In life, Paul Figes never achieved his dream of flying in a Spitfire.
The Royal Air Force technician spent 31 years maintaining Tornado jets but died from coronavirus in 2021.
But a documentary is to reveal the moment he got the send-off he deserved, when his ashes were scattered from a Spitfire that escorted US Air Force bombers in the Second World War.
The restored plane, flying at 150mph, dropped Mr Figes’ remains over the airfield at the home of the Shuttleworth Collection, which houses a majestic array of historic aircraft at the 5,000-acre Old Warden estate in Bedfordshire.
His son Chris says in Warplane Workshop, which airs tonight on More 4: ‘It is the ending and the finale that I always wanted for my dad.
‘He always dreamed of flying a Spitfire and it just so happened that he couldn’t do it in his lifetime.’
A documentary is to reveal the moment an RAF technician who died from Coroanvirus got the send-off he deserved, when his ashes were scattered from a Spitfire that escorted US Air Force bombers in the Second World War
‘But to have the ashes dropped over this fantastic airfield by this wonderful aircraft, [is a] perfect ending.’
The AR501, a Mark Vc Spitfire, has a 1,400 horse power engine and a top speed of more than 400mph.
It was built in Yeovil in 1941 and used by a squadron of Czech fighters who were flying in the RAF’s No. 310 Squadron.
The plane was an escort for US Air Force bombers – including the famous Memphis Belle – that carried out raids over Nazi Germany.
After the war, the fighter was used for training at Loughborough College before being acquired by the Shuttleworth collection in 1961.
It returned to the skies for the 1969 film Battle of Britain before a major renovation was carried out in the early 1970s.
Paul Figes, who died in 2021, spent 31 years maintaining Tornado jets. He passed away in 2021
The restored plane, flying at 150mph, dropped Mr Figes’ remains over the airfield at the home of the Shuttleworth Collection, which houses a majestic array of historic aircraft at the 5,000-acre Old Warden estate in Bedfordshire
It remained airworthy from 1977 until 2005 and then was removed from service for another overhaul.
In mid 2000 the plane’s elliptical wing tips were refitted so it could feature in Hollywood film Pearl Harbour.
The Spitfire was then taken apart and totally rebuilt over the course of a decade. It made its first post-restoration flight in 2018.
It is now a popular attraction at the Shuttleworth Collection, which runs several air shows each year.
Mr Figes’ ashes were scattered nearly 12 months ago, after the Shuttleworth Collection’s first airshow of the year in May.
Mr Figes maintained Tornado GR4 jets for the RAF. He is pictured above at an airbase in Kuwait in 2003
His son Chris says in Warplane Workshop, which airs tonight on More 4: ‘It is the ending and the finale that I always wanted for my dad. He always dreamed of flying a Spitfire and it just so happened that he couldn’t do it in his lifetime
The Old Warden estate was home to celebrated pilot and motor racing enthusiast Richard Shuttleworth, who died in an RAF night training exercise in 1940
Speaking of his father, Chris Figes added: ‘He was always an enthusiast for any aircraft and loved anything mechanical to do with them.
‘He passed away in January 2021 during the pandemic, and unfortunately from Covid.
‘And I knew that he always wanted to fly the Spitfire. Sadly that never came around but this is the next best thing to it, which does bring a nice ending for my family.’
It is hoped that flights to scatter loved ones’ ashes will help the organisation to recover financially after it was forced to close its doors during the pandemic.
It is set to lose £300,000 this year and so is in need of extra income to ensure its collection of 60 historic aircraft can continue to be maintained and flown.
The Old Warden estate was home to celebrated pilot and motor racing enthusiast Richard Shuttleworth, who died in an RAF night training exercise in 1940.
His collection was extended by his mother after his death.
Warplane Workshop airs tonight at 9pm on More 4.
The Spitfire: One of Britain’s most iconic aircraft
The Spitfire is one of the most iconic aircraft in British military history. It is a single-seat fighter plane that was used by the Royal Airforce and other Allied countries before, during and after the Second World War.
According to IWM Duxford, the plane is characterised by its graceful curves, elliptical wings and the sound of its powerful Rolls Royce engine and it has remained a British icon since its heroic efforts in the Battle of Britain in 1940.
It was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft and had a higher top speed than several contemporary fighters including the Hurricane thanks to its wing design.
During the Battle of Britain, from July to October 1940, the Spitfire was perceived by the public as the main fighter of the RAF, despite being lower in number than the Hurricane.
Spitfire units had a lower attrition rate and a higher victory-to-loss ratio than those flying Hurricanes because of the former’s superior performance.
Because of this, the Spitfires were usually the ones tasked with engaging Luftwaffe fighters during the Battle of Britain, often going up against the Germans’ Messerschmitt Bf 109E-series aircraft which were a close match.
Pictured: Supermarine Spitfire MkI fighter planes with the wooden, two-blade, fixed-pitch propeller of No 19 Squadron, Royal Air Force Fighter Command wait in line for a training exercise on May 4, 1939, at RAF Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire
The first Spitfire to enter operation service was the first Mk Is K9789, which entered service with 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford in August 1938.
They gained legendary status during the Battle of Britain when they were largely tasked to take down German fighters while the slower Hurricanes were used to destroy the bombers.
During their lifespan, there were 24 marks of Spitfire and many sub-variants. These covered the Spitfire in development from the Merlin to Griffon engines, the high-speed photo-reconnaissance variants and the different wing configurations.
More Spitfire Mk Vs were built than any other type, with 6,487 in total, followed by the 5,656 Mk IXs.
It is understood there are only 54 Spitfires that are in airworthy condition around the world. The oldest surviving Spitfire is a Mark 1, serial number K9942 and it is preserved at the RAF Museum Cosford in Shropshire.
This was the 155th built and first flew in April 1939. It flew operationally with the No. 72 Squadron RAF until June 1940.
