A Spitfire pilot who died in a crash at a Battle of Britain memorial show said he could not wait to fly the iconic WW2 plane.
Squadron leader and dad-of-two Mark Long was tragically killed as he took part in the May 25 air show commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. But just a few minutes after Long took off from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, his plane crashed.
Long uploaded videos of vintage aircraft, including one about the risks of piloting them. In a March 4 Instagram post, Long uploaded video of Hurricane and Spitfire aircraft mid-flight and shared his excitement about taking part in the upcoming show.
"We are only a few weeks away from getting back flying in these iconic aircraft," he said in the post, according to MailOnline. "Cannot wait."
In an another video, Long explained why pilots needed to be careful about the conditions they fly in: "We have landed here with the Hurricane and Spitfire ready for react later this afternoon. The reason we landed in Gloucester is actually for cross winds.
"I'll show you around the aircraft and you will see what we are operating and why we are so precious about how we pick our winds, surface and flying conditions. What a lovely summer we are having right now as temperatures are soaring.
"The unique element of the Hurricane is that it gets really hot inside but it actually does quite well at keeping itself cool. So you have got the massive propeller at the front of the 17-litre Merlin engine but that on the ground forces the air through the radiator."
Tributes poured in for Long following his death. Group Captain Robbie Lees, Commander Display Air Wing, said in a statement: "It is with great sorrow that I must confirm the death of Squadron Leader Mark Long. Mark was a Typhoon pilot here at RAF Coningsby and for the last four years, he has been a pilot with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. A great friend, colleague, and a passionate, professional aviator he will be sorely missed by all that knew him."
Gp Capt Lees added: "I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the RAF personnel, and our emergency services colleagues who responded so swiftly yesterday. Our thoughts remain with Mark's family and friends to whom we offer our deepest sympathies. We ask that their privacy be respected at this tragic and shocking time."
The Prince and Princess of Wales also paid tribute to the pilot, adding they were "incredibly sad" to learn of the death. They also sent condolences to the pilot's family.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on X, formerly Twitter: "Awful news to see the life of a serving RAF pilot cut short in this tragic event. My thoughts are with their family and loved ones."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer added: "Deeply saddened by news from Lincolnshire. Thank you to the emergency services for their response. My thoughts are with the pilot's family at this awful time."
Lincolnshire Police said nobody else was involved in the crash. RAF Coningsby is home to a collection of wartime fighter and bomber aircraft that take part in air shows and memorial displays.