Veterans’ Day was celebrated at RAF Hendon today with a fly-past by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota.

More than 400 veterans attended the annual event, in Colindale, which involved musical performances by The Jive Aces, a raffle and the fly-past.

The Dakota, which is now flown as a tribute to Second World War pilots, was used as a military transport plane during the 1940s.

At 12.30pm today it swept over RAF Hendon three times allowing the veterans and other visitors a good view.

Bill Moore, 89, who was in the RAF during the Second World War, said: “It has been a lovely day. I used to fly the Dakota in Rhodesia.

“We used them as commercial planes. My daughter was an air hostess on one!”

“It was lovely to see the old plane in action again.”

The event was also attended by Barnet’s new mayor, Councillor Brian Schama.

Cllr Schama said: “It is wonderful being here. This is my first official job as mayor.

“I live in Hendon and went to school in Burnt Oak so I remember the original Hendon aerodrome.

“You look at this plane that just flew over and you realise how much they achieved in those days and how much things have moved on now.”