A 91-year-old who became fascinated by Spitfires during World War II has finally achieved her dream of flying in one.
Doreen Allen fell in love with the ‘beautiful’ aircraft after witnessing a Spitfire dogfight when she was just six years old.
She was awed by how the plane ‘turned on a sixpence’ and decided then she would one day take to the skies in a Spitfire herself.
Fast-forward 85 years, and Doreen was able to fulfil her lifetime ambition
Taking off from Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent, the pensioner got to fly in the same place the Battle of Britain was fought.
Recalling the first time she saw Spitfires, Doreen, of Kettering, Northamptonshire., said: ‘I fell in love with the plane, it was a beautiful, beautiful plane.
‘I stood there and thought I would love to fly in one of them.
‘I promised myself that one day if I had the money and when I’m 90 I’m going to treat myself to a ride in a spitfire. So I did.’
Doreen’s first flight in the iconic RAF war plane was postponed for health reasons and the second because of the weather.
But on the third try, her dream finally became a reality last month, and thankfully very much lived up expectations.
‘It was everything I imagined it would be and more,’ she said.
‘To even see a Spitfire makes me emotional, but to fly in one has been a lifelong dream.
‘The best bit was the take-off, it’s my favourite thing when I fly.’
Doreen, a resident at ExtraCare’s Sunley Court retirement scheme, made the drive down to Ashford with her children and grandchildren.
But she has no plans to slow down her adventuring.
She said: ‘I don’t think I will be able to top this experience but up next, I plan to go up in a hot air balloon with my daughter-in-law.’
Last month, World War II veteran Manette Baillie became Britain’s oldest ever parachutist, after celebrating her 102nd birthday with a tandem skydive.
Manette jumped out of a plane at 7,000ft above Beccles Airfield in Suffolk.
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