Spitfire’s last salute to war hero flier, 99
ONE of the Battle of Britain’s last Spitfire pilots was laid to rest with a flypast from the iconic plane.
Squadron Leader Nigel Rose, who downed four Nazi aircraft in the Second World War, died earlier this month at the age of 99.
At his emotional farewell, the Spitfire flew three times over the church.
And in a final salute at Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire, the plane waggled its wings, which the RAF called “a farewell from one fighter pilot to another”.
Sqn Ldr Rose flew scores of sorties with 602 Squadron, once landing his shot-up plane without any brakes, flaps or radio.
RAF Chief of Air Staff Sir Stephen Hillier said he was “one of the brave and selfless people to whom we owe our freedom”.