Wartime pilot Joy Lofthouse took to the skies in a Spitfire to celebrate VE Day this week - over 70 years after she first flew the plane in the Second World War.
The 92-year-old grandmother took off from Boultbee Flight Academy in Chichester as a passenger – but briefly took over the controls during the flight, saying afterwards the flight had made her feel ‘quite young’ again.
Joy flew Royal Air Force and Royal Navy warplanes from maintenance units to the front-line squadrons during the war, as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary.
Despite flying solo during the war years, she admitted she was apprehensive before her most recent flight, saying she didn’t feel as confident as she did back then. ‘I was excited, but aware of my age. So hoping that things went OK.’
'I’m so lucky to be given this chance to fly in this again. It’s very hard to describe the feeling.'
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