P39A0310
Sublime Shuttleworth
A magical May evening…

A magical May evening…

Every drive to Old Warden for a Shuttleworth airshow has a special feeling to it, rekindling memories from childhood doing just the same. But when driving up for an Evening Airshow, with the weather set fair, and an exquisite list of aircraft set to delight, that feeling is a little warmer and fuzzier – this is going to be classic, magical Shuttleworth.

As is customary at the evening airshows now, in the early afternoon a paddock on the grass is opened up for close-up access to the aircraft, which really adds to the more intimate vibe that the evening events have and offers an excellent opportunity to view the aircraft.

With the weather scuppering the display by the Westland Lysander pair in 2021 after just a few passes, enthusiasts’ patience was rewarded this time round, as the pair began the show under gin clear skies. Whilst the pair had flown together at Shuttleworth before that, in 2020, the Aircraft Restoration Company Lysander has since had the winglets and bomb racks adding, making the scrubbing in 2021 all the more agonising. Pilots Jim Schofield and Jon Gowdy, in the Collection’s and ARCo’s respectively, choreographed an absolutely beautiful routine that exceeded expectations. What followed was ten minutes of Mercury magic, as the pair purred through a delightful sequence of formation passes before performing an on-crowd break and moving into a graceful tailchase sequence.

OW_150522_0090
OW_150522_0211
OW_150522_0265
OW_150522_0411
previous arrow
next arrow
OW_150522_0090
OW_150522_0211
OW_150522_0265
OW_150522_0411
previous arrow
next arrow

Next up was the racers segment, with the beautiful and now classic Shuttleworth vic three of de Havilland dh.88 Comet, Percival Mew Gull and Miles Hawk Speed Six really popping against the clear blue sky. The Desoutter also got airborne and was joined by the Hawk Speed Six in a mismatched formation.

Several of the Collection’s World War One types flew during the show, with the SE5a, Pup and Triplane taking one segment and then the Brisfit and Avro 504K flying in the dying embers of sunlight as a chill began to fill the air – part of what makes Shuttleworth’s evening airshows so special is the opportunity to see these aircraft in such conditions.

OW_150522_0635
OW_150522_0532
OW_150522_0880
OW_150522_0770
previous arrow
next arrow
OW_150522_0635
OW_150522_0532
OW_150522_0880
OW_150522_0770
previous arrow
next arrow

A duo of Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs, brought the Espionage theme into the 1970s and the aircraft’s role of Special Operations during the Vietnam War, with Laurie Gregoire’s United States Air Force O-1A and Kennet Aviation’s South Vietnamese Air Force O-1E. Sadly the show was meant to feature a trio of the type, but it was still great to see a pair of this often overlooked type together.

Back to more familiar sights, the Gladiator led Spitfire Mk Vb AR501 and Sea Hurricane in a vic three reminiscent of days gone by when the Collection’s heavies were often grouped together in various combinations. Duxford based T-6 Harvard Wacky Wabbit appeared with an aerobatic display and smoke system, the desert camouflage really standing out in the sun against the blue sky.

OW_150522_1045
OW_150522_1083
OW_150522_1161
OW_150522_1183
previous arrow
next arrow
OW_150522_1045
OW_150522_1083
OW_150522_1161
OW_150522_1183
previous arrow
next arrow

Another highlight of the show, along with the Lysander pair, was the gathering and display together of five Miles Magisters; The Collection’s own P6382 and fellow Old Warden based Hawk N3788 were joined by the Breighton based T9378, the ex-Strathallan Collection’s R1914 and Czech-owned example N3827, which featured a blind flying hood installed folded behind the second cockpit. This is likely to be the only time such a thing will be seen, only bettering Shuttleworth’s own previous gathering of four in 2015 at the July Evening Airshow due to the addition of a Czech based example having returned to flight during the week before the show following restoration at Henstridge in the UK, and before its ferry flight the following day to its base near Prague.

First flying in 1937 having been developed to the Air Ministry’s Specification T.40/36 derived from the Miles Hawk Trainer, the M.14 Magister entered service as the RAF’s first low-wing monoplane trainer. The type was praised for its flying qualities and having entered service just a year prior to the Second World War, many RAF pilots who saw combat in the conflict flew the Magister in training – an important type that is often overlooked and fitting that it got time in the spotlight with this magnificent five-ship. The display lasted a glorious almost 20 minutes, featuring formation passes as well as a tailchase. Following their display the five Magisters lined up along the flightline and conducted a synchronized engine shutdown. A bit of theatre to match the occasion!

OW_150522_1462
OW_150522_1460
OW_150522_1528
OW_150522_1724
previous arrow
next arrow
OW_150522_1462
OW_150522_1460
OW_150522_1528
OW_150522_1724
previous arrow
next arrow

The evening was rounded off with the Collection’s Lysander and an ingenious agent drop scenario. As the moon rose above the airfield trees, a 1930s Citroen was driven out onto the airfield with re-enactors to lay out temporary runway markers. The Lysander landed and carried out an agent swap before departing again.

With such an enticing array of aircraft and displays, all set on an utterly glorious evening, this will live long in the memory as one of those extra special Shuttleworth shows.

For more information on upcoming Shuttleworth airshows and to purchase tickets, follow this link: www.shuttleworth.org/events/

HOME