Friday Morning Talks: ‘Battle of Britain Fighter Aircraft’

Join us for another Friday morning talk, when we discover the iconic fighter aircraft of the RAF and Luftwaffe.

By AM Cliff Spink

Included in Museum admission, or £3 donation. Booking not required, simply come along on the day.

About Air Marshal Cliff Spink
When he left the Service in 2003, Cliff Spink’s RAF career as a fighter pilot had extended over more than 40 years and 7000 flying hours. During that time, he had flown Lightnings, Phantoms and the Tornado F3, serving on famous fighter squadrons including 111 Squadron, 56 Squadron in Cyprus where they were heavily involved in the 1974 conflict, and later commanded 74 Squadron. As a group captain, he commanded RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands before commanding RAF Coningsby from where he was almost immediately deployed to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, as a Detachment Commander for the 1991 Gulf Conflict.

He subsequently became Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No 11 Group at Bentley Priory and then became the first Air Officer Commanding No 11/18 Group which was formed at Bentley Priory. His final tour was as Director General Saudi Armed Forces Project.

In terms of his heritage interests, apart from his time as an air officer flying his flag at Bentley Priory, he is deeply involved in historic aircraft where he has flown some 50 Types/Marks and has a CAA Display Authorisation for high performance warbird piston and jet aircraft. He is a CAA Display Authorisation Evaluator and was until 2005 the Chairman of the Historic Aircraft Association. He is also the President of the Battle of Britain Flight Association and President of the Royal Observer Corps Association.