The aeronautical highlight of my recent trip to the UK was undoubtably the Shuttleworth Collection Summer Airshow at Old Warden. I visited the collection on my trip last year, and decided then that I really wanted to be here for an airshow. Luckily, this year, the dates worked out, and I arrived at Old Warden early on a damp and murky Saturday morning.
As I made my way to the display line, some of the aircraft were being brought out in readiness. This is a 1917 Bristol Fighter
I had paid extra for a guided walk along the flightline which allowed a close up view of the aircraft that were due to fly that afternoon. Here are a Sopwith Pup (1916), DH-60 Moth (1925), a Bristol Monoplane replice and a Hawker Hurricane (1940).
A DH-89 Dragon Rapide and a Harvard were giving joy flights before the air display started.
An unexpected visitor was this 1972 Pitts Special. Recently restored to flying condition, this is one of the original aircraft from the Rothmans Display Team, a common sight at many airshows in the 1970's.
The airshow is split over two sessions, one in the afternoon and weather permitting one in the evening. The afternoon session got underway and it was an enjoyable few hours with many vintage aircraft on display. They included a Provost T1 (1950), the Jet Pitts, a Fauvel Glider (1956 )and a Westland Lysander (1938)
There was a flying visit from a French owned F-86 Sabre (1958) which was temporarily in the UK for a few airshows.
My personal favourite was the DH-88 Comet Racer (1934). It was designed specifically for an air race from UK to Australia in late 1934. It cost GBP5000 to build, and won the race and prize of GBP10,000 after completing the race in just under 71 hours.
Next up was a Sopwith Triplane replica and a Blackburn B.2 (1936). These were followed by a trio of biplanes showing how formation flying was taught by connecting the aircraft together with bunting!! From the left are an Elf II (1929), A DH-60 Moth (1928) and DH-82 Tiger Moth (1931). There was also a demonstration of "flour bombing". Dropping bags of flour at a target on the ground. It was won by this Miles Magister (1938).
A couple more overseas aircraft displayed next, with a Swiss Nieuport 23 replica and a Canadian Bell 47H helicopter.
Closing the afternoon session were the fighters, with the Bristol Fighter taking to the skies along with a Polikarpov Po-2 (1944), Gloster Gladiator (1938), and a formation flyby with the Gladiator, Supermarine Spitfire VC (1941) and Hurricane. It ended with a solo display by the Spitfire.
Happily the weather was clearing, and the evening show was able to proceed. It was opened by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with their Lancaster and two Hurricanes. This was followed by one of the RAF's newest fighters the Eurofighter Typhoon.
These planes require a still evening to be able to fly. The Avro Triplane replica, an Avro Anson (1946), English Electric Wren (1923) and Bristol Boxkite replica ended the show. The Avro Triplane and Boxkite replicas were built for and used in the movie "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines".
It was a long day, but well worth it!
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