A British flight instructor is taking on an ambitious aviation challenge to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, warning the world risks losing its history by neglecting the stories of great war heroes.
Emma Munford, 47, from Surrey, plans to fly into 85 airfields in just two days this June, with a dedication to "the spirit of the few."
The challenge aims to raise funds for three aviation charities dedicated to preserving Britain's aerial warfare history.
"I'm incredibly passionate about the preservation and conservation of our Aviation History, making our younger generations aware of what's gone before," Munford wrote on her GoFundMe page.
Emma Munford will be taking the flight challenge
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Munford, who co-owns AirFirst Flight Training School at Blackbushe Airport with her mother, believes educating young people about aviation history is vital.
In an interview with GB News, Munford emphasised the importance of teaching children about the Battle of Britain and her admiration for pilots like John "Paddy" Hemingway, the last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, who died aged 105 earlier this month.
She told GB News: "I think it's incredibly important and is something that should never be forgotten. I think all younger generations and all children should be exposed to that and know about that. Should learn about that in school. Definitely.
"Reading about Paddy, just thinking about it does make you truly proud to be British, what that generation did, I don't think we'll ever see another generation do the same again, to be honest.
"Our armed forces and our military, they're absolutely brilliant, but of course time has moved on, and it's very different in present time to what it was back then."
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Munford, who co-owns AirFirst Flight Training School at Blackbushe Airport
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The Kent Battle of Britain Museum near Folkestone, The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby and Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome in Essex will all receive money from the fundraising push.
Munford described Stow Maries as "the largest and most intact Great War Aerodrome in Europe" but pointed out it faces daily closure threats due to funding shortages.
She told the People's Channel: "It's a real gem of a place. I believe that for all of these places, children, younger generations, they should all visit these places and see what it was like and sort of understand the history behind it.
"If we lose Stow Maries we'll never see anything like that again. There isn't anything in the UK like that anywhere else. We'll not just lose British history but World history too."
"All money raised will come in together to this one fundraiser and will then be split equally between the benefactors," Munford explained.
Her passion for aviation history developed through her flying adventures with a teddy bear named Captain Blondie.
"The passion has grown for vintage and historic aviation, sort of through what I've been doing with the teddy bear, really realising, sort of how much time, money and effort it takes to keep these places open," she added.
