Spitfires grace the region's skies to mark beginning of the Battle of Britain

Planes from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were joined by private Spitfire owners to mark the first day of Unternehmen Adlerangriff, the German operation to destroy the Royal Air Force in World War Two.

Up to 13 Spitfires took off from Humberside Airport and split into three sections of aircraft to fly over as many villages, towns and cities as fuel would allow.

For planes flew up through North Yorkshire, passing over York, Thirsk and RAF Leeming before heading towards Teesside.

Flying officer Tom Mallin, operations assistant on the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, described the event as a “balbo”, a term used during the war to describe a large formation of aircraft.

He said: “We want people to appreciate the sheer sight and sound of these Spitfires.

“They are all from different providers. The RAF is providing three of them and one Hurricane plane, which are the only ones we have left.

“The others have come from private providers. It’s very unusual to see this many all at once.

“Everyone’s making a special effort this year because it’s such a big anniversary.

“It’s taken a lot of organising getting that many old aircraft of that type ready. It’s no mean feat.”

He said RAF pilots have been specially trained to fly the aircraft.

"They volunteer to fly them, but are carefully selected. They have to be at the top of their flying game,” he said.

The planes are described as “tail draggers” because the third wheel is behind, which differs from modern aircraft, which have a third wheel at the front.

Experts say the destruction of the Royal Air Force would have cleared the way for the invasion of Britain. The German attacks on August 13, 1940 inflicted significant damage and casualties on the ground but they did not make a significant impression of Fighter Command’s ability to defend British air space.

The engagements resulting from Adlertag became known as the Battle of Britain.