If you’ve heard the expression that a football match was a game of two halves, then the Duxford Air Show over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th September was an airshow of two halves, certainly in terms of the weather at least. Both had their merits. From Saturday’s eventual warm sunshine to Sunday’s downpour and its aftermath, it was another typically mixed bag of weather and fairly typical of the 2011 airshow season. It was clear that the visiting public had done its homework in terms of the forecast, however, with a smaller crowd on the Sunday braving the far less favourable conditions.
So was this show different to the other Imperial War Museum (IWM) shows at Duxford this year (Flying Legends is organised by The Fighter Collection (TFC))? The two day September event is the flagship in the IWM calendar and in terms of a headline act I don’t think that many hardened enthusiasts would argue that the F-15E Strike Eagle Demonstration Team was just that. There were also other notable Duxford firsts in terms of the Royal Norwegian Historic Squadron and its stunning de Havilland Vampires and a first RAF Beechcraft King Air display for the venue too.
The main theme of the show was the 75th anniversary of the Supermarine Spitfire and seven examples took to the air to close the show each day with a trademark Duxford tail chase routine. As visually appealing as this was, I felt it would have been nice to see one or two additional passes from individual machines in the style of the Old Flying Machine Company’s MH434 display; as the tail chase followed a quite repetitive format and one which didn’t really offer the crowd a particularly close-up view of the aircraft taking part, aside from take-off and landing.
With Historic Flying Ltd’s newly restored Mark 1 Spitfire P9374 on the flightline, it was possible to see both the oldest and latest mark of this legendary aircraft on show, quite fitting for the 75th anniversary celebrations. The history and subsequent restoration of the 557th Spitfire ever built makes for a truly remarkable story, and she looked absolutely resplendent alongside her fellow examples on the Duxford grass.
When you’re the headline act at any airshow, as the USAF F-15E Strike Eagle Demonstration Team was at Duxford, there’s always an expectation to impress and produce that ‘wow’ factor. Whilst Saturday’s display was compact and neat enough, it was the Sunday flat routine that really stole the show. Displaying after the last remnants of the heavy shower had gone through, Major Mike ‘Cash’ Maeder managed to extract pretty much every last single drop of moisture out of the air in a dramatic aerial spectacle.
The display, from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, NC, USA, worked better for me on the Sunday as the aircraft was closer to the crowd more often; a happy result of the need for a flat routine as the aircraft spends less time away from the airfield setting up for the next manoeuvre. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that Sunday’s display was probably the best Strike Eagle demo I’ve witnessed thus far. It was classic F-15, with brute force and raw power constantly on show. Of course the ever-present cloud of vapour swirling over the upper surfaces of the aircraft has nothing at all to do with that verdict!
Whether it was the brave efforts of the pilots battling against the elements I don’t know, but I was much more engaged by Sunday’s display as a whole. Strange I know, given the weather, but hats off to the likes of the Aerostars and the King Air for going up in the worst of the weather and putting on a show. But I also thought the other displays moved up a notch too, a typically British response perhaps to the sense of adversity that the weather had provided. Thankfully the weather front pushed through and the remainder of the afternoon was dry, if a little dull in truth.
The Royal Navy Historic Flight’s Swordfish becomes more of a crowd pleaser every time I see it. It is always displayed with the audience in mind and the enthusiasm of the crew on board is clear to see, which I think is appreciated by the airshow public too. Simply a wonderful aircraft to watch and enjoy and, even all these years later, it is still possible to see why this aircraft must have been such a menacing sight to enemy forces at sea.
I also enjoyed the two-ship T-28 Fennec duo from the Fennec Group and Radial Revelations. These are magnificent sounding machines, rugged and raw and displayed close to the crowd. The only casualty due to the weather on the Sunday was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight although it was present on the ground having landed on Saturday following its display. Certainly those at the eastern end of the showground will have enjoyed their lengthy wait to depart, and the Lancaster sounded in fine voice, holding with the wonderful sight of B-17 Sally-B flexing her muscles just behind. It was also one of the best routines I’ve seen from the BBMF of late with the stunning silver Spitfire MK356 and Hurricane LF363 playing their part on the Saturday.
Classic jets were represented at the show by the fine pair of de Havilland Vampires from the Royal Norwegian Historic Squadron and Jonathan 'Flapjack' Whaley in Hawker Hunter 'Miss Demeanour'. Both made for a fine spectacle against the moody Duxford sky on the Sunday, although the Norwegians were hit by the start of the afternoon downpour part way through their routine. Miss Demeanour’s routine grew and grew to a crescendo with sweeping passes down the crowdline building up to a final flyby which managed to generate some moisture of its own out of the grey skies.
There was one foreign contribution to the flying programme, from the French Armée de l'Air with its Alpha Jet opening the show on the Saturday only. A few eyebrows were happily raised when the specially painted aircraft, celebrating 50 years of the Tours Fighter Training School, came into view; a first at any UK show this year. Another attractive colour scheme could also be found in the static display on the Polish M-28 Bryza; the mottled green camouflage a welcome change to that of the grey examples which usually support shows in the UK.
The UK's Army Air Corps AH.1 Apache made its final show appearance of the season at Duxford and, given the ongoing commitments for the aircraft, its crews and associated personnel, this display has been particularly welcome during the 2011 season. RAF Wattisham, the home of said Apache, also provided another rotary item in the form of a Sea King from 22 Squadron for a Search and Rescue demonstration. Role demos by the distinctive yellow chopper are a seldom seen sight at British shows these days so this was most welcome.
Aerobatics came in the shape of the Aerostars which ended up flying on both days of show, the SWIP Team of Pete Wells and Guy Westgate and another duo in the shape of the RedHawks Duo with its two Fournier RF4s. The Historic Aircraft Collection’s Hurricane meanwhile flew in formation with the Aircraft Restoration Company’s Buchon 109 on the Sunday, as an oil leak had grounded the Hurricane on the Saturday, while The Fighter Collection flew a Hawk trio, with the two P-40s being joined by the Curtiss Hawk 75.
Of course the highlight for many visitors on the Sunday would have been the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows. Before the display commenced, Red 10, Squadron Leader Graeme Bagnall, gave a speech about Flt Lt Jon Egging, talking about him both as a Red Arrow and as a person. It’s fair to say I think that the crowd pretty much came to a standstill and I’m not afraid to admit there was more than a tear in my eye when he had finished. But they were words well said.
In summary then, IWM Duxford should be applauded for going outside of its usual ‘box’ of particpants and managing, for example, to attract the F-15E display. It would have been very easy to focus exclusively on the Spitfire theme, though I’m sure many of the thousands streaming through the gates would have been very happy with that. Getting a USAF display team to attend a UK show is something that usually only the likes of RIAT or Farnborough achieve these days, so full marks to the team at Duxford for making it happen.
Being part of a Duxford show remains a highlight of every airshow season for me. It is a wonderfully evocative experience for which the great British public continue to support in large numbers. As a family day out it remains a very popular airshow choice both in terms of the quality of aircraft to be seen in the air and the number of ground based attractions to visit, something which few venues can really compete with. The Autumn Air Show closes the Duxford season and takes place on the October 16 2011.
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