UPDATE: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight over Grantham CANCELLED
The fly-over will be at 1.10pm on Friday.
A PLANNED fly-over at Grantham by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight today has been cancelled, the BBMF Association has confirmed this morning.
The fly-over was set to mark the opening of a new exhibition at Grantham Museum today.
Museum organisers announced yesterday that 12 planes would be flying over Grantham at 1.10pm.
But a spokesman for the BBMF Association said the plan was only ever for one plane to fly over - and that has an oil leak which will keep it grounded.
A spokesman for the association said: “We were going to fly the Dakota but unfortunately it has an oil leak from its engine.
“There was always only ever going to be one aeroplane. It was a last minute bid and this week most of our crew are on leave as it is out of flying season.
“There was never going to be 12 aeroplanes.”
Jayne Robb of Grantham Museum said she had been told 12 planes would be flying over Grantham while on a practice flight.
She said: “We had a message through that it was for 12 - that came from the team - so that is a bit gutting. It was going to be our centre-piece.
“But these technical things happen and we can’t do anything to change it.
“I can only apologise on behalf of the museum and Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage who arranged it all. It’s heart-wrenching.”
The exhibition is on loan from the Polish Air Force Association and dozens of Polish dignitaries are expected to attend the opening, including Col Stanisław Król, Military Attaché at the Polish Embassy and Ireneusz Truszkowski, Consul General at the Polish Embassy, as well as a Polish television crew and other journalists.
Jayne Robb of Grantham Museum said: “The exhibition is going to be with us for five weeks and I think it will really show the people of Grantham the Polish community have always been part of our community and we owe them a lot.”
The opening of the exhibition will be at 1.30pm and all are welcome to attend.
The event will also be used for the official launch of a film featuring an interview with Tad Weir, who flew Lancaster bombers with 300 Squadron out of RAF Faldingworth, Lincolnshire during World War II and carried out 16 missions over enemy territory.
Tad Weir is believed to be one of only two surviving Polish Lancaster pilots in the UK.
Jayne said: “This is our first major exhibition and will be a real international event - as well as being good for the town.”
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Weather for Grantham
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Heavy rain
Temperature: 5 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: North
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Sunny spells
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