Capel Le Ferne Battle of Britain monument pictures

The location is on top of a high cliff. Careful over the edge there is a railway line below. 🙂
On a clear day take your binoculars and imagine watching the bombers coming from France.
mmitch.

Great post, Dean. I wondered why the significance of those markings on the Spitfire.

Only the Hurricane was there on the 13th August when I visited. See:- http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=29950&highlight=Capel
mmitch.

I didn’t realise the Spitfire had been put in place so recently. It’s painted in the markings of the aircraft Jeffrey Quill flew for a very short time on his operational “experience” tour (65 Sqdn IIRC) in August 1940. He claimed an Me109 and damaged another during his 3 weeks on type. He’d felt that without combat experience in the Spitfire he could not help to develop it properly so he ended up with an operational squadron for a month.

When Jeffrey retired to the Isle of Man, I got to know him and his wife quite well – he was the first president of the Manx Aviation Preservation Society which I organised in May 1994, his wife taking over the reigns when he passed away. His wife too was a real character – formerly Wg Cdr Claire Legge, she still had her copy of the Battle Of Britain film script which she acted as technical adviser to – you can see her in one of the “extras” films on the recent DVD release. She too had a very ineresting career. When I married they gave me one of six facsimile blueprints of the first plans for the Spitfire, when it had no name, just an Air Ministry type specification. He’d been given them when he left Supermarine-Vickers and had the original on his study wall. I had a few wonderful afternoons sat in the study listening to both of them answer what must have been tedious questions from a very keen 21 year-old. It was nice to see Jeffrey’s aircraft represented as it brought back some very happy memories for me.

Dean

Only the Hurricane was there on the 13th August when I visited. See:- http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=29950&highlight=Capel
mmitch.

Wonderful shots Skypilot, thanks for posting them up.

I’ll add some of mine if you don’t mind – these were taken by my ex-girlfriend on the way back from Calais back in July (she had her uses!). If you look closely, I believe the Hurricane replica was on site, but no Spitfire at that point.

Steve

Course I don’t mind! They add to mine very nicely. I’ve flown over the sight stacks of times but my 200mm lens can’t pick out the detail too well at 37,000ft! And as I get paid to fly, I can’t justify the cost to Mrs. Skypilot for paying to potter around in a spam can doing some real flying, none of this autopilot malarkey! Shame cause I’d love to get my S/E rating current again.

Wonderful shots Skypilot, thanks for posting them up.

I’ll add some of mine if you don’t mind – these were taken by my ex-girlfriend on the way back from Calais back in July (she had her uses!). If you look closely, I believe the Hurricane replica was on site, but no Spitfire at that point.

Steve

Thanks Rob. Looks like a wonderful place to visit.

Interesting photos. Thanks for sharing.

I’ve never heard of this place. Is it in England? Or France? And I assume the aircraft are GRP replicas?

Hi Dave, just click on this linkwww.spitfire-museum.com/capel.htm Hope this helps 🙂

Cheers
Rob…….

They are – and they’re very realistic, especially the Spit with all that rivet detail!

Interesting photos. Thanks for sharing.

I’ve never heard of this place. Is it in England? Or France? And I assume the aircraft are GRP replicas?

Fantastic images – this is one place I really want to go to.

The statue of the pilot looks as though he’s waiting for missing comrades to return (or so I think, anyway!)

Glad you like them Daz. I was trying to capture that look but the dull day didn’t help with the effect. I like the other one with him looking out (watching over) the white cliffs too. I also visited in March but it was so foggy I couldn’t even see the statue! As I live in Wigan, it’s a little too far to wait for ideal conditions.

Fantastic images – this is one place I really want to go to.

The statue of the pilot looks as though he’s waiting for missing comrades to return (or so I think, anyway!)

And a couple more…