Flying over Buckingham Palace on VE Day 'humbling'

Taking part in a flypast over Buckingham Palace to celebrate 80 years since the end of World War Two in Europe is "incredibly humbling", RAF service people have said.

As part of the four-day celebrations, on Monday a military procession in central London will be followed by a flypast of current and historical military aircraft.

Among the planes featured in the event will be an A400M flown by Flt Lt Mike Chandler, who is based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

The pilot, who has taken part in three previous flypasts, said there was a "lot to consider" during the operation.

"When you're doing 310mph over the ground at low level with other aircraft, our minds are working pretty fast at that point," he said.

Flt Lt Chandler is a member of 99 Squadron, which is led by Wing Cdr Nicola Lofthouse.

"There's an incredible amount of planning, not only for the flypast, but also for all of the possible contingencies that happen as well," she said.

The "complex" flypast will see aircraft start their journey to London from the North Sea, with each plane aiming to be overhead Buckingham Palace "within plus or minus five seconds", Wing Cdr Lofthouse added.

World War Two veteran and centenarian Denis Bishop visited the crew at RAF Brize Norton ahead of Monday's flypast, sharing his memories of VE Day, which he spent serving in Germany.

He said he and his fellow servicemen "managed to get some beer" and "had a drink", before visiting a local church where he "thanked the Lord" that the war was over.

During the war, 99 Squadron had been the first RAF unit to convert to Wellington Bombers, and carried out bombing raids throughout the conflict.

Loadmaster Sgt Harry Jarvis said the squadron's history would be "at the forefront of our minds" as he and his colleagues flew over Buckingham Palace.

"It's got a very rich history - it's something you think about every time you fly the aircraft and go and operate worldwide on tasks," he said.

Flt Lt Chandler said: "We'll never be able to sit in their seats, but hopefully this [the flypast] marks the occasion appropriately."

He said it was "incredibly humbling" to take part in the "amazing event".

"It's an absolute privilege for us to just display a little part of our recognition by doing this flypast to remember everything they went through and the huge sacrifice they made," he added.

Victory in Europe Day on 8 May, known as VE Day, marks the day the Allies formally accepted Germany's surrender in 1945 - bringing an end to the near-six-year conflict.

Previous VE Day events, marking the 75th anniversary, were disrupted by the Covid pandemic.

You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.