The Friendly Invasion, Masters of the Air, The Mighty Eighth 4 day Tour

This tour begins and ends in London, where there is a wealth of WWII heritage to visit independantly either before or after our Friendly Invasion tour.

There is the wonderful Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, offering unique temporary displays and permanent exhibitions featuring excellent displays on the war, particularly its vivid recreation of a blitz bomb shelter. The Churchill War Cabinet Rooms is a top choice, a secret bunker now a museum celebrating the life and legacy of Winston Churchill. Westminster Abbey features the beautiful stained glass window dedicated to the pilots of Fighter Command. Another iconic option is St Paul's Cathedral, learn about the touching story of the Home Guard protecting the Cathedral from the blitz bombs making St Pauls one of the symbols of courage for Londoners. On a Naval interest, there is the HMS Belfast ship to visit near the great Tower of London. Spoilt for choice in the capital!

The North London RAF Museum, set on the historic site of the Hendon Aerodrome, is a top option on the aviation theme; comprised of five major buildings and hangars dedicated to the history of aviation and the British Royal Air Force. There are several interactive exhibits, a Battle of Britain Hall, flight simulators and a 3D cinema in addition to the extensive aircraft collection. This museum houses over 100 aircraft including some very early designs, one of only two surviving Vickers Wellingtons, the Avro Lancaster S-Sugar, the only complete Hawker Typhoon and the only Boulton Paul Defiant remaining in the world.

There is also the possibility of a guided walking tour of London and the Blitz and even touching on James Bond and the 'birth' of British espionage. Ask us for details!

Perhaps 'link up' your Mighty 8th adventure with an airshow!

Duxford Flying Legends Airshow - Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow - Farnborough International Airshow (tentatively 25-26 July, 2020.)

Friday

Depart our London meeting point at 09:00 and head north. Our route will take us via two places of interest that will set the stage for our tour.

It was at Bletchley Park that the Germans ‘uncrackable’ Enigma Code was broken, allowing the allies to read Axis wireless traffic. The museum holds some fascinating exhibits. Seeing the Enigma machines will be an undoubted highlight. The site now boasts a Visitor Centre, restored buildings and refreshed exhibits to preserve and commemorate the tireless work of the Codebreakers. The landscape is being returned to its tranquil setting, with areas returned to lawn and the footprints of the long-gone Huts 2 and 9 marked out to remind visitors where they were. The tennis courts have also been restored to grass, as they were in late 1940 and early 1941.

Later today, explore the university city of Cambridge. In this sleepy, easily-walked medieval city, enjoy a brief walking tour with your guide followed by free time. See one of the colleges and possibly students punt on the backs of the River Cam. There’s the excellent Fitzwilliam Museum and great shopping available too, as time and interest will permit. Our time in Cambridge will include The Eagle Bar, another hangout for servicemen, including The Mighty Eighth, and we can view graffiti and signatures left by them on the walls and ceiling. Here we can raise a glass in their honour.

Overnight: Cambridge, BB

Saturday

Imperial War Museum Duxford deserves much of our time today. Set within the spacious grounds of the famous former First and Second World War airfield, IWM Duxford has been called one of the finest collections of tanks, military vehicles and naval exhibits in the country. Housed here is the 1940 Operations Room, which orchestrated the Battle of Britain, and The American Air Museum honouring US airmen who fought from UK shores. The AirSpace section tells the story of British and Commonwealth aviation, home to over 30 aircraft including an iconic Spitfire, a legendary Lancaster and the fastest-ever Concorde.

Also today, the American Cemetery, paying respect to the US soldiers and airmen who lost their lives in WWII, both those buried here and the memorial wall to over 5,000 MIAs including Joe Kennedy Jr and Big Band leader Glenn Miller. There is a mural in the chapel dedicated to “the final flight” of these brave airmen.

Our base in East Anglia these next two nights is a historic hotel in a very scenic local village. The hotel bar is The Airmen's Bar, frequented by The Mighty Eighth while they were stationed at the nearby airfields, and full of memontos and their signatures on the wall.

Overnight: Swan at Lavenham, DBB

Sunday

Today we have a full day in East Anglia exploring the airfields and memorials to the RAF and the US Airmen who protected the skies during WWII.

RAF Thorpe Abbotts is home to the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, in the original control tower and other out buildings. This place is dedicated to the US Eighth Air Force. The museum highlights documents, photographs, uniforms and service equipment, plus a recreation of the original teleprinter room. The collection includes a number of maps plus war-related artefacts from the war's effects on the soldiers and how the group eventually came to be called the "Bloody Hundredth". (Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays only May - Sept.)

Rougham Control Tower is a small, friendly Aviation Museum, dedicated to the American Airmen and women who served in the 322nd BG and the 94th BG of the USAAF Eighth Air Force during WWII. There is a traditional Sunday market held here as well, which includes farmers market with arts, crafts, home and garden items and a car boot sale. (Sundays only May - Oct.)

The Red Feather Club, 95th Museum at Horham is also on the day's agenda. The 95th Bomb Group Heritage Association has faithfully restored the air base buildings to keep alive the memory of the 95th’s role in World War II. This is a living museum and monument to the only Eighth Air Force Bomb Group to receive the Distinguished Unit Citation three times. (last Sunday of the month April - Oct or by special appointment, subject to availabilty.)

Should we manage any additional time, there is much to discover in this pretty region. Today and tomorrow we can also explore some of the lovely ‘Suffolk Wool Towns,’  among the best-preserved historic towns and prettiest villages in Suffolk. Step back in time to the era of the Tudors and Puritans, when the wool trade was at its peak and these towns were among the richest places in the country. Sudbury, once home to painter Thomas Gainsborough and the birthplace of Thomas Davies, whose signal to Paul Revere set off that famous ride, is one destination. We will particularly spend some time in our base town of Lavenham, often called ‘England’s Best-Preserved Medieval Village.’

Overnight: Swan at Lavenham, DBB

Monday

More explorations of East Anglia airfields and memorials today, as well as the Suffolk villages.

Still a working airfield, visit "Old Buck," Old Buckingham Airbase, the wartime base of Walter Mattau and Oscar winner Jimmy Stewart, who was the Operations Officer. Here see the 453rd Museum and Eighth Air Force Heritage Gallery. The 453rd, part of The Mighty Eighth, flew 259 missions in B-24 Liberators. They dropped 15,804 tonnes of bombs and in the process lost 58 aircraft. Most importantly 366 servicemen lost their lives serving from Old Buck. Part of the 70th Anniversary in 2013, the memorial to the 366 has been moved to a new memorial garden, with a figure 8 path to mark the Eighth Air Force.

Finally, something a bit different to conclude our celebrations, is a tour and tasting at the English Whisky Company. Here discover over 600 years of the Nelstrop family and enjoy sampling what was named "European Whisky of the Year" in 2015. A scenic spot, the distillery sits amongst a grove of cricket bat willows which run down to the gently flowing river Thet.

Return to London by this evening.

Please note: All attraction opening times are correct at time of printing this website. While we will do our utmost to include all of the properties mentioned as central visits, we reserve the right to change an attraction should it become impossible to deliver a planned visit due to changes in opening days or times beyond our control.

Oft imitated, never duplicated! This is an original SGT itinerary, property of Special Group Tours and to be used only with express permission/in conjunction with SGT.