At 102 years old, veteran WWII pilot takes to the skies on a delightfully bumpy ride for charity

LONDON (AP) — A former Royal Air Forces pilot has taken to the skies in a Spitfire at 102 years old. Jack Hemmings, an ex-squadron leader with Britain’s air force, is believed to be the oldest pilot to fly the World War II plane. His 20-minute flight, from an airfield in southern England on Monday, was to raise money for a charity he co-founded nearly 80 years ago. The veteran said it was “absolutely delightful” being back behind the controls, though the ride was “very bumpy.” Hemmings was raising funds for Mission Aviation Fellowship, a humanitarian air service he helped launch after WWII alongside D-Day veteran Stuart King. The flight marked 80 years since the D-Day landings and paid tribute to King, who died in 2020.