Battle of Britain at Duxford

The Duxford Airshow 2013

Text:	Urs Schnyder
Pictures:	Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader

When planning to attend the Duxford airshow in September for the first time, one of our hopes was of course that the Avro Vulcan would make an appearance as it did in 2012 since it was announced that 2013 would be its last flying year. However, it now seems that it will fly at least until 2015 and this writer wouldn’t be surprised if it continues beyond that as well. Long may it continue to fly.As it turned out, the Vulcan didn’t display, but the visit was still worthwhile. The long term weather forecast promised nice and sunny weather during the whole weekend.

Thursday was indeed lovely with blue skies and lots of sun. However, Friday started with steady rain and there was no way of getting any pictures taken on that day. On top of it it seemed that the weather forecasters had changed their mind and now promised rain for most of the time on both days. It didn’t turn out that bad in the end and upon our return home, we were surprised that we had quite a lot of pictures that showed blue skies.

There were in fact heavy downpours on both days during the flying program, but they were very predictable so it was easy to get prepared and put on the rainclothes. The flying program wasn’t the same on both days which was intentional since some of the aircraft displaying were not available on both days. Besides that the leader of the Patrouille de France was taken ill on Saturday which meant that the team couldn’t put in an appearance on that day which led to a lot of jokes concerning Pub visits the evening before a display. Display times of the same aircraft differed between Saturday and Sunday, so the following is an overview of both days that doesn’t necessarily reflect the actual display sequence of the both days.

Beginning on Saturday

Due to the nonappearance of the Patrouille de France the program was changed a bit and it started with the Dutch B-25 Mitchell. It is a few years since it displayed last during the Flying Legends airshow so its return was very welcome. During the Mitchells display the sky had cleared a bit so the Aerostars that filled the Slot of the PAF profited from a partly blue sky. The Battle of Britain Flight had to report that their Lancaster and Hurricane were unserviceable and they could only send a PR.19 Spitfire to display. They did however manage to have the whole flight up on Sunday to give their usual three ship formation display.

North American B-25N Mitchell N320SQ s/n 44-29507 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Spitfire PR.XIX PM631(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire PR.XIX PM631(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster B.1 PA474 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

The big one and the small one

Only featuring on Saturday was the first airshow appearance in the UK of a Boeing 747-8F from British Airways World Cargo. Compared with the other participants this was massive and for a change you didn’t need a special Lens to take a good picture. In fact you almost needed a wide angle to fit it into the pictures.

Boeing 747-8F G-GSSD (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Boeing 747-8F G-GSSD (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Boeing 747-8F G-GSSD (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

On the opposite side of the scale was the piper Cub of Skyfever that Brendan O’Brien landed on top of a trailer which was towed along the runway by a Car.

Piper J-3 Cub G-BPCF s/n 4532. (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Piper J-3 Cub G-BPCF s/n 4532. (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

The early jets

Due to the F-86 Sabre not being able to fly, this part was entirely up to the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron. On Saturday they displayed the Lockheed CT-133 Silver Star and the Vampire FB.6 only, as the Vampire Trainer T.55 was unserviceable. However, on Sunday the Vampires flew together as a pair, the problem having been solved with the help of spares form the Aircraft Restauration Company during the night.

Lockheed CT-33A Shooting Star NX865SA (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder )

North American F-86A Sabre G-SABR (s/n 151-43547) (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

De Havilland Vampire FB-6 LN-DHY (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

De Havilland Vampire FB-6 LN-DHY (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder )

De Havilland Vampire FB-6 LN-DHY (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

De Havilland Vampire T-55 LN-DHZ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

De Havilland Vampire FB-6 & T-55 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder )

De Havilland Vampire FB-6 LN-DHY (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Naval aviation

This was represented by a Grumman Wildcat in FAA colours and a Grumman Bearcat, both owned by the resident Fighter Collection.

