Duxford Flying Legends 2016: Grey Skies, Colourful Show

Rain, a strong wind and tighter safety rules set the tone at the start of Flying Legends 2016. The mood at Duxford remained undimmed, however. An impressive line-up of British warbirds, rare aircraft and more than three hours of flying made the 23rd edition a memorable airshow when the weather improved on Sunday.

A typically British start

Fine drizzle falls from the low clouds over Cambridgeshire. The temperature is close to 20°C, but a strong westerly wind makes it feel much colder. On the second weekend of July 2016, Flying Legends seems at first to confirm every cliché about a British summer.

The hardiest enthusiasts are undeterred. They have claimed the front row along the fence early in the morning, settling into their camping chairs. Tents and windbreaks must remain behind a white line marked on the ground by the organisers. Hot tea from flasks keeps visitors warm as they look across the line of warbirds waiting for the afternoon programme. Among them are no fewer than nine Spitfires. In the distance, grey clouds appear to touch the rolling countryside.

The aircraft on the ground also give the show a distinctly British character. A Gloster Gladiator, Hawker Hind and Hurricane, an early Supermarine Spitfire Mk I and a Bristol Blenheim mark the start of the impressive line-up.

The rare Bristol Blenheim takes centre stage

The Blenheim draws particular attention. After an eleven-year restoration, it has been appearing regularly at airshows in Duxford and elsewhere in England since the previous year. As the only airworthy example of its type in the world, it remains a remarkable rarity.

During the rebuild, the aircraft was finished as an early RAF night fighter of No. 23 Squadron. A gun pack beneath the fuselage is especially noticeable, replacing the bomb bay of a type originally designed as a light bomber. In the flying programme, the Blenheim joins a Spitfire, a Hurricane and a Gladiator for one of the weekend’s highlights.

Two Gladiators then take on two Buchons in German markings. One of the fighters, known as “Yellow 10”, has recently been repainted for the film project Dunkirk. The outcome of the simulated dogfight is left open. In the early years of the Second World War, however, the older Gladiators would have stood little chance against the more advanced German aircraft.

New colours and rare variants

A Mustang with a wide-open shark mouth is another eye-catching sight. Although the P-51 is now generally regarded as an American warbird, the type was originally developed for the Royal Air Force and served with British forces during the Second World War. Its new owner has drawn on that history. Following an overhaul in England, the Mustang has carried RAF roundels and the colours of a No. 112 Squadron aircraft since 2012. In 1945, the squadron flew ground-attack missions from Italy over the Balkans and along the Adriatic coast.

The vivid yellow underside of a Sea Fury also catches the eye. The aircraft represents the first Sea Fury prototype, SR661, which made its maiden flight on 21 February 1945. It already has an arrestor hook but still lacks folding wings. In this configuration, it was used to test the Fury for future carrier operations.

A Seafire in the static display also recalls Britain’s naval aviation heritage. Its distinctive outline becomes especially clear when the owners fold the wings upwards by hand during the morning, demonstrating a space-saving feature of this Spitfire variant.

Wind keeps the First World War aircraft on the ground

Two First World War aircraft were also scheduled to appear at Flying Legends 2016: a Sopwith Snipe and an Albatros D.Va. Both were built by New Zealand company The Vintage Aviator and are operated in England by the World War 1 Aviation Heritage Trust. Only the Snipe makes it to Duxford, however. The poor weather means it is not even towed outside on Sunday, and the strong wind would have made a flying display impossible.

New rules change the view from the fence

Visitor numbers seem slightly lower than in previous years. Alongside the weather, two major events taking place at the same time may have drawn some of the audience elsewhere: the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford and a motor race at nearby Silverstone.

The organisers also have to adapt to stricter regulations from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Following the accident at the Shoreham Airshow in August 2015, rules governing display manoeuvres and minimum distances from spectators were tightened. At Duxford, the popular hill on the western side of the airfield and several areas beside the taxiway are now closed to the public.

In previous years, spectators could watch aircraft taking off from the grass runway at close quarters and see pilots taxi back almost within reach. The new separation distances make that experience impossible. There are still plenty of good viewing spots along the fence, though, and enough room remains opposite the Spitfire line for visitors to set up their own chairs. By Sunday afternoon, as the clouds finally clear, the scent of sun cream hangs over the airfield.

A strong Sunday and the grand Balbo

With the weather improving, the show hits its stride. The flying programme follows its planned choreography, and for more than three hours the distinctive sound of inline and radial engines fills the air. The warbirds appear in changing formations and individual displays as the wind drives the rain clouds away.

For the closing Balbo—the mass formation flypast featuring most of the participating aircraft—Nick Grey climbs into a Spitfire Vb. Flying as the “joker”, he displays the aircraft in broad, sweeping turns against the rolling countryside while 19 more warbirds gather for the flypast. The sky is now only lightly clouded, giving Grey room to use the full height of the display area.

The Balbo offers one last chance to see a large part of the line-up in the air together. After the final three Mustangs land, the engines fall silent. Two days after the damp start, Duxford settles back into quiet.

The typically British summer weekend does nothing to diminish the 23rd Flying Legends. With its exceptional warbirds, powerful flying programme and grand finale, the 2016 show is another impressive edition in the event’s established tradition.

Duxford Flying Legends Airshow 2016 Photo Gallery