Shuttleworth Military Pageant 2011

What makes the old Warden Aerodrome unique is the fact that it only has grass runways. These intersect in a way that form a kind of rounded crowdline. The advantage of this is that aircraft often bank toward the crowdline which gives good possibilities to take photos of the upper side of the aircraft as they fly past. The airfield is also rather small compared with other locations, so there is a cozy atmosphere. In addition to their flying display, the collection also parades their historic cars and motorcycles in front of the crowdline.Shuttleworth  is an event not to miss is you are in the region.

Edwardians

The 1909 Bleriot XI is the world’s oldest aeroplane still flying with the original engine. Due to its rarity it is only flown straight down the runway for short hops when there is no Wind. The same is true for the 1910 Deperdussin and the 1912 Blackburn Monoplane type d which can only fly in calm weather. The 1910 Bristol Boxkite and 1911 Avro Triplane replicas were built for the film "the magnificient men in their flying machines". And are the only ones of their type flying although with modern engines. These machines vulnerability to wind conditions means that they are usually flown at the end of the day when the winds die down a bit to permit them to be flown.

Blackburn Monoplane (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

Blackburn Monoplane (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

World War 1

The collection has a number of original aircraft from the first World War. Due to the sensitive nature of these aircraft, they are very seldom all seen together in the same air display. Their original WW1 engines need a certain amount of maintenance and these Aircraft can’t be flown if there is any doubt that they are 100%  ready. No risks are ever taken. Having said that, there were a number of planes in the air like the Sopwith Pub, Bristol Fighter and SE5a. Special mention has to be made of the Sopwith Triplane which has been build and delivered to the collection in the 1990’s. It has an original Le Rhone engine and carries the Manufacturers plate Nr. 153 as it was considered by Thomas Sopwith to be a late production model.

Silver Wings, the 30’s

This was of course the most numerous group of aircraft from a time when the RAF was the best flying club in the world. The Avro Tutor in the display colour’s of the central flying school. The unique Blackburn B2 side by side trainer.  The only remaining Hawker Tomtit and of course the other Hawker aircraft, the Hind and Demon which were flying in formation with the Gloster Gladiator in 73 Squadron colours. A very unique aircraft that I had never before seen displayed was the german Grunau glider.

World War 2

One of the Highlights were surely the Hurricanes displaying in formation. One of them the collection’s rare sea Hurricane Ib.  The Miles Magister represented the trainer fraction of WW2 with the Westland Lysander displaying its remarkable short take off run. The Lancaster came down from the Waddington airshow for a quick display. While a rare PR Spitfire was the made an appearance and then landed.

Past World War 2

Not really that many, just a de Havilland Chipmunk, and to give a real difference in speed and noise, a F-86 Sabre.

last update 12. April 2012

Written 12. April 2012

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