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    • 2023 GROUP TOURS >
      • Medieval Britain (May 17-28)
      • The Cinderella Army (Sep 28 - Oct 14)
      • Italian Campaign (Oct 17-30)
    • 2024 GROUP TOURS >
      • Northwest Europe (Apr 21 - May 6)
      • 80th Anniversary of D-Day (May 29 - Jun 11)
      • Northwest Europe (Sep 19 - Oct 3)
    • 2025 GROUP TOURS >
      • Holland Liberation 80th Anniversary (Apr 21 - May 7)
  • Testimonials
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2023 The Flying Legends
Battlefield Tour

the planes & airFIELDS of wartime britain

2023 The Flying Legends Battlefield Tour

The Planes & Airfields of Wartime Britain

At a glance     
September 13-24, 2023 • 12 days

Overnight destinations     
London • Cambridge • Lincoln • Cambridge

Highlights     
Imperial War Museum Duxford • Royal Air Force Museum Hendon • RCAF / RAF / USAAF Bases • Battle of Britain Bunker • Biggin Hill • Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome • Petwood Hotel (Dambusters) • International Bomber Command Centre • Hawkinge • Bletchley Park  ​scroll down to see complete details
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From the dark days of The Battle of Britain ... and The Blitz ... to the thunderous ‘round-the-clock bombing campaign of Bomber Command ... the RCAF, 8th USAAF and RAF ... visit the airfields from which the Spitfires and Hurricanes rose to meet the enemy, and from which the Lancasters and Flying Fortresses ’bombed up’ and headed toward Germany. Touch history ... the old leather and oil ... the sights and sounds of the heroism that defended Britain against the mighty Luftwaffe, and then at great cost, carried the war towards victory. 

Join Liberation Tours on our Flying Legends Tour - learn how we gained Allied air supremacy over Europe, and pay homage to those brave kids who took to the skies to defend our freedom.

​All our tours are carbon-neutral.

ITINERARY
Tuesday September 12
For many of our Canadian travelers it is departure day, for the overnight transatlantic flight to England. Some travelers may choose to leave for Europe sooner to extend the start of the trip - let us know if we can quote you on pre-tour accommodations.

Guests who have other travels already in progress, or g
uests from other points of origin including the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere, will meet the start of the tour on Day 1 in London.

Day 1
Wednesday September 13
In the mid-afternoon all clients can check into the group hotel. In the meantime, luggage is stored in the hotel baggage lock-up. Today you are free to explore London, an amazing city of history and monuments waiting to be discovered including the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Imperial War Museum, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Platform 9-3/4 at Kings Cross Station ... and so much more! 

In the evening we gather in the heart of London at the historic RAF Club for our Welcome Dinner, to share a glass of wine and set the stage for our special journey. Overnight London - Radisson Blu Edwardian Mercer Street. [D]​​

Day 2
Thursday September 14
The tour takes flight, with a short drive south to visit historic Biggin Hill - featuring the Heritage Hanger and the Memorial Museum. Biggin Hill was one of the primary fighter bases from which the Spitfires and Hurricanes scrambled to defend London during the Battle of Britain, and several RCAF squadrons were based here. Biggin Hill is arguably the most famous of all the RAF Stations of WWII.

For lunch we visit a nearby historic restaurant, frequented by RCAF crew while stationed at Biggin Hill during the war.

We return to London, and enjoy the afternoon visiting local monuments in the city including the imposing Bomber Command Memorial, The Firefighters Memorial, and several more. Overnight London - Radisson Blu Edwardian Mercer Street. [B,L]​

Day 3
Friday September 15
We rise early and escape the big city, heading southwest to Kent and the channel coast. We'll visit the Battle of Britain Memorial at Folkestone, the 'National Memorial to the Few' featuring the memorial, the wing and the wall. While here, you might wish to pop into the Cockpit Café, known as 'the café with the best view in Kent' - overlooking the channel coast toward France.

We'll take a tour of the Battle of Britain Museum at nearby Hawkinge, which boasts the largest BofB memorabilia collection. A short walk takes us to nearby Hawkinge CWGC Cemetery, which includes a small group of burials of pilots who died during the Battle of Britain.

