Watch The Incredible 2024 BBMF Spitfire Practice Display In Action!

[@coningsbylive]

Hi everyone, sadly the Spitfire seen in this video suffered an issue and crashed on 25/05/2024 with the pilot lost. Please treat this video as a tribute to the aircraft and sadly the pilot. We all pass our respects and love to everyone in the BBMF and the pilots family. I am extremely saddened by the events.

[@barriejones2890]

A Tragedy all around for all involved 😔

[@bernardusjones9814]

Yes, my sentiments also. Prayers and condolences to the family.

[@Ian74-t5w]

RIP 🙏

[@buffplums]

A nice thought to use this video as a tribute. That is kind x

[@coningsbylive]

@@buffplums thank you, we are not sure if this was the pilot, sadly I think it was. Such a sad and tragic accident. Horrible

[@trislanderadventures7831]

RIP to the pilot of this aircraft today 😢

[@coningsbylive]

We are extremely saddened by what has happened today. Sadly it was the spitfire in this video, we not sure about the pilot. We are extremely upset and send out thoughts to the BBMF team and the pilots family

[@austinrose9509]

I would need to live a thousand life times to pack in as much as Sqn Ldr Long did in his short life, good on you Sir, you ROCK!!!! Condolences to his family, friends and colleagues!

[@coningsbylive]

100% agree, horrible what happened.

[@B-A-L]

This was the highlight of a day full of highlights! Never seen Coningsby so active before! One of the best streams ever, Martin!

[@coningsbylive]

Thank you so much m8, it was a awesome day. Think so nearly it didn't happen with the weather. So glad we did it. Thank you. Honestly thank you for supporting the channel

[@nigelcox127]

Well worth the wait to see such an iconic aircraft take to the skies once again

[@coningsbylive]

it was great to see it

[@buffplums]

Back in time for tea and medals x

[@doronron7323]

Sadly this aircraft was destroyed today (25-5-23) in a fatal crash at Coningsby. Sympathies to the pilots family.

[@coningsbylive]

Horrible news, shocking

[@musicbro8225]

That was something special! The sound quality made it even better. I would heart this if I could :) ❤ Thanks for all the hard work you do, braving the elements and being so patient, you get some great video.

[@coningsbylive]

Thank you so much. Its comments like this that keep me going. Honestly thank you

[@MarcGray1990]

Such a beautiful aircraft and it really saddens me to learn of the recent event involving this machine and the pilot! Rest easy sir!

[@coningsbylive]

It's left me really sad tbh

[@UnknownPersononGoogle]

Been trying to identify the aircraft all day. I thought it was the one in the BBMF built in 1943 but this one is equally as rare. RIP to the pilot, I can’t imagine his final moments.

[@coningsbylive]

Heartbreaking what had happened

[@JLPI-y9d]

Awesome, well done

[@coningsbylive]

Thanks you

[@jordanrich4850]

RIP Mark Long, and Spitfire MK356.

[@coningsbylive]

Well said

[@MinhNguyen-nl1gm]

Những chiếc máy xưa của Anh Quốc, Tuyệt vời. Động cơ nghe rất hay lạ tai hi 🇬🇧👍.

[@bernardusjones9814]

I love the Spitfire, she looks like a MK.IX, desert campaign. Thanks for posting.

[@tedtedsen269]

no its a he

[@bernardusjones9814]

@@tedtedsen269 lol.

[@coningsbylive]

Your welcome m8

[@bernardusjones9814]

@@tedtedsen269 I call it a she because R.J. Mitchell's design is brilliant, sleek and sexy looking. Eliptical wing, fuselage, with a Merlin Mk 1-9, looks, sounds perfect. Arguably the most anestheticly pleasing aircraft of all time. The Bf 109 with it's angular design and protruding bits, spars look a bit Frankenstein looking to me. So I refer to a Spitfire as a she.

[@rc-fannl7364]

The MK356 is, or rather was, a Mk IXe

[@sjdyt]

Oooo that sound ❤️

[@coningsbylive]

Lovely sound

[@malcolm824]

RIP Mark Long

[@coningsbylive]

really sad what happened. Blue Sky's Mark Long.

