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Urs Schnyder |
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Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader |
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
After an interval of two years in which the Battle of Britain Airshow coincided with the Air Legend Airshow in Villaroche in France, this year they were held on different dates. We therefore managed to attend once again.
When looking back, there is an uncanny similarity with the 2023 Airshow concerning the weather. Dark clouds with only occasional blue sky patches on Saturday. On Sunday morning it rained until almost noon when it fortunately stopped. However, there were intermittent very short showers throughout the afternoon that affected the Proceedings. Due to the weather the Mig-17 couldn’t make it from Belgium. Due to the strong wind, the Fokker Triplane display also had to be cancelled. On Sunday, four of the program points were cancelled because of the weather. The only profiteers of the bad weather were the coffee and hot food stalls with big queues, whereas the ice cream sellers faced a bleak weekend.
Spirit of Britain
On Saturday the living history Group Spirit of Britain gave the photographers a chance to recreate the past as they posed and acted in front of the parked Spitfires. Unlike many reenactment groups, where the members are rather older than they should be, this groups members are in the right age bracket to make their acting realistic.
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Spitfire Salute
Since the Airshow was also labelled as marking 90 years of the Spitfire, it was only natural that this type should feature prominently. Instead of starting the show with the usual Battle of Britain Salute, there was a Spitfire Salute instead. On Sunday this had to be cancelled due to the weather as the visibility in the forming up area was just not good enough to assemble the formation of 12 aircraft.
(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 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)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Bearcats
Two Bearcats in the air together. Who would have thought that possible. Thanks to the Flying Bulls from Austria who brought their latest acquisition to Duxford, it be came a reality. Painted in the blue of the U.S. Navy’s aerobatic team the Blue Angels it looked great. The flying Bulls are to be congratulated for leaving their latest additions in their original colour schemes instead of their highly polished aluminium finish.
(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)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Red Arrows
Back from the US where they helped celebrate 250 years of that country, the Red Arrows were back to a seven ship formation. It is a well known fact that the Arrows are the last ones to use this version of the Hawk trainer. As it is not yet clear which aircraft will replace it, they have to make sure that the remaining airframe hours are evenly distributed among their aircraft. There is also some controversy about the replacement, as many think only a British aircraft can be the mount of the premier RAF aerobatic team.
The display routine was adapted to the seven aircraft team. It was however attractive as ever. They only featured in the Saturday program and were lucky to profit from some patches of blue sky during the display.
(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 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)
(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)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Battle of Britain Flight
Although listed in the program as a three ship formation of Dakota, Hurricane and Spitfire, only the latter two actually appeared. Unusually they had been staying at the airfield and had to first take off for their display. Normally they fly in from Conningsby and after the display leave again. On Sunday their display was cancelled, as the weather between Conningsby and Duxford was too bad to make the transit flight.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
B-17 and Escort
A
Duxford classic, Sally B with differing escort fighters. This time it
was the P-47 Thunderbolt from Fighter Aviation Engineering. This
aircraft has a long British connection. It flew with the Fighter
Collection from 1986 to 2007 when it was sold and left for the US. In
2018 it returned to the UK and its new owners Fighter Aviation
Engineering. It is painted in the colours of an aircraft of the 48th
Fighter Groups 492nd Fighter Squadron. It could only protect Sally B on
Saturday, as it didn’t fly on Sunday presumably for
technical problems. Therefore Sally B flew alone on Sunday. Fortunately
there were no German fighters around to take advantage of the situation.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Hurricanes
There were six Hurricanes on the Airfield, of which four managed to form up into a four ship formation. One of them was the two seater Mk. IIb of the Aircraft Restoration Company. This two seater conversion is really done in a good way, as at first glance it is not obvious that it is a two seater. It is only at a second glance that you notice the canopy being a bit longer than the standard version. This is a neat piece of engineering really. Unlike most Hurricanes, it doesn’t have a Battle of Britain period colour scheme but the later one of a fighter bomber of 174 Squadron, when the RAF attacked targets in occupied France.
(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 Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Invader
This polish owned aircraft is one of a growing number of Warbirds that are operated by east European companies or private owners. Unlike many other Warbirds it has a genuine combat history in Korea. After its demobilisation from the Air Force it was converted into an executive transport like many other Invaders.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
