When Thulimbah’s Mark Appo surveyed the weather, pre-dawn on ANZAC Day morning, he “almost cried” but this feeling was about more than the emotional remembrance the day signifies.
The exceptionally experienced pilot told our newspaper that “visibility was extremely low” and if prospects didn’t improve, the chances he could fly his beloved “replica Supermarine Spitfire”, organised with precision over several months, were “highly unlikely”.
As the cloud cover began to lift, Mark’s spirits followed and the veteran pilot was keen to tell us more about what march patrons were to witness.
“The Spitfire was designed by the team at Supermarine, led by their chief designer RJ Mitchell, in response to a call by the Air Ministry in 1934, for a high-performance fighter with wing-mounted machine guns, in response to a growing threat from Germany,” he relayed.
Mr Mitchell used his successful “float plane designs,” previously winning the coveted Schneider Trophy and setting the world speed record in 1931, to the design table.
“The original design of the Spitfire centred around a 1,000 horsepower, 12-cylinder, liquid cooled Rolls-Royce PV-12 engine,” Mark continued, of the prototype - designation K5054 – that took its maiden flight on March 5, 1936.
“Two days later, Hitler moved troops, signalling the start of a pathway that led to World War Two,” Mark said. “(And) the Air Ministry liked Mitchell’s design and the prototype … so the Spitfire was given approval and went into production, with the Royal Air Force entering them into service in August 1938.”
Twelve months later, in September 1939, World War II was declared and Mark said that as Australians answered the call to arms, “our pilots were no different”.
“Royal Australian Air Force squadrons 452 and 457 were formed in England and flew Spitfires alongside the Royal Air Force,” he recounted. “The 457 squadron was later redeployed to Darwin and engaged in combat against Japanese aircraft, and defended northern Australia. The squadrons saw combat in the United Kingdom, France, Australia and the southwest Pacific during World War Two.”
Mark agreed that the Spitfire, along with the pilots, “became an icon of Work War Two,” later immortalised in the 1942 film, “First of the Few” that “draws its name from Winston Churchill’s speech about the Battle of Britain air crew”.
“The Spitfire became the symbol of modern flying and inspired many a pilot,” Mark said.
With the dawn of April 25, 2025, as a first-time opportunity for all ANZAC Day march patrons, Mark said he “was privileged” to fly over the crowds just after 10.30am.
“On my approach to the main street, I could see the crowds of people lining the footpaths to watch the parade and was such a privilege to fly down the street and honour those that have served,” he told us.
“In every conflict there is a piece of military hardware that stands out, and changes the tide of the conflict, and as it so often is the case, ushers in a hard-fought win. For World War Two, it was the Supermarine Spitfire, an interceptor fighter, credited with winning many dogfights, but most notably, in its role in the Battle of Britain.”
Comments on the street were of amazement at seeing the overhead spectacle on April 25.
Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor, Melissa Hamilton praised all involved in this local march, and those across the region.
"A big thank you to the Stanthorpe RSL Sub-branch for arranging the flyovers at the Stanthorpe ANZAC Day Parade. Everyone enjoyed the impressive F/A-18F Super Hornet, and the low flyover of the Spitfire showed its distinctive wings to great effect, evoking the classic images from the Second World War. It was very much enjoyed by all the crowd, and complemented another wonderful ANZAC Day march in Stanthorpe."
"That was awesome," eight year-old Toby Armstrong, who was watching with his family, said.
"Credit to Mark who spent countless hours preparing for what was something truly memorable own this special day," Toby's dad, Robert added. "I'm sure the veterans and all the families appreciated his efforts."
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