Duxford Flying legends 2012 Review

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Flying Legends 2012 at Duxford was moved back to 30th June & 1st July instead of its traditional second weekend of July because of the Olympic Games, and despite the recent wet weather, the air show enjoyed dry but fairly windy conditions.

IWM Duxford is Britain's best preserved WWII airfield and its fascinating history dates back to WWI. The museum includes historic buildings and state of the art exhibition halls. Historic aircraft can be found in the Airspace and American Air Museums, and military vehicles including tanks and artillery can be found in the Land Warfare Hall.

Before the air display, which starts at around 2pm, there is plenty of time to look around the extensive museum, stalls, flightline, and the vintage village which had the glamorous New York based Andrew Sisters-style group, the Manhattan Dolls, performing hits of the thirties and forties.

The air display kicked off with no fewer than three Mk.I Spitfires flying in formation which included AR213 (G-AIST), P9374 (G-MKIA), and X4650 (G-CGUK). AR213 is owned by 'Spitfire The One Ltd', based at Duxford. P9374 was restored by the 'Aircraft Restoration Company', making its post-restoration flight in September 2011, and also based at Duxford. X4650 was restored by 'The Spitfire Company' and currently resides at Biggin Hill, after its post-restoration flight in March 2012, it is now owned by Dan & Tom Friedkin of Chino, California, USA.

Next up were even more Spitfires including: The Fighter Collection's Mk.V (EP120), and Mk.XIV (MV293 marked as MV268) based at Duxford, Max Alpha Aviation's Mk.VIII (MV154 marked as MT928) and based in Germany, The Old Flying Machine Company's Mk.IX (MH434) based at Duxford, Spitfire Ltd's Mk.XVI (TD248), and a Mk.XIX (PS890) based in France. Other Spitfires flying at the show were a T.IX (IAC-161), and on Saturday the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Mk.II (P7350).

Two HA-1112-M1L Bouchons, Spanish license-built versions of the Messerschmitt Bf-109, took off next along with 'The Flying Bulls' P-38 Lightning (44-53254) which made a welcome return in its polished metal scheme.

Spitfire Mk.I

Spitfire Mk.I

Spitfire Mk.I

Spitfire Mk.Is

Spitfire Mk.VIII

Spitfire Mk.IX

Spitfire Mk.XIV

Bouchon

Bouchon

Spitfire Mk.V

Displaying next were The Fighter Collection's Chance Vought FG-1D Corsair (G-FGID 88297) which performed an excellent display, and Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat (G-RUMM 121714). The B-17G Flying Fortress ' Sally B' (44-85784) was joined in the air by The Fighter Collection's P-47G Thunderbolt 'Snafu'(42-25068). P-47G 'Snafu' was aquired by The Fighter Collection in 2006, underwent a full-restoration, and wears the scheme of 84th Fighter Squadron, flown by Lt Severino B Calderon in late 1944. Next were the WWI aircraft, the Nieuport 17 (G-BWMJ), Fokker Dr.I (G-CDXR), and Sopwith Triplane (G-BWRA) replicas.

On Saturday, the BBMF Lancaster (PA474), Spitfire (P7350), and Hurricane (PZ865) displayed which was replaced on Sunday by the Aerostars flying their six colourful Yakovlev Yak-50s. Next were a German trio consisting of a CASA 1.131E Jungmann (G- BSAJ), CASA ES-1 Jungmeister (G-BUTX), and Junkers Ju-52 (5489). The Jungmann was used by the Luftwaffe as a basic trainer and the Jungmeister as an advanced trainer in the 1930s. The Junkers 52 was a trimotor transport aircraft built in the 1930s and throughout the second world war. Sea Fury FB11 (WH589) with a smokin' display was up next along with an AD-4NA Skyraider (126922).

