Colin Bell, WWII Mosquito Bomber Pilot, Takes To The Sky Again, At 105 Years Old

Added: 2026-05-11

[00:00:01]Now, 105-year-old Flight Lieutenant Colin Bell is the last surviving World War II Mosquito bomber pilot.

[00:00:09]For VE Day celebrations, he got the chance to return to the cockpit of a biplane and fly over his old airfield.

[00:00:16]And our reporter, John McGuire, has been along with him.

[00:00:21]So, Colin, when did you last fly one of these?

[00:00:25]When I was at Feltwell aerodrome. Colin Bell's very first flight was in a biplane as he trained to be a pilot at the age of 20.

[00:00:35]He's now 105.

[00:00:38]So, high time he was reacquainted with the aircraft type.

[00:00:42]He was, as always, full of beans and full of mischief. I haven't been in an aircraft like this for a long time.

[00:00:51]There we are. It's uh uh quite a bit of fun.

[00:00:56]I'm looking forward to it.

[00:00:58]What was a typical day during the war?

[00:01:01]If you've ever heard of the four F's?

[00:01:04]Uh feeding, uh flying, fighting. I can't remember what the last one was, but >> [laughter] >> I'm sure you'll be able to help me out.

[00:01:15]>> [laughter] >> I'm not sure I'm allowed, Colin.

[00:01:18]Okay.

[00:01:21]The flight plan for today was to take Colin back to the skies above his Second World War base in Norfolk.

[00:01:30]So, was he impressed? But I must say I prefer to fly with a aircraft that's got an enclosed cockpit. Ah. But uh um it was nice to see Downham Market again from the air and my old airfield from uh 80 years ago on.

[00:01:51]Uh quite an experience. One I wouldn't have missed for ages.

[00:02:00]As it was VE Day, there was a chance to pause and to remember Colin's friends and comrades who gave their lives in action. We will remember them.

[00:02:09]>> You have to remember that Bomber Command lost half its complement during World War II.

[00:02:18]So, it brings back memories and not all of them were happy ones. I mean, even on my squadron where we flew Mosquitos, uh we lost um uh 25% of our complement while I was on my tour. But, in war, people get killed.

[00:02:38]That's the fact remains.

[00:02:41]But, um we don't like to think too much about it, but we we remember we must remember and honor those guys who gave their lives for our freedom.

[00:02:52]And to pay their respects, this storied airman was joined by two service women from today's Royal Air Force.

[00:03:00]I'm in awe of him, um I will say. Um obviously, we owe a debt to his generation.

[00:03:05]Um I've worked on I'm I'm an aircraft engineer. I've worked on Tornados. I've been in um various places around the world. And I like I say, that I'm still in awe of those guys. Yes, it's been uh it's been lovely today to see Colin here and um show our great thanks to everything that he his generation have done for us today.

[00:03:24]Along with his remarkable service record flying 50 missions over Germany in his beloved Mosquito bomber and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, in recent months Colin has become a best-selling author. In one story, he recalls a narrow escape as his plane came under heavy anti-aircraft fire.

[00:03:44]I put the airplane into a steep diving turn to get out of the searchlight cone.

[00:03:52]As I did I turned to my navigator and said, "You weren't frightened, were you, Doug?" "No," he said after a pause, then very deliberately, "I wasn't frightened. I was bloody terrified."

[00:04:12]So, another day airborne for Colin. Once an aviator, always an aviator.

[00:04:19]What was that like, Colin?

[00:04:21]And as he says, it's always fun to fly when you're not being shot at.

[00:04:27]Tom McGuire, BBC News, Great Massingham in Norfolk.

[00:04:33]What a character. What a legend, yeah, absolutely. [laughter] And naughty still at 105. Remarkable for 105. I know, well done him. Uh well done him. It is I'm I'm blushing a little bit.

[00:04:44]>> [laughter] >> And that takes quite a lot. It does.

[00:04:47]It's It's 6:28. It's time now to get the news to come and the weather where you are.

[00:04:56]Very good morning to you. Colin is great, isn't he? Hello there, I'm Jenny Kirk with the latest from BBC Look East.