Seen departing runway 31 after a night stop. First visit to Luqa by ZM421.

Operated by 3 Squadron of the RNAS. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Believed to be the day the photographer, Arnold McDonald, had his first flight as recorded in his diary. Photo from: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

A Ju 88 and Heinkel Ill, captured German aircraft, at RAF Northolt, G/C Ernest A. McNab's RCAF 1 Sqn Fighter Station. They were inspected by the King and Queen during their visit to the station. The He 111 was formerly 1H-EN of II/KG26 and is here still carrying the badge of KG26, just visible behind the propeller. It force-landed 09-Feb-1940 with minor damage on open moorland at North Berwick Law on the south side of the Firth of Forth after combat with a Spitfire of 602 Sqn. It was flown by the RAF until 10-Nov-1943 when it was destroyed at Polebrook. The pilot took avoiding action when he saw a Ju 88 landing from the opposite end of the same runway, but spun-in after stalling. Seven of the eleven personnel on board perished. DND photo.

A captured German Focke-Wulf 190 at G/C Ernest A. McNab's R. C. A. F. Fighter Station in England. It was inspected by the King during a visit of their Majesties to the station. Written off 13th October 1944

Sold to Metro Air, New Zealand in February 1998 as ZK-HVK; destroyed in a crash on 12 February 2001 during logging operations, the pilot losing his life.

Converted to a Gnome turboshaft power HAR10. Became an instructional airframe at Halton with maintenance serial 8673M, before ending up at the Caenarfon fire dump in the late 2000s. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

Returning to RAF Lossiemouth not long before sunset in beautiful winter sunshine. It was operating with a 'Thunderbolt' call-sign today, which indicates it was a 42 Squadron crew who flew '808'.

Operated by IX(Bomber) Squadron, this Typhoon can been seen taking off from RAF Lossiemouth. It carries one Paveway IV which was dropped on the range in Scotland.

Now that IX(Bomber) Squadron has relinquished its aggressor role and is now a true multi-role squadron, they changed their Tranche 1 Typhoons for later models. It is good to see they have retained their 'wartime' style codes to honour their fallen comrades.

The low light at Lossiemouth can be stunning during the winter months. As can be seen on this 6 Squadron Typhoon. It is recently that the blue shields with the red can opener on the tails are being replaced with white discs with the same distinctive red can opener.