P-38 Lightning

Corsair

Corsair

B-17 & P-47

Fokker Dr.I

Sopwith Triplane

P-47G Snafu

Aerostars

Sea Fury

Skyraider

Then we had The Fighter Collections Curtiss aircraft consisting of a Curtiss H-75A-1 Hawk (G-CCVH), and the Curtiss P-40F Warhawk (41-19841 G-CGZP) in its stunning scheme of 'Lee's Hope' from the 85th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group, which was flown by Lt Robert J Duffield from Capodichino airfield in Southern Italy, in early 1944. This aircraft was restored in early 2011 and made its post-restoration flight in April 2011. Three Yak fighters displayed next which included Yak-9UM (0470406), Yak-3M (0470107), and Yak-11 (25-III-08). After the Yaks, we had the two Hawker Nimrods, a Hawker Nimrod 1 (S1581) of The Fighter Collection, and a Hawker Nimrod II (K3661) of the Historic Aircraft Collection. The Nimrod was a British carrier based biplane fighter aircraft built in the early 1930s.

Junkers 52

Curtiss Hawk

P-40F Warhawk

Yak-3

Yak-9

Hawker Nimrod I

Hawker Nimrod II

TF-51D Mustang

P-51D Mustang

TF-51D Mustang

Next we had the Mustangs which included Nordic Warbirds P-51D 'Old Crow' (44-73877), the Old Flying Machine Company's P-51D 'Ferocious Frankie' (44-73149), Max Alpha Aviation's TF-51D 'Dream Girl' (44-73871), and The Fighter Collection's TF-51D 'Miss Velma' (44-84847). The Shuttleworth's Lysander IIIA (V9552), and a Fieseler Fi 156A-1 Storch displayed next. The Storch was a German Spotter & Liaison aircraft, built before and during WWII, which was capable of extremely short take-off and landings. During the display it showed its ability to almost hang in the air as it flew against the wind. The Lysander was a WWII British Army-Coopertion & Liaison aircraft which had a short-field performance and was often used to place and recover agents at night which is why it is painted black.

Making its UK debut was the world's only airworthy Sikorsky S-38 (N28V), an unusual looking aircraft painted in zebra stripes, and owned by Tom Schrade. This flying-boat is a recreation of the 1929-vintage S-38B which was owned and flown by husband and wife team of Osa and Martin Johnson during their epic African expedition of 1933-34. Although this is a recreation of the Johnson's aircraft, it does have an original upper wing and two tail booms which were found in a warehouse in California. It is currently on an extended tour of Europe and will travel to Cape Town, South Africa in the Autumn. Displaying with the S-38 was Plane Sailing's Consolidated PBV-1A Canso Catalina 'Miss Pick Up'(433915).

Lysander IIIA

Fieseler Storch

Sikorsky S-38

Sikorsky S-38

Catalina

Swordfish

Wingwalkers

Dakota

Dakota

Staggerwing

Next was Royal Navy Historic Flight's Fairey Swordfish II (LS326) complete with torpedo, White Ensign, and saluting crew. The following display was Aerosuperbatic's Breitling Wingwalkers in two of their orange Boeing Stearman aircraft. Displaying again this year was the Douglas C-53D Dakota (11750 LN-WND) owned by Foundation Dakota Norway and finally there was a display by the Beech D17 Staggerwing (G-BRVE).

Now it was time for the mass take-off of warbirds that would be taking part in the traditional Balbo Finale. This is a massive formation of warbirds which make a couple of passes to thrill the crowd. While they form up, it is up to the Joker 'Stephen Grey' in the Bearcat to keep the crowd entertained.

Spitfire PR.XIX

Spitfire Mk.XVI

Spitfire T.IX

Spitfire Mk.VIII

P-40 Warhawk

Thanks to The Fighter Collection and the Imperial War Museum Duxford for putting on a fantastic, thrilling, and safe air show this year.

Duxford will be hosting two more major air shows this year, with the Duxford Air Show on the 8th and 9th of September 2012 displaying the very best historic and modern aircraft display in the skies over this famous airfield, and the Autumn air show on 14th October 2012 presenting a thrilling aerodynamic show with a relaxed end-of-season atmosphere. Please visit the Imperial War Museum, Duxford website at www.iwm.org.uk/duxford for more details.

Two smaller events include the Spitfires, Merlins & Motors event on 5th August 2012, and the American Air Day on the 17th August 2012.

               Article and photographs by Dave Key - www.military-airshows.co.uk

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