REMARKABLE 100-year-old former RAF pilot Roy Oldcorn “took to the skies” once more at the grand old age of 100.
On Tuesday, July 2, the ex-RAF Flight Sergeant from Bexhill found himself at the simulated controls of an AVRO Lancaster at Manston in Kent.
After “take off” Roy “flew up” to London, then under the Queen Elizabeth Bridge at Dartford before landing at London City Airport.
After learning of Roys 100th birthday earlier this year Robert Westbrook, manager of the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Building at Manston, invited him to go to the museum to fly their Lancaster simulator.
Bexhill News previously published a story about Roy celebrating his 100th birthday at the Albatross Club in March.
In 1944, and at just 20 years old, Roy was a Lancaster pilot on 153 Squadron flying from RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.
Among other sorties, he was involved in Operation Manna, the dropping of food to the starving Dutch when the Netherlands was occupied by Nazi Germany and during that, it became known as “the hunger winter”.
For that he was recently awarded a “Thank you Liberators” medal by the Defence and Naval Attache form the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in London on behalf of the Dutch people.
Andy Skinner and Clive Hammond of Bexhill on Sea branch, Royal Air Forces Association, arranged to take Roy and his wife Sue to the museum where all the staff treated Roy as if he were royalty.
With some effort, Roy was assisted into the pilot’s seat and with Robert Westbrook as his Flight Engineer, Roy took off on his flight to London.
Following his simulator flight Roy said of the experience: “It was absolutely fabulous”.
Andy Skinner said: “It was fascinating to watch, as Roy settled into the pilot’s seat, he automatically commenced his pre-flight checks.
“There were some American visitors in the museum and after explaining Roy’s history and that he had been a Lancaster pilot, a spontaneous round of applause rang out.
“One woman was reduced to tears and they all thanked him for his service. It was quite an emotional moment for us all.”
Robert Westbrook explained: “The front fuselage section of the Lancaster simulator had been built over a period of six years by retired electronics engineer Norman Groom, 86, using original salvaged parts, alongside measurements taken from a Lancaster in the Imperial War Museum”.
“A number of people, including former Lancaster air crew and a former Concorde pilot have flown the simulator but Roy is the first actual Lancaster pilot to have done so. It has been an honour and a privilege”.
The Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum welcomes visits from all former wartime aircrew and arrangements for a visit can be made through their website: https://www.spitfiremuseum.org.uk
After his flight, Roy was invited to sign the visitor log and was presented with his flight certificate and a museum cap.
