Vintage airplanes soar through blue skies above Painswick Beacon to honour funeral of WWII Spitfire engineer Ken Farlow

The touching fly-past at Painswick Beacon coincided with the much-loved former WWII engineer’s funeral on the morning of Wednesday November 30.

Flying in formation over the cemetery, the three Boeing Stearman soared through the crisp morning air as a sign of respect to the RAF electrical engineer.

They were joined by a North American T.6 Texan, a single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used by the United States Navy and Royal Air Force during World War II.

Mr Farlow, 95, died at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on November 10 after a battle with terminal cancer.

Family and friends gathered together for the funeral at Painswick Church.

Before his passing Ken touched hearts around the country after a picture of him sitting in his wheelchair gazing though the fence at Gloucestershire Airport at the planes he used to work on went viral.

To be reunited with the iconic Spitfires again had been his 'last wish' and when the airport bosses noticed him sitting outside he was invited in and treated to a flight in a two-seater training plane.

The grandfather from Painswick then spent hours talking to the pilots and ground crew, who were captivated by his stories.

As a tribute to him, crews from the airport asked vintage plane owners to organise a fly-over to pay their last respects.

His daughter Helen Nock, who took the viral photograph, thanked the Airport for organising the “wonderful” fly-past.

“Thank you Gloucestershire Airport. We are extremely grateful that this was done at dad's funeral,” she said.

“It was an amazing flypast. One plane dipping its wings whilst going past the cemetery and the other vintage planes coming over and flying into the distance in clear blue skies.

“Many of us, already emotional, looked up and waited for it to come over as we could hear its engines. It was a great surprise for everyone.

“It was such a wonderful service in the church. It was filled with many friends of dad’s, some from over 50 years ago, also family and neighbours. A grand turnout for a nearly 96 year old.”

William Kenneth Farlow - known as Ken - joined up in 1939 at the age of 19 and served as an engineer in the RAF with 38 Squadron in the Middle East.

He then served with the Royal Australia Airforce 450 Sqn in North Africa and Syria and then back in England with 91 Squadron.

Mr Farlow was headed to university before he joined the RAF where he reached the rank of corporal.

He became a chartered electrical engineer when he left the forces.

The former serviceman married his wife Jean in 1962, and she passed away from cancer in 2007.

(Photo by Helen Nock)