Veterans reunited with warplanes at historic former fighter base

World War Two veterans from the RAF have gathered at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar in Kent, with some even taking to the sky in a Spitfire.

It is part of the site's Veterans' Day celebrations, which are held annually at the famous Battle of Britain fighter base.

John Bell, who is a former member of Bomber Command, completed 50 dangerous missions.

Mr Bell says he was fortunate to survive: "It was a matter of good luck I should think. We were all expert airmen and at what we did.

"So it was a piece of shrapnel that could bring the aircraft down, the sky was full of it usually, or some other means. So it was a matter of luck that you got through."

The gathering of veterans from the RAF and the Navy is one of the largest at Biggin Hill in many years.