[Closed] NHS Spitfire

One of the nice things of living a few miles from Duxford has been that skimming overhead regularly. Thinking about it, there seems to been no end of Spitfires flying around the last few weeks for some reason (long after VE day).

Saw this at the Shuttleworth 'drive-in' airshow a couple of weeks ago - it opened the show with a fantastic display. Apparently the pilot, John Romain is quoted as saying 'it's a quick one' even with the limitations on them now days regards how much throttle they can use and how much g they can pull.

Shame they seem unable to spell "you".

will it get to strafe boris and cummins though?

I'd much prefer the public ownership and funding of the NHS to be the entire discussion.

Apologies for the negativity, but I'm pretty much done with symbolism.

Spitfires and the virtue signalling about the NHS? It's a Daily Mail wet dream.

Shame they seem unable to spell “you”.

That’s the spirit.

Thinking about it, there seems to been no end of Spitfires flying around the last few weeks for some reason (long after VE day).

Guessing the owners have sunk a few quid into each one to get it in great shape for the VE Day flying so while it's airworthy they may as well use it!

I wonder if it will fly over Stafford.

Cool.

WWII icon and NHS sentimentality? Perfick.

Can someone explain the link between Spitfires and the NHS?

Was it that the Spitfire went out of production to make way for the NHS?

Spitfires and the virtue signalling about the NHS? It’s a Daily Mail wet dream.

Agreed. I love the Spitfire and the NHS - but this whole idea is bollocks.

Saw it when it flew over Southampton General. Great sound.

Pointless gesture to deflect from the fact they put NHS on sale and all nurses to the back of the queue for pay rises but don't blame the pilot blame the people who voted for the politicians perhaps?

Didn't see this one today but there are two that fly over regularly and that sound of the merlin engine.....just lovely.

Thinking about it, there seems to been no end of Spitfires flying around the last few weeks for some reason (long after VE day).

80 years since Battle of Britain, maybe. There’s a Duxford air show in September to commemorate.

Spitfires and the virtue signalling about the NHS? It’s a Daily Mail wet dream

My thoughts too.

Not being contrary, but it's a bit Partridge innit.

It's not a nice idea, its a shit idea.

If you think its a nice idea then ask yourself what possible correlation is there between the NHS and a spitfire.

Then ask ypurself why anyone would want to make a correlation between the NHS and a spitfire.

Then get back to me.

Inkster, totally agree, jingoistic crap at best.

Cheers Stumpy,

I'm going to call out this jingoistic crap whenever I see it now. It's poisonous and dangerously seductive.

When the war memorials defended from pigeons issue came up on another thread a few military types piped up with their opinions and I was sensitive to the fact that although I was advocating on behalf of BLM I recognised that they or their sons had served or were still in the forces, I was trying to be accommodating so as to develop a discussion.

Then I remembered that my father had served in the RAF for a few years having signed up after national service. He served in the ground crew in Aden, installing radar units in some aeroplanes whilst removing body parts from others.

The reason I never made the connection with his serving and current events is because neither did he. He never sought to leverage his having served in the forces in any way. It wouldn't have even occurred to him.

Anyone trying to leverage WW 2 for political purposes can f*** right off. Anyone being seduced by the sight of a spitfire (easily done, I inherited the same appreciation of aeroplanes from my father, Christmas affix and all that) to the point of their critical faculties being disengaged should take a good look at themselves.

I can't remember if it was Anthony Eden or Macmillan but when suggestions were put forward for VE day commemorative celebrations in the 50's, they said "Can't we all move on from this?' So those that lived and fought the war could see the dangers of manipulating history for political effect (much like Eisenhower with his warning of the dangers of a military industrial complex)

Anyone who didn't fight in the war but tries to leverage it deserves to be hit with bombers. (And I mean the Marzocchi variant not the Avro one).

This. It’s time to move on.

Thank you, Inkster, beautifully explained.

After war the only thought only should be how not to let that happen again.

The entire Poppy thing each year should be about bringing troops home from nonsense proxy wars abroad. That would be the way to have "remembrance". Remember how utterly awful and destructive war is and vow not to send young people to it. I'd buy all the poppies in the world for that.

There are no war heroes, only war victims. Not my words.

Anyway, rant over. No more war please. Sod empty symbolism on poppies, spitfires, damnbusters and Vera Lynn. Spend the defence budget on the NHS and schools, action not words.

I like it.

The NHS spitfire thing that is, not the war 😀

Actually disagree on the poppies, I think they are a sign of remembering the fallen, quite agree on the other things, all now used to glorify a fairly horrific time now used to prop up a government which has totally failed to learn the lessons of war (Brexit).

Apologies for the negativity, but I’m pretty much done with symbolism.

Spitfires and the virtue signalling about the NHS? It’s a Daily Mail wet dream.

Guns or butter?

The cynicism of pairing the NHS and the Spitfire is dreadful. Particularly with what this rabble have planned for the former.