The thrilling and surreal experience of being inside a plane taking part in the VE Day flypast

Sky News

05-05-2025

The sheer size of the beast is what struck me first.
The Airbus A400M Atlas is a modern transportation plane, usually carrying heavy goods.
But for the VE Day anniversary celebrations, there were only eight on board: the captain, the co-pilots and the crew - alongside me and my cameraman Nathan Hale.
Before being allowed into the cockpit, we had to spend 15 minutes in the hold, usually used for military personnel or cargo.
From below, the roar is deafening and the incline at take off is way more intense than a commercial plane. I felt backflips in my belly, giggling like a schoolgirl experiencing my first rollercoaster.
Once airborne, we were allowed to leave our seats to stumble up to the cockpit.
The views were extraordinary, and we had 90 minutes to soak up the scenery in a holding position above the North Sea while waiting for the other aircraft to join the formation.
Once they arrived, we took up our position in the second wave, behind the Voyager and the Lancaster bomber.
The planes were so close it was surreal, and slightly unnerving.
After more than an hour of chit-chat and laughter among the pilot and his crew, the atmosphere changed, and silence descended.
Only the steady hum of radio chatter competing with the buzz of the engine could be heard.
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Flying so close and so fast requires intense concentration from the crew.
Before we knew it, the landmarks of London appeared, and the countdown began.
"Fifteen seconds," said the pilot over the headset, alerting us that we were about to approach Buckingham Palace, where the King and his family were watching alongside veterans.
The four-hour flight boiled down to this moment. A show of patience and precision, and a tribute to peace.