094]

God Bless Him.... THANK YOU!!!!

[@zullyv8327]

Qué buen canal...Qué excelente video! Felicitaciones. Dios les bendiga.

[@bjrnhelgestory4006]

That sound ♥

[@adrianlarkins7259]

I wish the pilot could control the aircraft from the rear cockpit and allow the old veterans to sit in the cockpit up front. That would really give them the genuine feeling of flying their own Spit again. I suppose safety rules prohibit that. Damn!

[@adrianlarkins7259]

It is dual control but my point is how much better it would be if the pilot could fly the aircraft from the rear cockpit so as to allow the old veteran the same experience he would have had when he was a young man alone in his Spitfire. There must be good reason why the passenger cannot sit up front. It is either regulations, inadequate vision on take-off and landing or both.

[@alanruyten8226]

Hi Adrian, a bit late replying but I’ve only just seen this great video. There are 2 seat Spitfires where you can fly from the rear cockpit. I know because I’ve done it, flew for over 10 minutes in a Mk IX over Essex and Kent. However, I noticed the rear cockpit on the Spit in this vid hasn’t got a raised canopy as mine had so it may be a question of visibility. I confess it was hard to see clearly past the pilot and front cockpit. But it was a fantastic experience!

[@alanjones6359]

What a great thing to make these aircraft 2 seaters , give these heroes a flight again , and god I would LOVE a flight in that but would have to win the lottery !!

[@stevek8829]

In 5 minutes he would shoot down that junior pilot.

[@kipkeizer]

Hero!. Thanks for liberate us

[@fogdan]

I Love These!!!

[@rcrbrewster7840]

1:02 The part where hes instructed to use 80 knots but then asked what he used during war and he says 100 knots.... Grandpa had much bigger balls

[@Smoshy16]

He was talking mph not knots when he said 100.

[@colehara]

100 knots. After all he was in something of a hurry.

[@socratease1432]

Wonderful! ,

[@billbright1755]

If the glycol leads began to leak, one needed to find a bit of Egyptian desert to put down in, post haste. But if all went well, tea and crumpets back at base it is.

[@macg160]

Read Alan's book "From North Africa to the Arakan". No tea and crumpets where he was flying.

[@francisbossier563]

marvelous

[@evenhazertannecy8134]

chapeau bas monsieur

[@Hi-lb8cq]

Sweet video

[@korbyn1112]

They didn't even let him fly

[@adrianoguimaraes8370]

Esse Heróis da segunda guerra mundial, com idade avançada, que pilotaram esses aviões que tirou a Inglaterra do sufoco, nosso respeito, como meu amigo Inglês que veio morar no Brasil sua última residência....graça a estratégia de guerrilha aérea, venceu a batalha da Inglaterra, já que colocaram os Spittfire em várias bases, pistas, gramadas já que os reparos eram rápidos no verão, pista de placas de ferro, em inverno nevando, os Alemãs perderam muitos Pilotos saltando de Paraquedas, no Território inimigo,ficando seus Prisioneiros, os Ingleses esperavam os Bombardeiros Alemãs afunilar em seu País, para atacá-los, esquadrões para forçar os caças alemãs entrar em combate na linha de penetração, forçando a gastar combustíveis, na segunda eram ataques rápidos, já que os bombardeiros alemãs, não tinham aviões de escoltas, obrigando seus caças voltar para suas bases, pois autonomia deles eram de duas horas e meia, uma hora para ir, uma hora para voltar, um dia, silêncio no ar, nós vencemos, meu amigo inglês, passou a Instrutor dos Novatos e a Guerra continuou......teve vida plena, pela média cronológica no século XX......

[@stevek8829]

They so patronize these guys. Telling an ace to take his thumb of the mike when he's done. Not letting him fly wtf

[@HawkeyeNation19]

He reminds me of John Cleese from Monty Python.

[@atropiaveteran]

Why would you leave the canopy open?

[@ryleyw3684]

J.R. Handley I think it's put down once they get out run way

[@atropiaveteran]

Ryley W Thanks!

[@bill1949wt]

Think you'll find that the canopy is closed only whilst in normal flight. It's left open (REGARDLESS of weather) during take-off AND landing (and taxiing). This is for quicker/easier exit from aircraft in event of emergency.

[@Ropetangler]

It would be like being in a tiny glass house on a sunny day, without the canopy open when on the deck. When up in the air, ventilation systems work as designed and cabin comfort not such an issue. Of course at altitude it gets cold, so no overheating there.

[@SantaCruzSoulSurfer]

I found it funny them going through preflight....This guy shot down (at least) 5 fighters during WW2 to become ace, pretty sure it’s safe to assume he knows that aircraft far better than you sir! 😂😉🤙

[@manfromthehorizon3870]

My only question is who is that guy?

[@Warbirdnz]

Man From the Horizon see the description.

[@carsonpayne266]

Has me shot someone down before?

[@adrianlarkins7259]

+Gassy German Yes they did and still do. A fighter pilot was called an Ace if he shot down 5+ confirmed enemy aircraft. To be called an Ace was and still is an honour.

[@CHEESYHEAD684]

+Adrian Larkins yes, so he's saying he's not an ace for no reason.

[@PLAYER-j3c]

Я па ручки пишу что ВОВ толка Английские летчики ваевали чтоли где русские хот старших Пакажите их тоже

[@sachinamarath6552]

Saaf