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Urs Schnyder |
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Urs Schnyder |
Battle of Britain
The Blenheim escorted by two Spitfires Mk.I and four Hurricanes flying in formation. After the flypast the Blenheim and its Spitfire escorts did their own display. As the Blenheim and Spitfires came in to land, the Hurricanes took the stage.
The Hurricanes In a group of three while the French Hurricane was flying at some distance. This Hurricane is painted as a machine during the battle of France, and indeed it has a combat record for that theatre. Befitting this status, it also gave a solo display.
On Sunday only, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster gave a short display. For the first time it didn’t just bank away from the audience, but it actually flew a curve on the east side of the field and thereby banking towards and showing the upper surfaces to the photographers.
The formation of Blenheim, Spitfires and Hurricanes (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The formation of Blenheim, Spitfires and Hurricanes (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The formation of Blenheim, Spitfires and Hurricanes (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Blenheim and the Spitfire escort (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Blenheim and the Spitfire escort (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Blenheim and the Spitfire escort (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Blenheim and the Spitfire escort (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Blenheim and the Spitfire escort (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Blenheim and the Spitfire escort (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Luftwaffe
This started out with the Bücker Jungmann on which most German pilots had trained , giving an aerobatic display.
Then, the well known speech of Winston Churchill: The Battle of Britain is about to begin! To the tune of the Luftwaffe March the four Buchons swept over the airfield. They then split into two groups and proceeded to fly in the two designated airspaces as the Spitfires before. Before long however, Spitfires scrambled and took up the pursuit of the Buchons. To the tune of Battle in the Air from the movie they staged an air Battle with the Buchons until they were driven out of sight.
In true German fashion however the Buchons made one last return. While everybody was looking at the airfield they swept in low from behind the Aerospace hanger in a formation of four for a single pass, before they came in to land. Whoever wasn’t ready missed that picture.
Formation of four Buchons (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Formation of four Buchons (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Formation of four Buchons (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Formation of four Buchons (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Bombers and Escorts
Back again after many years of absence was the P-47. This same Thunderbolt had been flying with the fighter collection for many years before it was sold to the US. It is now back in the colours of ‘Nellie’ from the 48th FG 492 FS.
It escorted Sally B to the airfield where they separated for their individual displays. Sally B has now also been on the Airshow circuit for many years. I still remember her at the Great Warbirds Air Display at West Malling, an airfield that also has disappeared.
The real long range escort fighters were of course not the Thunderbolt but the P-51 Mustang. Two of them, were displaying for the audience, the Norwegian Spitfire Foundations aircraft painted as a 112 Squadron machine based in Italy in 1945 and “Trusty Rusty” belonging to the Early Birds Foundation in the Netherlands. It has dual controls and is painted as the aircraft of Captain Robert Winks of the 364 FS. 357th FG.
P-47 escorting Sally B (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt as ‘Nellie’ 48th FG 492 FS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt as ‘Nellie’ 48th FG 492 FS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt as ‘Nellie’ 48th FG 492 FS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt as ‘Nellie’ 48th FG 492 FS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt as ‘Nellie’ 48th FG 492 FS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt as ‘Nellie’ 48th FG 492 FS (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17 Sally B (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17 Sally B (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American P-51D Mustang of Capt. Henry Brown of the 354th FS, 355th FG.
North American TF51D Mustang of Lt Col Roy Caviness, 84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Heritage Flight
Some years back there was a display of the Heritage Flight, albeit with an F-22 and a Mustang.
This time it was announced that the Heritage Flight would be done with an F-35 and a Mustang, which is of course interesting as both the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm will introduce this type into their inventories in 2018.
As it turned out, the F-35 was flanked by a Mustang and a Spitfire. This was a very unique formation that did two flypasts before they did a break in front of the crowds. The F-35 and the Mustang and Spitfire then did some individual flypasts before the F-35 departed again.
The Heritage Flight with the Spitfire Mk.Vc (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Heritage Flight with the Spitfire Mk.Vc (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Heritage Flight with the Spitfire Mk.Vc (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Heritage Flight with the Spitfire Mk.Vc (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Heritage Flight with the Spitfire Mk.Vc (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Heritage Flight with the Spitfire Mk.Vc (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Heritage Flight with the Spitfire Mk.Vc (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Heritage Flight with the Spitfire Mk.Vc (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The USAF F-35A Lightning II (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Flying Bulls
This time the flying Bulls from Austria came in strength. Besides the B-25, the P-38 Lightning and the Corsair they also brought their Douglas DC-6 to Duxford. This is the first time that this aircraft was displaying at Flying Legends.
The DC-6 uses a bit more of the sky to manoeuvre but it was impressive how it was flown. The other three flew in a loose three ship formation before they split up for their individual displays.
A new feature on the B-25 and the P-38 were the pin up girls that had been added to the nose of each aircraft on top of the red Bull that had been there before already.
Starting a big radial engine is a smoky affair (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas DC-6 of the Red Bull company (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas DC-6 of the Red Bull company (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The P-38 and Corsair in Formation (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The P-38 and Corsair in Formation (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The P-38 and Corsair in Formation (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Red Bull B-25 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
The Balbo and Joker
The mass take off from both the runway and the grass already marked the beginning of the end of another Legends Airshow.
As the aircraft departed on their way to form up for the Balbo the Joker entered the arena to keep the audience amused until the return of the big formation. This time Nick Grey was flying the Sea Fury to pass the time. When he took over the role as joker from Stephen Grey he used to fly the Gloster Gladiator which must be a marked difference to the Sea Fury.
As the Balbo appears from the east the Joker departs. The Balbo does two flypasts before splitting up into different sections that run in for their breaks and final Landing.
It is still amazing that they manage this big formation without prior rehearsal.
Thus ended another Flying Legends weekend that was blessed with really good weather, with the Sunday very hot and cloudless. There were 31’486 tickets sold for both days, with the Saturday having 16’640 and the Sunday 14’846 entries. I’m quite sure there would have been more had it not been for the final of the World cup and the RIAT taking place on the same weekend.
The Balbo on ist first pass from the east (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Buchons breaking to land (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Section of Spitfires running in (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Section of Spitfires running in (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Section of Spitfires running in (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
My thanks go to Esther Blaine from IWM for her support during the two days of the Airshow.