Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) Grounded!
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) announced on Friday 23 June 2023 that due to a fault on a Merlin Engine they have decided to pause flying. The Merlin engine is used on their Lancaster, Hurricanes and several Spitfires. Unfortunately this meant that the BBMF could not take part in the many 'Armed Forces Day' events around the country.
From the Official Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Facebook Page (23 June 2023):
"The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is currently investigating a fault on a Merlin engine and has taken the decision to temporarily pause flying. Several of our aircraft are powered by the Merlin and as a result, these histric aircraft will be unable to support Armed Forces Day events around the country as we would have liked. This is hugely disappointing for us and to all those who love to see these iconic aircraft, however, safety remains our paramount concern."
The investigation into the Merlin engine was concluded on Friday 30 June 2023 and all the BBMF aircraft were permitted to fly again.
From the Official Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Facebook Page (30 June 2023):
"We have now conducted a thorough investigation into the fault experienced on one of our Merlin engines. Our excellent team of engineers and industry partners have undertaken the necessary inspections, maintenance, and safety assurance work to ensure that we can return to flight all our aircraft powered by Merlin engines without restriction. We look forward to our planned programme of appearances this weekend."
• BBMF Display Schedule 2023.
• BBMF Facebook Page.