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Article: Knights of the air. (the Battle of Britain) (Britain)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- September 15, 1990
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1990 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE Imperial War Museum is doing a roaring trade in Spitfire-emblazoned underpants. Waves of second-worldwar movies are being re-shown on television. On September 9th 50,000 people stood enthralled on the Kent coast as the loudspeakers played "Land of Hope and Glory" and Spitfires and Messerschmitts swooped over, head. In recession-gripped Britain, nostalgia for the Battle of Britain looks slump-proof.
Fittingly, the climax of this week's non, stop celebrations will fall on Saturday September 15th, when a massed formation of 168 aircraft, including five Spitfires and two Hurricanes, will fly over central London. It will be exactly 50 years since hundreds of ...