During the day we'll pause for lunch atop the cliffs overlooking the English Channel, and in the afternoon we make our way home. Overnight London - Radisson Blu Edwardian Mercer Street. [B,L]​

Day 4
​
Saturday September 16 
This morning we take some time in reflection at the Runnymede Memorial, which commemorates over 20,000 air forces who died and have no known grave - including 3,000+ Canadians.

Our day continues at the fascinating Battle of Britain Bunker. Much of the BofB was coordinated from here and the preserved Operations Room, along with the new exhibit space, make for a fantastic tour. We conclude our time here with lunch at another historic site nearby.

In the afternoon we visit the Royal Air Force Museum at RAF Hendon, the official museum of the RAF, which in 2018 was greatly expanded and upgraded for the 100th Anniversary of the RAF. Here you can get up close with both vintage and modern aircraft. Overnight Cambridge - Hilton City Centre. [B,L]​

Day 5
Sunday September 17
Today is a feature visit to the Imperial War Museum’s collection at RAF Duxford, housing an impressive array of both WWII and post-war era aircraft, and much more. It is an extensive site that offers a rich experience, and will be one of the highlights of the trip. 

Subject to suitable scheduling announcements from RAF Duxford in early 2023, this tour aims to incorporate the Battle Of Britain Airshow on this day. 
Overnight Cambridge - Hilton City Centre. [B,L]​

Day 6
Monday September 18
East Anglia calls us this morning, for an impressive 8th USAAF visit at the Parham Airfield Museum, home of 390th Bomb Group. The atmosphere of the original control tower is spellbinding. Parham has been preserved to such an extent that it leaves a lasting impression.

We return to Cambridge for free time in the afternoon to visit this historic county and university town. Overnight Cambridge - Hilton City Centre. [B,L]

Day 7
Tuesday September 19
The tour hits the road again, this time via East Anglia on the way to Lincolnshire. We’ll pay an extended visit with our friends at Horham Airfield Museum and the Red Feather Club, home to the 95th Bomb Group of the 8th USAAF. Horham has been amazingly restored and preserved, and a visit here is literally a step back into history. Overnight Lincoln - Doubletree by Hilton. [B,L]​

Day 8
Wednesday September 20
Today's local excursion begins at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, a must-see visit which features Avro Lancaster Bomber NX611 Just Jane. A great gift shop also awaits! 

We will sit for lunch down the road in Woodhall Spa at the historic Petwood Hotel. The bar at Petwood was frequented by officers of the legendary 617 Dambusters Squadron and relics of their exploits adorn the walls - you can almost imagine them standing next to you, enjoying a pint.

Later we visit RAF Coningsby and the home of Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, featuring one of only two flying Lancaster bombers (the other is based in Ontario at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum). Their 2014 reunion in the skies over England made headlines on both sides of the Altantic. Overnight Lincoln -
Doubletree by Hilton. [B,L]

Day 9
Thursday September 21
Day Nine takes us to the International Bomber Command Centre for a tour. This world-class facility provides the most comprehensive record of Bomber Command in the world and serves as a wonderful point for remembrance.

In the afternoon we visit RAF Scampton Heritage Centre, housed in an original WWII hanger. It was from here that The Dambusters took flight for their famous raid. Scampton is also home to the UK's famous flying team, the Red Arrows. Overnight Lincoln - Doubletree by Hilton. [B,L]​

Day 10
Friday September 22
It’s time to say goodbye to Lincolnshire and return to Cambridge. Along the way we make a stop at Bletchley Park, once the top secret centre for Allied code-breaking efforts which contributed substantially to the success of the Allied war effort. 

In the afternoon we pay our respects at Cambridge American Cemetery at Madingley, the final resting place and commemorative site of nearly 9,000 U.S. service personnel who gave their lives in the skies over Nazi Europe. Overnight Cambridge - Hilton City Centre.[B,L]​

Day 11
Saturday September 23
Our final day of the tour offers an opportunity to experience the broader history of military aviation. We take the coach into the quiet Essex countryside to tour the amazing Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, a hidden gem which hearkens back to the earliest days of aviation. Perhaps you might want to join the Propeller Club, or stop in at the Mess Hall Café & Shop.

