Reinstate tribute to RAF Gravesend

This petition has been raised to express our concern and dismay at the decision by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar (BHHH) and London Biggin Hill Airport (LBHA) not to fulfil their advertised intention to overfly the site of the former RAF Station at Gravesend as part of their Battle of Britain ‘Hardest Day’ commemorative flying event on 18 August 2015.

Given that the nature of the event is to commemorate the ’Battle of Britain’ RAF Stations and the personnel who fought and died on this same day in 1940; we consider the removal of this salute to be a snub to the former RAF Station and disrespectful to the memory of the two Gravesend-based pilots who died on that day and the thirteen others who died during the Battle of Britain period. (There were of course some 100+ others, who died at other times during of the war.)

We accept that there may be legal reasons why the originally advertised flight might not be possible over the centre of the site; but understand that possibilities exist for a route skirting the former airfield boundary. We also understand that this has been rejected due to a desire not to increase costs.

We further understand that, following a recent route revision, the aircraft involved in the flypast will now follow a route approximately two miles away from the former airbase site and that Gravesend is no longer mentioned on the flight itinerary. (This revision in-fact moved the aircraft further away than the original flight plan.)