Sunday 4 June 2023 dawned as a beautiful day at Tangmere – a very special day as it was the official opening of the Spitfire Mk IX cockpit built by the Museum’s Special Projects Engineering team, led by Bob Goodrick. During the day the Museum attracted over 400 visitors who were also able to access many of the Museum’s cockpits, some of which are not normally available for visitor access.
Simon Fielder, one of Bob’s team, gave an excellent presentation to Museum’s official guests on how the cockpit was built and the challenges faced by the team since the project began in 2014. David Coxon, the Museum’s historian, explained why the decision was made to mark the cockpit as the aircraft flown by a Canadian pilot; Wing Commander Hugh Godefroy DSO, DFC and Bar. In September 1943 this remarkable pilot and fine leader took over command of No 127 Canadian Wing from the famous ‘Johnnie’ Johnson and flew from RAF Tangmere on D-Day, 6 June 1944.
Amongst our official guests were our honorary president, Air Marshal Sir Graham (Dusty) Miller and three of Hugh’s children, Isabel Hodge who lives in Toronto, Canada, Scott Godefroy who lives in North Carolina, United States and his step-son Allan Stalvey from South Carolina, United States. Jay, Hugh’s Grandson, one of the first to sit in the cockpit, remarked how at the age of 49 he is now twice the age his grandfather would have been when flying a Spitfire from Tangmere on D-Day.
The Museum was delighted that our Patron, the Duke of Richmond, Lennox and Gordon, after being introduced by our Chairman, Dudley Hooley to the Special Projects Engineering team and Godefroy family members, officially opened the cockpit by ringing, with the help of some junior Godefroy family, members a ‘scramble’ bell.
