Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to miss Trooping the Colour after fatal Spitfire crash in Lincolnshire

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) will miss its traditional Trooping the Colour flypast on Saturday after an RAF pilot was killed in a Spitfire crash in Lincolnshire. The vintage planes, based at RAF Coningsby, were grounded last month after the death of Sqn Ldr Mark Long.

The Squadron Leader at RAF Coningsby died at the scene from his injuries after the vintage plane came down at around 1.20pm on Saturday, May 25. In a statement, the RAF said that "after the tragic accident" the planes would "regretfully" not be participating in the flypast.

It said a "large number" of RAF planes would still be taking part. It will include a Typhoon display jet in D-Day colours, which will use the BBMF call sign "MEMORIAL".

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The King's Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, is staged to celebrate the monarch's official birthday. Last year, the RAF sent its Lancaster, two Hurricanes and a Spitfire to pass over the royal parade.

An RAF spokesman said: “Due to the ongoing pause in flying for the BBMF after the tragic accident on May 25 2024, regretfully, the BBMF will not be participating in the forthcoming flypast for His Majesty the King’s birthday on June 15 2024.”

Sqn Ldr Long died after taking off in the flight’s Mark IX Spitfire for a routine air display. Experts from the Defence Accident Investigation Branch are still examining the wreckage of the Spitfire.

Sqn Ldr Long’s family paid tribute to the father of two after the crash, saying he was “cherished and deeply missed by us all”. Colleagues said he was a "friend, colleague, and a passionate, professional aviator".