Roy Slim Story - Update Sept 2020

 
Below you can read Roy's most recent email and beneath that a video from 360°  Spitfire Roll!
 
 
To return to the main school history page please click here
 
 
Since Roy's initial back in 2016 Miss Akers has been keeping in touch via email and it is good to hear he is doing well and making progress on his Bucket List.
 
Recently the school was contacted by a lady who, having read Roy's story thought he may be her long-lost cousin.  Miss Akers spoke to Roy, and turns out they were related!  She helped them exchange phone numbers and they have reconnected and have been enjoying catching up with each other.
 
Read below his most recent email and at the end look at his photos and watch his short video showing his 360° roll in the Spitfire!

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