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Urs Schnyder |
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Urs Schnyder & Michael E. Fader |
Thunderbolt & Mustang (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
RAF Air Cadets (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Mig-17F
Another first at Duxford and one of the stars of the display was the Mig 17F. It is actually a Polish built Lim-5 that saw service with the Polish Air Force during the cold war, being delivered in 1958. After a restauration to flying condition it flew again this year for the first time in 33 years. The restauration was done by Furbar Aviation, a Polish company that specialises in restauration of historic aircraft. The Mig had actually spent many years in the UK, having been brought there by the Old Flying Machine company of Ray Hanna with the intention of restoring it to flying condition.
This never happenend and after being displayed statically in several locations, it was acquired by Furbar in 2023.
When the Mig-17 first appeared over Vietnam, it was a shock for the Americans because it managed to outmanouver their supersonic jets. Its Gun armament also proved superior to the missiles used by the US Air Force fighters. As a result, American pilots were trained in dissimilar air combat and their fighter jets were again equipped with cannon. It was interesting to see that the pilot Mateusz Strama not only flew the aircraft, but also refuelled it and seemed to do all the pre flight preparations himself.
Pilot Mateusz Strama (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
PZL-Mielec Lim-5 SP-MIL (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Flying Bulls
The Flying Bulls were present in strenght with their B-25 Mitchell, P-38 Lightning , P-51 Mustang and F4U-4 Corsair. Their formation flying is impressive and precise. In the past it was said that only the military could do precise formation flying, but the flying Bulls prove otherwise. They opened their flying in a formation of four after which they split and the B-25 gave a solo display. The three fighters, having a similar performance gave a tight display on Saturday only. On Sunday, the P-38 left early for its epic crossing of the Atlantic to take part in the EAA Airventure Airshow at Oshkosh US. Of the four aircraft, the P-51 is the only one to have kept its warbird colours of Nooky Booky and only aquired a small bull on the fin.
Flying Bulls (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Flying Bulls (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Flying Bulls (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Flying Bulls (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Flying Bulls (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Vought F4U-4 Corsair OE-EAS & North American P-51D Mustang OE-EFB (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Flying Bulls (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Lockheed P-38 Lightning N25Y (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Flying Bulls (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
North American B-25J Mitchell N6123C (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Lockheed P-38 Lightning N25Y (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Flying Bulls (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Lockheed P-38 Lightning N25Y (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Lockheed P-38 Lightning N25Y (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Vought F4U-4 Corsair OE-EAS & North American P-51D Mustang OE-EFB (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Wingwalkers
The Aero Super Batics are now present on the airshow scene for over forty years. The Stearman biplanes have been modified for the task by adding ailerons to the top wing and replacing the engine with a 450 hp unit. The aircraft take off with the girls in the cockpit, from which they then climb to the top wing and attach themselves to the special rig on the wing. There they perform their different figures while the planes are going trough their routine of aerobatics. Shortly before landing they climb back into the cockpit.
(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 Urs Schnyder)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(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)
Great War
The Great War Display Team were present with a good mix of 7 Aircraft. The most well known being the red Fokker Triplane of von Richthofen. Few people know that the Fokker Triplane was inspired by the british Sopwith Triplane that flew with the RNAS. It is interesting to note that the british public at the time knew more about the German aces than their own who mostly shied publicity for fear of making themselves unpopular amongst their colleagues. The british authorities also didn’t seem to realize the propaganda value of their exploits. Richthofen became well known and respected by the British public after he wrote a letter of consolation to the wife of a British pilot who was killed in combat. Contrary to popular belief, Richthofen was never known as the Red Baron in his time. This was a name only applied to him in the 1960s.
The display managed to convey the action on the western front very well, the pilots giving the impression that they really tried to get into a favourable shooting position to their opponents. This was in my opinion a highly realistic rerenactment of the combats as they took place in the Great War.
Great War Display Team (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Nieuport 17 G-BWMJ (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Fokker DR1 Triplane C-GFJK (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 Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas C-41 (Douglas DC-3)
The Douglas C-41 was the second millitary version of the famous DC-3 airliner. It was used as a VIP transport by well known General Henry Arnold. After the war it was sold to Southern Airways. After that it was used by the Federal Aviation Administration and Civil Aviation Authority. After a few more owners, it ended up with Mid America Flight Museum in Texas. The C-41 visited Britain several times for the D-day commemorations. After the 2019 visit it was purchased by Richard Martin. After a complete overhaul, the aircraft is now based at Wolverhampton airport.
Douglas C-41A "Hap-Pen-stance" N341A (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Douglas C-41A "Hap-Pen-stance" N341A (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas C-41A "Hap-Pen-stance" N341A (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas C-41A "Hap-Pen-stance" N341A (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Douglas C-41A "Hap-Pen-stance" N341A (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
The Duellists
The second World War saw the last classic combats where a good pilot in an inferior aircraft could still claim against an ordinary pilot in a superiour machine. Pilots still saw their opponents, as Günter Rall the famous German pilot once remarked: “I saw the faces of most pilots that I shot down”. The Supermarine Spitfire PR XI was giving her first dispay after returning from New Zealand, where it had taken part in the Wanaka Air Show. It joined in mock combat with the Hispano Buchon as Messerschmitt Me 109G, doing some very realistic manouvering before finally becoming the victim of the Messerschmitt. However the Messerschmitt next had to oppose the P-51D Mustang in the colours of the 99 th fighter squadron, 332 nd fighter group, the now famous Tuskegee airmen. The aircraft not only carries the colours of this squadron, but in fact served with them in Italy. In 1956 it was sold to a private owner, before transfer to France in 1988. It has been in Europe ever since and never had a complete overhaul. It still has some of the original battle damage visible on the fuselage. Predictably, the Messerschmitt was shot down.
CASA HA-1112 Buchon G-AWHK (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Spitfire & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Spitfire & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Spitfire & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mustang & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mustang & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mustang & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mustang & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mustang & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mustang & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Mustang & Bouchon (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
CASA HA-1112 Buchon G-AWHK (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Supermarine Spitfire PR XI G-PRXI (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Supermarine Spitfire PR XI G-PRXI (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
North American P-51D Mustang G-SIJJ (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Radial Power
The last act of the program were three Duxford based American radial engined fighters, the Grumman Wildcat and Bearcat both from the Fighter Collection and the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt from Fighter Aviation Engineering. The Widcat an FM-2 version is in the colours of the Fleet air arm, with which 1200 Wildcats saw service. Named Martlet it was the first monoplane single seat fighter of the Royal Navy.
The Bearcat was Grummans last propeller driven fighter that included all the lessons from combat in WW2. It came however too late to still play any role in the war. Some served in the French Air Force post war which used them in South East Asia. Under the assistance pact they were also given to other countries like Thailand.
The P-47 Thunderbolt was the most numerous American Fighter ever built with more than 15000 rolling off the production lines. It was also the biggest single seat fighter of the war. Our example was built in 1945 and didn’t see any war service. After some time in storage it was sold to the Peruvian Air Force. After its return to the US it was restored and in 1986 sold to the Fighter Collection. In 2007 it was sold back to the US only to return to the UK again in 2018. It is in the colour of the 492 nd fighter squadron, 48 th fighter group.
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Radial Power (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Radial Power (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Radial Power (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Grumman F-8F-2P Bearcat G-RUMM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Grumman F-8F-2P Bearcat G-RUMM (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt G-THUN (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat G-RUMW (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat G-RUMW (Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat G-RUMW (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Grumman FM-2 Wildcat G-RUMW (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Our thanks go to Sandy Davidson from IWM for providing press facilities.
