Classics and Fireworks at The Duxford Evening Airshow - August 17th, 2024

By Richard Bryant

This is the fourth time IWM Duxford have put on an evening ai show. I had always been busy when this air show fell. Not so this year and I decided to book for Lesley and I and then kept my fingers crossed for good weather.

The weather Saturday 17th August turned out to be excellent. Warm, sunny with a light breeze. It only cooled down later in the evening when some high cloud in the west rolled as the sun was setting. We were blessed with a perfect summers day.

We are both members of IWM Duxford. With the museum open as normal for visitors during the day I decided we should head up early after a stop off to run St Albans parkrun. After a run and the all important big breakfast, we headed up the A1M / A505 to Duxford, arriving around 1pm.

There was still space in the main carpark. Once parked we then breezed through security armed with more bags than a shopper has in the Selfridge January sales! Up to the Members desk and we were given blue wrist bands to indicate we could remain on site after 4pm ready for the air show. Great stuff.

We sat on the grass towards the Aircraft Restoration Hangar. Aircraft normally hold here to complete their engine checks which offer up some nice photo opportunities. Plus Boeing B17G Flying Fortress Sally B was parked next to us having lost its regular parking spot to a general aviation aircraft. Plus it is a short walk to the café and the toilets.

With a few hours to go before the air show officially opened I took the opportunity to walk around a couple of hangars and watch the coming and going aircraft movements. There were plenty of movements; with Classic Wings operating their pleasure flights and the Aircraft Restoration Company Bristol Blenheim and Spitfires departing for Eastbourne’s air show keeping me entertained.

Time ticked around and the museum announced it was time for anyone visiting the museum without an air show ticket to leave. This is where the blue wristband allows those with air show tickets to remain in the museum. Security popped around to check wristbands. While there was a decent crowd there was still plenty of space. Far more space than is normal at one of the Duxford big air shows.

As such this air show itself is relatively short. Flying began just before 6:30pm and finished at 8:45pm. During this time we were to see plenty of historic aircraft, in nice light and a couple of memorable formations.

A few of my highlights included seeing the Hawker Fury I, wearing her silver pre war scheme she looked splendid in the light. The one and only flying Boeing B17G Flying Fortress outside the USA. She flew two passes in formation with the Suffolk Spitfire’s Mk XVIe before giving a polished solo display. And the IWM Duxford Spitfire Mk I was joined by a Hurricane Mk I and Lysander for a formation which could well have been seen over this very airfield 84 years ago.

As the light faded the air show closed with two performances I have not seen before. First up were a pair of Grob 109b motorised gliders from the Airborne Pyrotechnics Team. These were followed by Pilots of the Purple Twilight in a Schweizer 300C helicopter. The pair of Grobs flew a graceful routine around the sky with fireworks coming off their wings and a trail of sparkles from their wingtips. In my opinion it was as good as seeing flares being pumped out of a military aircraft. Next the Schweizer helicopter took to the sky, also known as Otto the Helicopter, filling the sky with more fireworks. Brilliant. Next time I will move to capture Sally B with the fireworks in the sky behind her.

Overall I thought the museum put on a nice event. We both had a good time. Alongside the flying some of the hangars remained open. In Air Space the hangar doors were opened to showcase their Handley Page Victor. As dusk fell the Victor was lit up with coloured lights, drawing a crowd of folk over to look at her as they left.

Will we go back to a Duxford Evening Airshow? Yes we will.

Tally Ho - Richard Bryant