BBMF leader to move on this October

Squadron Leader Mark 'Disco' Discombe AFC ends his time as Officer Commanding the BBMF this October.

Mark has been on the Flight since 2014 and became Officer Commanding in 2018.

He is one of only two aircrew permanently serving the Flight. The other pilots, navigators, air engineers and air loadmasters come from seven different stations (Brize Norton, Coningsby, Marham, Cranwell, Boscombe Down, Northolt and Waddington) flying five different types of aircraft including the A400 Atlas, Hercules, C17, Sentry and Typhoon as their primary role.

In October 2016, he was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC) for his actions on July 25, 2015 when he managed to return a damaged Hurricane back to Conningsby after an oil leak event. 

With the leaking fluid staining the fuselage and windscreen, he executed a faultless forced landing on the runway and brought the aircraft to a safe halt. At the time, 'Disco' had only 30 hours on type.

Discombe
Squadron Leader Mark 'Disco' Discombe AFC became Officer Commanding of BBMF in 2018. Via Author

Commenting on his departure, Mark quipped: "I'm off to a ground appointment next, so time to catch up on sleep".

Discombe
An image taken on September 18 at Wellesbourne Airfield; Mark stands together with Spitfire 1a P7350. Mark had brought the aircraft in from Duxford to both refuel himself at the airport's Touchdown Café (a splash and dash as he is known to call it) and to replenish the aircraft's AVGAS fuel tanks prior to resuming the day's work with a number of prearranged overflights across the Midlands, before returning to Coningsby. Via Carole Richards

To read more about how the BBMF came to be, read here