A Return of Winged Heroes
Prose and Photography: Robert Griffiths
After nearly two years of cancelled or radically changed airshows, Imperial War Museum Duxford’s premier September airshow, usually on or near Battle of Britain Day (September 15th) was as close to pre-pandemic as I have come. The last Battle of Britain airshow I attended was September 2019, long before the world came to a grinding halt, and was a spectacle of Merlins, Spitfires and Hurricanes - as expected.
The morning promised to be a spectacular sunrise, as I travelled towards Duxford, the sky was speckled with high cirrus, and a number of criss-crossing contrails that instantly threw me back to the photos of battles in the skies from 1940. On arrival, the crisp, cold air denoted the start of fall, with dew covering the grass. I made my way to the media reception to sign in and take a walk to the flight line. The early morning, coupled with ground mist and a rising orange orb in the sky (a rarity at times in the UK!) promised fantastic conditions for the show later that afternoon. However, shortly after starting the flightline walk and eagerly taking photos, we were soon enveloped by a ground fog/mist like I've not seen since Scotland. With all light having practically disappeared and the sun with it, it was time to get as creative as possible in the conditions.
The display started with three ship of Spitfires of varying marks from its timeline. A Spitfire MK Ia, a Spitfire MK IX and the MK XIV; practically completing a flying timeline of the Spitfire’s genesis to its culmination during World War II. On landing, they were superseded by the less glamorous cousin during the Battle of Britain; a four ship of Hawker Hurricanes. One of the workhorses broke off and provided a solo display. It was a fantastic start to the show, with promise of more to come.
Next to display would be courtesy of Curtiss company, the P-36 and the P-40, as brothers of the sky. A great high energy display as a pair and then as solo displays really showed off the aircraft with fantastic sounds of the radial and Merlin.
Shortly thereafter it would be the turn of a heavy display over Duxford, and one of it’s resident aircraft. A superbly maintained and privately owned Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress known as ‘Sally B’ and the only one of its kind left in Europe took to the runway. The sound of the 4 radials shattered the country air as she lumbered into the air, reminiscent of many USAAF bomber bases in England during the war. Sally B is maintained as a flying memorial to the tens of thousands of USAAF personnel who lost their lives in the air. A poignant display that has the aim to keep alive the history of these aircraft and pay tribute to their young United States Army Air Force crews and their allies in the Royal Air Force, who paid such a heavy price for our freedom. It’s always a pleasure watching this display, especially when the smoke system is activated for their dedication pass.
After the B-17, it was time for something a bit more fast paced and frantic, as 3 Hispano Buchon HA-1112s took off to play the bad guys and attack the airfield. After a number of passes, including pyrotechnics, the resident USAAF took off to battle ‘Bosch’ above the skies of Duxford. Two P-51 Mustangs and a P-47 Thunderbolt took off in hot pursuit of the three scoundrels that disturbed their morning joe. One Buchon and the Thunderbolt peeled off for their tail chase high, while the other two Buchons and Mustangs chased one another low over Duxford. It wasn't long before the locals got onto the bad guys and eventually the Buchons started streaming white smoke, signalling an end to a successful engagement by the USAAF.
Other highlights of the day included a follow-on display from the Historic Army Aircraft Flight, including 4 aircraft; the August Bell Sioux AH MKI, a Westland Scout, an Auster MK9 and a de Havilland Beaver AL MKI. Although this sounds like an odd combination of aircraft, it builds a sense of the timeline of Army Aviation. The resident Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina/Canso ‘Miss Pickup’ also displayed to the crowd with her usual grace and slow speed showing why it was such an incredibly capable machine for warfare over the oceans around the world. The crowd also took in a display by the hugely enjoyable Great War Display Team in their reproduction S.E.5s, Fokker Dreideckers and Junkers.
One of the bigger displays was the trio of helicopters from the Historic Helicopters Group. With a Westland Whirlwind, a Westland Wessex and the well-known Westland Sea King in yellow, it was a display I really looked forward to. The display did not disappoint with it being broad across the crowd line, something some helicopter displays struggle to accomplish. With a small solo display for each helicopter there was the culmination of the display with all 3 lining up in front of the crowd.
Towards the end of the show, a single Spitfire turned onto the grass airstrip and headed toward us. Resplendent in its desert scheme this was JG891, a MKV.c, an uncommon full cannon version of the MK.V spitfire. This particular display, known as the ‘Joker’, would occupy the display gaps for the grand finale. The grand finale for the show was the Duxford ‘Big Wing’ or balbo display, by no less than 11 Spitfires and 4 Hurricanes, and that was a spectacle and a welcome return to the airshows of old. The noise as 15 aircraft thundered into the air was not only emotional, but also a love song for the aviation geek, who has not had much luck in getting to airshows for some time.
When the formation disappeared to form up in the distance, the Joker entered the display circuit under the control of the renowned John Romain. I’ve been lucky to witness JR at a few displays during the pandemic at the few venues that have been able to put on a show, and I have to say his displays are something to behold. The energy management, the control and the display are so precise and graceful you can’t help but put the camera down and watch. And it’s not just Spitfires that he is adept in flying, there have been many airframes where he has displayed exquisitely.
As JR departed the display circuit, heading towards Duxford was the Big Wing formation, seemingly heading slowly toward us before passing by in a cacophony of Merlin music, heading off to return shortly. It was time for JR to occupy our attention once again with his graceful rolls and loops before the Big Wing returned. On the third pass, the formation started to break away one at a time to land, with the blue Spitfire PRXI NHS completing the day with a solo display. As the last of the Merlin songs dissipated into the late afternoon skies, it was time to pack away and head home after an excellent day of vintage aviation.
Full Disc Aviation would like to thank IWM Duxford for inviting us to cover the Battle of Britain Airshow in 2021 and a special thank you to Jack McBride at the Aircraft Restoration Company.
