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Text: |
Urs Schnyder |
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Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader |
De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-AKIF (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter VP-FAZ (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Held on the first weekend of July, the main theme this year was of course the 250th birthday of the United States which by coincidence happened to be on Saturday . The theme was reflected in many of the display themes during the afternoon. There were also some aircraft on the program, that had not flown on a Duxford airshow before.
With an audience of 31`661 people over the two days it was a success. Wherever you looked, there seemed to be densely packed crowds, making it impossible to walk in a straight line from A to B. Another positive change was that the start of the airshow was brought forward one hour to 1pm which is a good thing, giving some reserves if the display lasts longer than planned. We also noticed that the usual rush to leave at the end of the flying program was less than in previous years.
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Opening
Duxford airshows traditionally are opened by a Spitfire. This year it was MH434, a Duxford resident for 40 years. After an illustrious career during the war, it went trough several owners before being bought in 1983 by the Old Flying Machine Company under the leadership of Ray Hanna. He and his son Mark both flew the Spitfire at displays and for Filmwork. The most famous scene is likely the one where Ray flew under Winston Bridge in County Durham. Today Ray`s daughter Sarah still manages the aircraft, and because of its historical significance, only very few pilots are entrusted to fly it.
Supermarine Spitfire IX G-ASJV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire IX G-ASJV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire IX G-ASJV (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire IX G-ASJV (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Supermarine Spitfire IX G-ASJV (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
U.S. Air Force
On Saturday only, there was a flypast of the B-17 Sally B and a Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker. Sally B had in the week before the airshow acquired the sign of the 100 th Bombardement Group on her Fin, a black D in a white square. This is today also the sign of the 100 th Air Refuelling Wing based at Mildenhall.
Approaching from the east, despite their difference in speed they managed to be over the airfield at the same time. There was only one pass together, but the KC-135R flew a big circle and did another flypast on its own, before departing to Mildenhall again. After the KC-135 departure Sally B flew her own display which ended with a flypast with two smoking engines to remember all those that didn’t return from a mission.
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker 60-0324 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker 60-0324 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Royal Air Force
The RAF had two acts in the program. The Eurofighter Typhoon and the Battle of Britain Flight. On Saturday the Typhoon had to retire after only one flypast because of a technical issue. They managed to fix this and on Sunday Flt Lt Tom Nation from 29 Squadron could give his display as planned. As expected, it was the noisiest of the whole afternoon. Surprisingly, some people packed up and left after that display was over.
The Battle of Britain Flight on Saturday brought their Dakota, as the Lancaster is undergoing deep maintenance at Duxford. The Dakota now sports an attractive East Asia colour scheme. On Sunday however it was escorted by a Spitfire V and a Hurricane IIc in an unusual black nightfighter scheme. The flying seemed to be a bit different from previous years, when the fighters mostly presented their undersides. This time they also made passes that allowed their top and side to bee seen
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK313 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK313 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK313 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK313 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK313 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK313 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4 ZK313 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC LF363 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Hurricane & Spitfire (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb AB910 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas Dakota ZA947(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas Dakota ZA947(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas Dakota ZA947 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Royal Jordanian Falcons
For the first time at a Duxford airshow were the Royal Jordanian Falcons who this year celebrate their 50 th birthday. Flying four Extra 330LX aerobatic aircraft, they are touring Europe during the summer months visiting various airshows and countries. With their aircraft being relatively affordable compared to jets, they are propably the most cost effective ambassadors of their country. Unfortunately some very dark clouds were present during their display which impaired the impact of their performance, This was a pity, as they would have deserved blue skies.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
L-Birds
The piper cubs were of course used as observation planes during the Normandie landings and after. Despite their act being labelled as Asian scenario, they were never used in Vietnam. This year there was also a visitor from France, a Cub painted as a US Navy NE-1 Cub and called “Little blue cloud”. It was used in 1942 – 1943 with airship squadron ZP-32 in California for patrol and anti submarine work. It is owned by the French wing of the Commemorative Air Force.
Piper Cub Flight (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Piper Cub Flight (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Piper NE-1 “Little Blue Cloud” F-GHLQ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Piper J-3 Cub G-BOXJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Piper J-3 Cub G-BECN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Piper Cub Flight (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Piper Cub Flight (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Piper J-3 Cub G-BOXJ (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Piper NE-1 “Little Blue Cloud”F-GHLQ (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Piper J-3 Cub G-BECN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Jet Pitts
The Jet Pitts is actually a completely rebuilt aircraft with lots of changes compared with the standard model. It has two 770 kp trust jet engines mounted on either side of the cockpit. These two engines generate more trust than the weight of the aircraft and therefore make it possible for John Goodwin to hover in the air. When on the ground, John sometimes taxies in on his jet engines only, with propeller standing still, which makes for an unusual sight.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Vietnam
Two different aircraft not seen at a Duxford airshow before were the North American OV-10B Bronco from Belgium and the Cessna C337G Skymasters from Spain After the crash of the French Bronco in Poland, this is likely the only one we`ll see flying for a while. Built in a batch of 18 for the German Luftwaffe as a target tug, it served from the 1960s until it was replaced in 1990 by the Pilatus PC-9. It retains its German colour scheme.
The Cessna C337G Skymasters of the Patrulla Quijote are former Portuguese Aircraft that have been restored to represent US Air Force O-2 Skymasters of the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron during the Vietnam war. Prominent on their upper wing surface were the words FAC and DON’T SHOOT, which points to their role as forward air controllers directing airstrikes. They were mostly flying in tactical formation during their display using their smoke system.
Pilot Tony de Bruyn (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
North American OV-10B Bronco G-ONAA (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Reims-Cessna FTB335G Super Skymaster (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Reims-Cessna FTB335G Super Skymaster (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Reims-Cessna FTB335G Super Skymaster (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Reims-Cessna FTB335G Super Skymaster EC-IPL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Reims-Cessna FTB335G Super Skymaster EC-IPL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Reims-Cessna FTB335G Super Skymaster EC-MYM(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American OV-10B Bronco G-ONAA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American OV-10B Bronco G-ONAA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
North American OV-10B Bronco G-ONAA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American OV-10B Bronco G-ONAA (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
North American OV-10B Bronco G-ONAA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Reims-Cessna FTB335G Super Skymaster EC-MYM (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