​In the evening we gather for our Farewell Dinner, to raise a glass to all the Flyboys who took to the skies. Per Ardua Ad Astra. Overnight Cambridge - Hilton City Centre. [B,L,D]​​

Day 12
Sunday September 24
This morning is departure day for those Canadians returning home on the optional group flight - buffet or box breakfast is included, depending on departure time from the hotel. Some travelers may choose to remain in Europe longer to extend the end of the trip - let us know if we can quote you on post-tour accommodations.
​

Others guests will depart for home or continue their travels on other routes. [B]
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Note: This itinerary is subject to minor alteration prior to the booking deadline. Clients should also keep in mind that minor variances are always possible during the actual tour based on the need to adapt to circumstances we encounter during our travels.
Click to Download Brochure

Comparisons to other tours, and who should go ...

  • the Vimy Ridge Day tour is focused on WWI in France  & Belgium
  • the Northwest Europe tour is a mixture of WWI and WWII, France-Belgium-Holland
  • this tour is a mixture of WWI and WWII, but is highly focused on the Air Force
  • for travelers who want to follow in the footsteps of an air force veteran, especially of WWII from the RAF, RCAF or USAAF,  this is the tour for you
  • want to create a truly superior trip? combine this tour with an adjacent tour for an amazing back-to-back travel experience!

    Flying Legends Tour + Cinderella Army = September 13-24 followed by September 28 - October 14, with several days off between tours to visit extra sights in London; simply remain in London at the end of the Flying Legends tour, and a few days later you'll start your next adventure with Cinderella Army! We can reserve your custom inter-tour accommodations and custom flight arrangements; best of all, we'll take $750 per person off your total tour package (direct bookings only, sorry no agents).

PRICING
$6590 CAD Land Only, Per Person, Based on Double Occupancy (two people sharing a room)
$2100 CAD Single Supplement (the additional cost if traveling on your own - one person in the room)

PRICING INCLUDES:
  • An expert Canadian Historian, and an expert Canadian Tour Director, who will both accompany you on your full tour
  • Fully-researched relevant military service biographies, incorporated daily into our presentations while on tour
  • Eleven nights accommodation in twin or double rooms with private facilities
  • Travel by luxury air-conditioned coach with reclining seats, facilities and free on-board Wi-Fi
  • Buffet breakfast (cold and/or hot) at the hotel each morning, plus select meals as outlined in the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner); lunches and dinners typically include a glass of wine/beer
  • All entrances as per your itinerary
  • All hotel service charges, local taxes, and porterage (where available, one bag per person) are included
  • Gratuities to Coach Driver and Local Guides are included ... these costs are extra on most other tours and can add up to $200 CAD or more per person at the end of your trip, be sure to compare
  • Tour package which includes select daily detailed historical battle maps, period photographs, original audio recordings, and more ... a complete digital copy of all this is also given to you at the farewell dinner - an invaluable personal resource

PRICING EXCLUDES:
  • Airfare
    Note: an optional group air booking is available for Canadian travelers, departing from Toronto, details to be posted in October 2022; we can provide a quote for connecting flights from other gateways in Canada; alternatively, we can quote flights for any dates/routes of your preference; travelers on the group flight will be picked up from London Heathrow Airport on September 13, 2023 and dropped off to Heathrow Airport on September 24, 2023; all other travelers are responsible for their own airport transfers
  • Meals other than stated on the itinerary
  • Travel Insurance Protection - check with your favourite travel agent or ask us for a quote from Manulife 
  • Passport & related fees
  • Any optional excursion not specifically stated
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Pre-tour and/or post-tour accommodations - check with your favourite travel agent or ask us for a quote

IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • Hotels have been pre-booked but are subject to change
  • This tour requires a minimum of 25 passengers to operate
  • Non-refundable deposit of $500 per person due upon booking
  • Balance of payment due on or before the booking deadline: June 12, 2023
  • Liberation Tours will donate on your behalf to Forest Recovery Canada, to make your trip carbon-neutral
  • Download and read our Terms & Conditions ​prior to making your booking

Book Your Trip!
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If you have questions, contact your favourite travel agent or:

John Cannon, Tour Director
1-833-252-0001  |  booking@liberationtours.ca 

​
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Join us on the journey of a lifetime.
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©2023 Liberation Tours Inc.
info@liberationtours.ca

(833) 252-0001
(647) 812-9601


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