THE birthday of Naval aviation has been celebrated on the Thames with a flypast and party.

Seventeen helicopters, four propeller-driven aircraft and four jets - one eighth of the Fleet Air Arm's strength - flew over HMS Illustrious at Greenwich 100 years to the day that the Navy decided to invest in 'aeronautical navigation'.

A century on some of the men who have carved their names proudly in its annals joined the Duke of York, top brass and aviators past and present on the nation's flagship.

For safety reasons, no Harriers are permitted to fly over London (they possess only one engine), so it fell to helicopters - Merlins, Sea Kings and Lynx - and Hawk and Jetstream trainers to perform the flypast at bang-on mid-day on May 7.

Appearing out of the gloom on a cool, murky spring day in the capital, they passed directly over Illustrious from the east before following the meandering Thames and disappearing into the grey.

With the aircraft gone, it fell to the Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, and the Duke of York to pay tribute to the men and women who have striven to reach the stars.

The Duke of York, a Falklands veteran and Commodore in Chief of the Fleet Air Arm, told those gathered of Lusty's flight deck that naval aviators had given "100 years of incredible service".

He continued: "The ability of the Fleet Air Arm has always come to the fore. It has - and will continue to have - an illustrious history and that goes for the pilots, observers, engineers and everyone who gets us in the air."

Guests at the celebration included three doyens of naval flight: John Moffat, who crippled the Bismarck with his torpedo; Eric Brown, Britain's greatest test pilot; and Edgar Lee, the last survivor of the Channel Dash attack.

The latter veteran stunned most of the media present with his account of the legendary - and costly - attempt by Swordfish to prevent the German Fleet reaching safety in February 1942.

"I think this celebration is a fine gesture by today's Royal Navy - they have pushed the boat out for the veterans," said Lt Cdr Lee, toasting the achievements of naval fliers with a glass of champagne.

The 100th birthday events take on a more solemn tone today with a service of thanksgiving and remembrance at St Paul's.

See June's Navy News for full coverage of the Fly Navy 100 events.