[@KrasherJack]

Alot of these old birds were left at RAF stations in the 50's and 60's as Sentinels at the gates, so glad theses were recovered and restored...

[@coningsbylive]

Think, back in the early 80s, i think we only had 1 Hurricane flying, they really have got the old birds back. Thank you so much

[@winogod917]

Absolute shame the pilot was lost. The spitfire what an aircraft. Sound shape , total show stopper. Watched one purely by chance in the nineties down at Southsea, Portsmouth , walking towards the fun fair, the aircraft suddenly turned up flying up and down the water looping the loop , clearly the pilot loving it. The sight made me stop in my tracks and watched, fantastic!

[@coningsbylive]

tbh it is totaly heartbreaking - I watched him get the Display PDA on the monday, and then this happens on the Weekend. Totaly gutted, not been to Coningsby since. Prob will this week. Mark our respects etc

[@Andy-kf4rd]

R.I.P. squadron leader.and condolences to his family and friends

[@coningsbylive]

Totaly, heartbreaking weekend

[@MinhNguyen-nl1gm]

Thời đó người Anh, Chế tạo ra máy bay như vậy là đỉnh cao của trí tuệ.. OK 🇬🇧👋.

[@MinhNguyen-nl1gm]

Những người phi công bay máy bay này. Cũng thuộc dạng tài giỏi lắm..Hi 👋 🇬🇧 👍.

[@Ian74-t5w]

That was a joy to watch, love the camo scheme 😍

[@coningsbylive]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Mors_Inimicis]

Really upsetting news today . I’m sure it’s the first fatality in the BBMF’s history. My thoughts and condolences to the pilots family and friends.

[@coningsbylive]

Heartbroken

[@jazzkazz]

Yes, it is the first fatality for the Flight, and I think that is why it has hit everyone so hard - for the team and his Coningsby colleagues, as well as BBMF supporters all over 😔 Such a nice guy and such a shame 😔

[@FlywithMagnar]

"Keep it fast, keep it big, keep it simple." Yes, this is how it is done.

[@coningsbylive]

Thank you so much for watching and messaging. I love the bbmf

[@francoisvanheerden7158]

A Real sad loss, RIP to the pilot

[@coningsbylive]

Totaly, really sad

[@Rach85-s9o]

Nice plane, thanks 😊

[@coningsbylive]

Thank you too!

[@SteveT-0]

Beautiful sight, glorious sound! What a tragedy that it's now lost and a good pilot gone too. 😢

[@coningsbylive]

Honestly what happend was heartbreaking. Terrible event

[@peteraustin370]

My father was an Admiralty ships pilot..We lived in Gibraltar and in 1956 he piloted HMS Eagle into the harbour.....on the flight deck stood a perfectly good Seafire Navy Spitfire....it was lightly covered in grease..but us kids were able to climb up and sit in the cockpit..!!!..However Eagle sailed for the UK....somewhere in the Bay of Biscay those clever Navy people...simply ditched the Seafire over the side...!!..And she was gone forever...!!!..Believe...!!!!!!!!

[@coningsbylive]

Oh wow

[@thephilpott2194]

Yes, i do believe. These things happened.

[@coningsbylive]

@@thephilpott2194 sadly it does.

[@peteraustin370]

"Carrier Pilot " by Norman Hansen...also details numbers of Chance Vought Corsairs and Spitfires...dumped in the sea off Australia right after WW2...rather than bring them home...!!!!!...My father's friend was sent to Malta from Gibraltar with his big sea-going tug...to assist the dumping of scores of tons of munitions into the sea off Malta...this was also around 1956..!!!!!

[@russellbryan2288]

This was really cool, Martin. I wish that the base has been just a little bit less frantic so that the Spitfire could have stayed up longer...But I don't have much throw with the RAF these days.

[@coningsbylive]

Join us on Monday, we should get displays by the typhoon hurricane and spitfire. It's PDA day

[@johnwells1079]

⚘

[@nickjh1968]

Looks great in desert camo, what a great bit of footage, very well flown too wonder who was in the cockpit?

