Save The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight!

I'm told it's being considered as a 'Defence Cut'. Please see below & sign at the No: 10 website!!


http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/BBMFCuts/

Your petition reads:
We the undersigned Petition the Prime Minister to Ensure that the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is not axed in any defence cuts It has been suggested that the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) - which celebrates the sacrifice of those who flew during the 2nd World War - will be cut in the next round of defence cuts. This will be a travesty if it was to go ahead.
The BBMF is said to cost a mere £3m a year, less than 0.1% of the defence budget.
It is a great delight for all who see their displays, and, if closed, the memory of 'The Few' will be lost. Please vote to ensure that the BBMF is not closed. Simply click on the link above, fill in the form and then pass this on.
Thanks for submitting your petition.

Dave Wheeler
Flt Lt
BSc(Hons), GCGI, RAFVR(T)

 

To be honest, as much as I love the section, and it is a section of the RAF, the funding should be coming from elsewhere and not the defence budget. We as a nation revere the period and the machines and folk who flew and maintained, built, vectored etc....But the defence budget in no more sacrosanct than any other budget. Money in defence should go on todays defence not yesterdays. There are plenty of orginisations that would step in to fill the gap if this indeed became necessary. I think it should be a heritage matter if taxes are to pay its upkeep and not a defence matter.

 

It doesn't need saving.
It isn't being cut:

BATTLE of BRITAIN MEMORIAL FLIGHT - Response to Daily Mail Article

Seems to me that talking around something as emotive as the Flight would be an ideal opening salvo when the negotiations begin for a round of cuts in other more significant areas? The original article used the word 'suggested' after all.

Emotive.
Newsworthy.
Distracting from the actual budgets that will be adjusted.

~A

 

Its an old RAF trick..Same as Navy when cuts are ever mentioned. Throw in bob and Red arrows and get an air vice marshal on telly saying some things are sacrosanct....Then a retired sofa wing commander...Get the daily mail or other newspaper to fall for the smoke...outrage...Erk from kent writes a stern letter to the times...or nowadays a petition to number 10 on t'internet.

I'd rather Jock Stirrup got his gold braid in a twist over the fact charity had to pay for a much over longed for pool at Hedley court for wounded and injured since days I was in and always needed but never important enough for em. Or Jock and his gold braided buddies perhaps letting us know why they never kicked up any such fuss over closing RAF medical services down and disbanding the best hospitals in the country just as the folk going to war needed them more than ever. Good old RAF....Save the bob flight...priorities should be pointed out to the gold braid and the daily mail amongst others.

 

A Nation which has just thrown billions of pounds to keep a sector of private enterprise swigging Bollinger in City winebars ought to be able to fund its own aviation heritage.

 

Quite right Martin, But as a heritage budgetary matter not a defence budget matter. It is as Von poop says though just the annual pay parade chatter from Raf bigwigs. I joined in 76 and first thing I heared was the bob flight was being disbanded and the RAF was to be merged with the army and navy as with canadians....Came out regularly as budgets were calculated at each defence freview...And its always the RAF that starts the rumours never the govt of the time whoever they may be.

Save bob flight im all for it...Pay for it out of heritage fund taxes or even charity but not much needed defence funds were are always as ever stretched.

Navy didnt save the small Dunkirk boats when it was needed after all..hms Victory I suppose...but nothing from ww2? Army didnt save and still pay for Hoobarts funnies or a squadron of Hamilcar gliders.

We do have a heritage department in govt....They need to be spending on this not defenced.

 

Further to this...If the RAF big brass keeps doing this on a regular basis, someone sometime will call their bluff and it will be changed in some manner. Then they will be up in arms and horrified at what they have started. Be careful for what you wish for is the advice I'd give to the RAF whenever they get started in these games