Let’s get the obvious out of the way: the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) has Spitfires. They look stunning. So why not throw a few of them into the VE Day flypast? You’d think it’s as natural as putting sugar on strawberries.
The answer, as with most things in life, is money and logistics—but not in a boring way. The flypast was a huge, choreographed event with multiple waves of aircraft. The planners had to avoid a mid-air disaster over central London. That’s a real concern, not just red tape.
Here’s the kicker: the Spitfires weren’t left out because someone forgot. They were left out because the BBMF’s Spitfires were already committed to other, more personal flypasts across the country. The “main event” in London wasn’t the only party happening that day. (It’s like having a famous DJ who’s booked for a dozen small clubs instead of the main stage—everyone gets a piece.)
The Sneaky Truth About “Star Power”
We tend to think of the Spitfire as the hero of WWII aviation. It’s photogenic. It’s the poster child. But the VE Day flypast was designed to reflect the combined effort—not just the glamorous fighters. The planners wanted to honour the bomber crews, the ground crews, the transport squadrons.
Imagine the flypast director’s headache: “We’ve got a Lancaster, two Dakotas, a Dakota with a teapot, a Tiger Moth, and a Spitfire.” That’s a mess of different speeds and altitudes. Spitfires are fast and climb like rockets. Sticking them in a formation with slower planes is like a cheetah trying to keep pace with a group of shire horses. It looks awkward and risks a collision. (Cheetahs don’t like that, and neither do insurance adjusters.)
Spitfire flypast to mark VE Day celebrations at Wiltshire village
Plus, there’s a bit of irony here. The Spitfire is so iconic that it’s often remembered as the plane that “won the war.” But the real work of bombing Germany and supporting D-Day fell on the Lancaster and the humble Dakota. By leaving the Spitfire out, the flypast subtly said: “This victory was a team sport, and the team captain gets extra rest.”
