Shuttleworth Airshow 2018

Warbirds Online attended the Shuttleworth Collection evening airshow in the UK on the 14th of July 2018. Held after the Flying Legends airshow, we made a quick 40 minute journey to the Old Warden site just as the evenings display commenced.

The show contained a very well balanced representation of the collections aircraft from the Edwardian replicas Avro Triplane and 1910 Bristol Boxkite both of which were built for the film, Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (1965). Both of these veterans flew beautifully in the still night air – any crosswind and they are not flown so we were very lucky to witness these great machines in the air.

WWI was well represented by the beautiful Bristol F2.b built in 1918 and Avro 504K, built in 1918 as a K variant, this aircraft was one of those converted to a radial engined 504N while in RAF service. Both of these machines are finished to the highest standard and as original aircraft from the Great War era are very rare. The flying of these 100 year old aircraft was spirited and very impressive.

A large selection of inter war types were also flown on the night including 1929 Southern Martlet, G-AAYX, DH60 Cirrus Moth built in 1925, 1936 Percival Mew Gull, 1937 Kirby Kite Built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd one of three gliders flown at the airshow, 1936 Blackburn B2, the only remaining airworthy Blackburn B-2, 1928 DH60X Moth.

Finally we moved to the WWII era with another selection from the collection including the Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Sea Hurricane, Westland Lysander and the very rare Polikarpov PO2 was built in 1944 in the Soviet Union. Post War types were represented by a pair of DH Chipmunks including some excellent aerobatics which were very well received by the large crowd in attendance.

The show was well paced and always had an aircraft in front of the crowd and the narration of the displays was excellent and very informative. The Shuttleworth Collection is an excellent organization and always organizes very professional displays of its aircraft. The evening airshows are by their nature limited in the number of aircraft that can be displayed given the time constraints however nobody could go away unsatisfied. Visitors are also able to spend the pre show afternoon browsing the other aircraft in the collection and are able to enjoy the airshow in a very relaxed manner with many bringing a picnic dinner with them – not a sight seen at many other airshows we have attended.

We have visited the Shuttleworth Collection quite a few times and can highly recommend the airshow.  A visit to the Collection as a must in any trip to the UK – it is one of those unique Aviation venues that cannot be missed.

© John Parker