Grumman VI Martlet (aka Generakl motors FM-2 Wildcat) G-RUMW s/n 86711 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Grumman VI Martlet (aka Generakl motors FM-2 Wildcat) G-RUMW s/n 86711 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder )

Grumman VI Martlet (aka Generakl motors FM-2 Wildcat) G-RUMW s/n 86711 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat BuAer 121714 G-RUMM (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat BuAer 121714 G-RUMM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder )

Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat BuAer 121714 G-RUMM (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Single aerobatics

The modern Extra 330SC of Mark Jeffries and the Levier Cosmic Wind of Pete Kynsey which is the only one of its kind in the word contrasted with the Bücker Jungmann flown by Anna Walker. The Jungmann was first flown in 1934 and continued with several air forces as basic trainer until the 70’s. An estimated 40’000 Jungmans have been built during this time.

Extra 330SC

LeVier Cosmic Wind G-ARUL (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Extra 330SC (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

CASA 1.131E Jungmann. G-BSAJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Sally B

Not much comment necessary here. It is of course the only flying B-17 left in Europe. During her display with the massive clouds as a backdrop, you could picture how it looked over the threatening skies of Europe so many years ago.

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder )

Spitfires

Duxford without Spitfires? Unthinkable!
This time six of them took to the air at the same time to display in formation. One not often seen was a Mk. IX from the Royal Netherlands Air Force Historic Flight.

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder )

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Dogfights

The classic dogfight of Hurricane against Messerschmitt Me 109 which was represented by a Hispano Buchon HA-1112 of the Aircraft Restauration Company. Unlike most Buchons it carries the paint scheme it wore during the filming of the Battle of Britain Film.

Hawker Hurricane Mk XIIA Z7381 G-HURI (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112-M1L Bouchon G-BWUE (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Hawker Hurricane Mk XIIA Z7381 G-HURI (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112-M1L Bouchon G-BWUE (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112-M1L Bouchon G-BWUE (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Hawker Hurricane Mk XIIA Z7381 G-HURI (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Hispano Aviacion HA-1112-M1L Bouchon G-BWUE (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

De Havilland Tiger Moth(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North Americab T-6 Harvard (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Havilland DH. 89 Dragon Rapide G-AGJG (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Scottish Aviation T.1 Bulldog (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Big Radials

Only on Sunday did the Dutch B-25 Mitchel take to the air together with two Fennecs in the colour of the French Air Force. These were the French version of the T-28 Trojan Trainer used for ground attack missions in the French colonies.

North American T-28A Fennec G-TROY s/n 174-545 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North American T-28A Fennec N14113 s/n 174-398 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North American T-28A Fennec G-TROY s/n 174-545 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North American T-28A Fennec N14113 s/n 174-398 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North American T-28A Fennec G-TROY s/n 174-545 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

North American T-28A Fennec N14113 s/n 174-398 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

North American T-28A Fennec N14113 s/n 174-398 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North American B-25N Mitchell N320SQ s/n 44-29507 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

North American B-25N Mitchell N320SQ s/n 44-29507 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder

Modern RAF

This was represented by a Eurofighter Typhoon which on both days was lucky in that the weather was behaving rather well during its display.
Representing the current trainer was a Tucano of 72 Squadron painted to represent the colours worn by the Spitfires of that Squadron during their time in North Africa. That colour scheme is just stunning. Now the question is why can’t they paint them all in that way? It really fits this aircraft nicely.

Tucano T1 ZF264 of 72(R) Sqn(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Tucano T1 ZF239 of 72(R) Sqn (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Tucano T1 ZF239 of 72(R) Sqn (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Tucano T1 ZF239 of 72(R) Sqn (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Eurofighter Typhoon FG4 29 (R) Squadron (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Westland HAR.3A Seaking (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Aerostars

Besides filling the slot left vacant by the non appearance of the PAF on Saturday the Aerostars had their own display slot on both days. They have given displays for the past 15 years already and are the largest civilian formation aerobatic team in the world.

Yak 50 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Yak 50 (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder

Yak 50 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Patrouille de France

By the time they did their display on Sunday the sky was full of dark clouds again, so they could only give a flat show. However, their goodbye after the display was unique for a jet aerobatic team. It was a banner towed by a Piper Cub.

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Red Arrows

The advantage of displaying as the last team when the sky was mostly blue again was the Red’s. That let them do their full show without any shortcuts. It was a fitting final act to the whole weekend.

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Our thanks go to Esther Blaine for providing press facilities during the weekend.

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