Man, 85, follows in dad's footsteps with Spitfire flight

An 85-year-old man who had always dreamt of flying in a Spitfire has finally been able to do so, following in the footsteps of his father, who trained US pilots to fly them during World War Two.

Derrick Wood went up in one of the fighters on Tuesday with another pilot, taking off from Halfpenny Green, near Wolverhampton in the West Midlands.

The flight, organised by his stepson, took him over his house in Holbrook, Derbyshire, with residents of Holbrook Hall residential care home, which sits next door, gathering outside to wave at him.

"It was fabulous. I could not have wished for anything better," he told the BBC.

In 1941 Derrick's father was sent by British military bosses to New Jersey with a Spitfire that was in pieces in crates.

He showed US military personnel how to construct the fighter and fly it until the end of the war.

"I did not see him for four years from when I was born until I was four," said Derrick.

His stepson Jon Preedy, from Winsford in Cheshire, organised the flight with the company Ultimate Warbirds Flights.

Jon said Derrick deserved a treat having dedicated a decade to caring for his mother Sandra, who had dementia and diabetes, before her death last year.

"I would say that for the last 10 years he has just been a carer - he has been an absolute martyr," he said.

"I just wanted him to have some recognition for what he has done for us. He has gone above and beyond for us.

"He is just a bit of a hero to me. It's just massive thing. It's mind-blowing - an 85-year-old going up in a Spitfire."

Derrick occasionally goes on day trips with the residents from the neighbouring Holbrook Hall care home.

The home's activities co-ordinator Claire Allen said most of the residents went outside to see him complete several flypasts.

"It was just wonderful, absolutely wonderful. They were all so eager to get out to go and see Derrick," she said.

"I've asked Derrick if he could see us from up there and he said he could, because the pilot really tipped the plane so that he could see the residents all waving to him.

"He did two victory rolls over us - there was meant to be three but he felt a bit queasy so he chickened out of the third."

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