'Beautiful' tribute to Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pilot unveiled

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has given its Spitfire Mk XVI TE311 a new colour scheme in honour of the late Sqn Ldr Mark Long.

On her starboard side, the 1940s plane now wears the squadron code ‘L-NG’, with Sqn Ldr Mark Long written under the cockpit along with a Sqn Ldr pennant.

The port side of TE311 will remain as 3W-M to continue to represent 322 (Dutch) Squadron, with nose art showing the squadron’s mascot, Polly Grey, a red-tailed African grey parrot.

Sqn Ldr Long died on Saturday, May 25, after the Spitfire he was piloting crashed in a field in Langrick Road, Coningsby. He was aged 43.

Emergency crews were called to the site shortly after 1.20pm.

Sqn Ldr Long – the sole occupant of the plane – was declared deceased at the scene.

An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned.

Sqn Ldr Long was a Typhoon pilot at RAF Coningsby and had flown for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for the previous four years.

He was married and had two daughters.

The TE311 tribute from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has attracted glowing praise from the public.

On the memorial flight’s Facebook page, a post about the new colour scheme has been ‘liked’ 6,500 times and shared 1,400 times.

Among the 300-plus comments, the tribute has been hailed as ‘oustanding’, ‘beautiful’ and ‘absolutely perfect’.

“No finer or more fitting tribute,” wrote another.

In addition to this tribute, an online fundraiser has been set up to help Sqn Ldr Long’s family establish a flying scholarship for disabled individuals in his name.

At the time of writing, the amount donated stood at £17,020, surpassing the £15,000 target.

As the target for the scholarship has already been reached, extra funds will go to, as his family wishes, two emergency medical charities – LIVES (Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service) and the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.

To donate, visit the JustGiving page at: https://bit.ly/Spitfire-Long