Hampshire Battle of Britain flypast & 100 years of aviation

A few, scattered showers drifted across the Hampshire landscape, but for the most part, the sun bathed the late summer fields in a gentle, golden glow.

It was a day that, to the casual observer, seemed utterly ordinary, a mere footnote in the turning of the seasons. Little did anyone suspect that this seeming normalcy was about to be shattered, irrevocably, by the thunder of war.

At precisely 4.10pm, the calm was ripped apart.

The sky, once a canvas of serene blue, was suddenly transformed into a churning vortex of metal and fury. Dozens of German bombers and fighters, like predatory birds of steel, swept in from the south coast, their engines a menacing roar that echoed across the quiet countryside. This was no mere exercise, no routine patrol, this was an invasion of the skies, a prelude to a battle that would determine the very fate of a nation.

Three minutes later, the enemy's iron fist struck.

Dive bombers plunged towards Eastleigh Naval Air Station, their intent clear, their aggression palpable.

Miraculously, the airfield escaped unscathed, a momentary reprieve in the unfolding drama.

But the nearby Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Factory, a vital cog in Britain's war machine, was not so fortunate.

The bombs fell, igniting a fierce blaze that clawed at the factory's heart. Though the flames were eventually subdued, the cost was heavy, a stark reminder of the human toll of war.

A direct hit on a shelter had left a terrible legacy of casualties, a somber echo of the conflict’s brutality.

Unbeknownst to those on the ground, witnessing the smoke and devastation, this was more than just another raid. This was the opening salvo of a struggle that would decide whether Britain would remain a beacon of freedom or fall under the dark shadow of Hitler's Third Reich.

The Battle of Britain had begun, a battle fought in the skies, a battle for the soul of a nation.

Now, decades later, as we reach the 85th anniversary of this pivotal moment, the legacy of those brave young pilots remains as vital as ever.  The courage of "The Few" – the young RAF pilots who stood against overwhelming odds – is never forgotten.

These were young men, often barely out of their own youth, who stared death in the face and refused to yield. Today, only one of these heroes remains.

In July of 2010, the skies over Eastleigh and Southampton were once again filled with the roar of engines, but this time, it was a salute, a tribute.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, 70 years on, was a majestic formation of historic aircraft that graced the heavens, a poignant reminder of the past and a heartfelt acknowledgment of the present.

This flypast was part of a series of commemorative events organised by Southampton Airport to mark a century of aviation in Hampshire, a journey that began in 1910 when Edwin Rowland Moon, a local pioneer, bravely took to the skies in his homemade "Moonbeam II" from the fields of North Stoneham Farm, the very land that would later become the airport.