quadron Leader Dunc Mason, an ex-cadet of 2499 (Wokingham) Squadron, has been appointed as the Commanding Officer of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
He will lead the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane. The aircraft are regularly seen at events commemorating World War II, upon British State occasions, notably the Trooping the Colour celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday as well as the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton in 2011, and at air displays throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. Although usually seen flying in a formation of three, the Lancaster flanked by a fighter on each wing, the Flight comprises 12 aircraft, including six Spitfires, two Hurricanes, a Douglas Dakota, and two De Havilland Chipmunks.
Sqn Ldr Mason joined the Royal Air Force in 1991 and after flying training completed tours on 3(F) Squadron RAF Laarbruch on the Harrier GR7 and 19(F) Squadron RAF Valley as a Flying and Weapons Instructor, on the Hawk T1. In 2002, Dunc was selected for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic team; The Red Arrows, displaying with them until 2005. He was then posted back to the Harrier as a Flight Commander on 1(F) Squadron and subsequently to 800 Naval Air Squadron, both based at RAF Cottesmore. Dunc undertook operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan with the Harrier GR9 and numerous exercises globally on land and at sea. Dunc is married with 3 children and in his spare time he enjoys all sports, particularly squash, cycling and mountaineering.