THE legendary war-time B-17 Flying Fortess bombers returned to Bassingbourn on Saturday as part of a service for Armistice Day. And during the service on the parade ground one of the aircraft with a specially adapted bomb bay performed a low-level pass an

THE legendary war-time B-17 Flying Fortess bombers returned to Bassingbourn on Saturday as part of a service for Armistice Day.

And during the service on the parade ground one of the aircraft with a specially adapted bomb bay performed a low-level pass and dropped poppies over the base.

These, however, were model B-17 bombers belonging to members of the of the Large Model Association.

Seven models took to the sky and, as Major Graham Gibson said, they provided of "poignant reminder" of the USAAF 91st Bomb Group (Heavy) which was based at Bassingbourn during the Second World War.

Members of the Army Training Regiment now based at Bassingbourn Barracks lined the parade ground during the service, led by the chaplain, Fr Michael Fava.

In total, 1,010 Americans from Bassingbourn were killed during the Second World War and 960 were taken prisoners-of-war.

The B-17 Flying Fortress's were based at Bassingbourn from October 1942 to June 1945 and included the now legendary Memphis Belle, which was the first to complete 25 operational missions, and the Nine-O-Nine, which was involved in 140 operational sorties.

Major Gibson said: "People were impressed and the display added to the atmosphere.

"It was unusual and different and had an evocative effect on the occasion.