Roy Slim Story - Update Sept 2020
Hi St Clement's.
Thank you again for your email. I certainly will try to visit you again when the pandemic is over.
Thank you also for the contact with my niece Joyce. She is definitely my cousin. I will contact her shortly.
Regarding my latest adventure. I did the top item on my 'bucket list' when I
co-flew a genuine WW2 Spitfire over the White Cliffs of Dover, exactly as the RAF men did during the WW2 and especially for the 'Battle of Britain'. Strangely enough, today (15th September) is the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
THE STORY.
I travelled (by car) from Harrogate to an old ex RAF WW2 airfield at Headcorn in Kent. It was a two seat, dual control Spitfire with me in the rear seat. We took off and travelled to the South coast (8 minutes), flew down the middle of the English Channel with the French coast on my right and the English coast on my left, at a speed of 200+ knots (250 mph)
We flew over the Goodwin Sands, then Beachy Head and finally the port of Dover and The White Cliffs. We did several circles and low passes over the Cliffs at a height of approx. 1000 feet, and I was able to take full flying control for a considerable period of this time. On our way back to the airfield, we did 'cloud chasing' which is flying into a cloud, passing through it, and emerging the other side. It was a brilliant sunny day, so clouds were not easy to find. On our final leg, we did several 'barrel/victory rolls' which is a complete 360-degree roll upside down (inverted).
The final thrill was a fly past down the runway at a very low level, before a safe landing.
It was an experience I will never forget. I had the choice of flying and it cost me a lot of money. I still think about those brave young men 80 years ago who had no choice, and for many it cost them their life.
Love and regards to all
Roy Slim