South Cerney RAF veteran celebrated with Spitfire flypast

Eric Downs joined the RAF aged 18

A former World War Two flying instructor has been given a special surprise by the Ministry of Defence to celebrate his 100th birthday.

Eric Downs from Gloucestershire worked all over the world before being based at RAF South Cerney.

His decades of service were honoured with a Spitfire flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF).

The veteran, who never had the chance to fly in battle, said it was a "wonderful sight".

The BBMF is part of the Royal Air Force and flies heritage aircraft at special events around the country.

Mr Downs signed up to join the Royal Air Force at Lord's Cricket Ground at the age of 18 and was sent to the United States for pilot training, hoping to join the frontline in the air on his return.

"I expected to go to Bomber Command to fly the new aircraft the Mosquito. But there was a delay in producing the aircraft so I got sent to a school training flying Anson's training crews for Bomber Command," recalled Mr Downs.

The Spitfire flypast was approved by the Ministry of Defence to honour Mr Downs' service in the RAF on his 100th birthday

After the war he had a varied career - piloting Dakotas to evacuate people from Shanghai as Chairman Mao came to power, then in Gloucestershire he set up the Primary Flying Squadron training pilots on Chipmunks at RAF South Cerney.

He trained more than 500 pilots in his career.

On his birthday, together with his family, Mr Downs experienced a display from the Falkland Field association, where he started his training, as well as a visit from the defence attaché at the Sri Lankan embassy in London, before the special flypast.

Mr Downs was treated to a surprise flypast from a Spitfire from the BBMF

The Spitfire was organised by fellow RAF veteran and friend Ray Thilthorpe.

"I just picked the phone up to the BBMF on Monday and explained what was going on - he's 100, he's one of ours and within the hour they called back and said the game's on," said Mr Thilthorpe.