[@coningsbylive]

Good question! No idea lol, was a surprise getting her tbh

[@mike.47]

Rolls Royce, the soundtrack of WWII.

[@coningsbylive]

Awesome sound

[@jacktattis]

Greatest fighter of WW2

[@coningsbylive]

100% agreed

[@jazzkazz]

Ahhhh - one of my favourite spitfires on the flight - MK356 😊

[@coningsbylive]

Looking very nice in her new scheme. Love the bbmf, esp spitty

[@jazzkazz]

@@coningsbylive I was on a hangar tour last week, and my tour guide said they were hoping to get MK up flying in the next week or so 🙂

[@coningsbylive]

@@jazzkazz and so they did lol, thats so cool

[@thephilpott2194]

My condolences to all involved and/or affected. Believed engine failure.

[@coningsbylive]

Honestly it's so sad

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

One of the Spitfires crashed today, unfortunately the pilot has died.

[@coningsbylive]

We are extremely saddened by what has happened today. Sadly it was the spitifire in this video, we not sure about the pilot. We are extremely upset and send out thoughts to the BBMF team and the pilots family

[@SuperjumboAEVSPlanespotting]

This Spitfire sounds like P-51 Mustang

[@LeeFrancis-f6y]

@@SuperjumboAEVSPlanespotting that's because it was the same engine, though manufactured under license by Packard in America

[@RalphHancock]

This is lovely, but why is it called a 'Battle of Britain' Spitfire when it's a Mk IX built in 1944 and painted in the camouflage used in the North African desert?

[@coningsbylive]

The RAF has a memorial flight called Battle of Britain, but they will change the schemes of the fighters to pay respect to flight groups, pilots etc. I think this year this Spitfire has been selected for the North African tribute. I dont have the details as to why, but they always change the paint schemes of them. For example last couple of years the Hurricane has been black, but this year its back to camo.

[@Ian74-t5w]

​@@coningsbyliveThat's interesting, I didn't know that.

[@douglasanderson153]

Neither do i actually. What I can say as my Dad was flight crew in WW2 is that these aircraft are synonymous with hope, belief, that Great Britain would eventually win WW2. It’s also about the engine. The rolls Royce Merlin was a 1750 litre V12. When fired up, it gives you goose bumps. I don’t know why that should be other than the sound of raw power. These air craft like most didn’t have exhaust silencers. And the engines were supercharged. My Dad was telling me there was a wire gate in the throttle control that when the pilot crashed the throttled to emergency full power, something like nitrous was pumped in to the engine to give it that extra when engaged in battle. I’m 66 this year and we are the last of the children who will have a connection to WW2. Our parents were survivors. I know when my Dad was alive, he would hear these engines start up, or those on a. Lancaster as they were the same and a tear would well in his eye… If you have read “Fly for your life” by Robert Roland Stanford Tuck” it’s a terrific book about that period of RAF history and Tuck’s experiences in flying the Spitfire etc.. a really good read.

[@coningsbylive]

@@douglasanderson153 wow, that's so interesting

[@neilcollins3701]

What a tragedy. Displays like this have given so much joy over the years. The dangers with flying old aircraft are always present but the BBMF must be the best maintained in the world. Double disaster to lose both aircraft and skilled pilot.

[@coningsbylive]

Totaly shocking and sad

[@charlesphillips8635]

Is that the best job in the world or what?

[@coningsbylive]

Def is the best job

[@colinstevens6837]

dont know where he had been on a flypast but over bourne the merlin sounded ok maybe flying a bit slower than usual, but that could just have been a head wind. shame to lose a great pilot and great bit of engineering

[@coningsbylive]

Sadly he just took off and had a issue. Extremely sad event

[@colinstevens6837]

@@coningsbylive must have come over here doing a circuit back to the base then, was quite low and slow like when they fly with the lanc

[@coningsbylive]

I think the incident happened on take off, but honestly dont know and very sad

[@thathawayaerialphotos]

Such sad news

[@coningsbylive]

totally agree

[@jameswoollard84]