Duxford Flying legends 2013 Review

Grumman TBM-3E Avenger

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Flying Legends 2013 was held at the IWM Duxford over the hot and sunny weekend of 13th-14th July.

The flying display starts about 2pm which gives you plenty of time to visit the large museum, stalls, flightline, or visit the 'Vintage Village' and be entertained with 1940s music by the Andrews Sisters-style, 'The Manhattan Dolls' who are based in New York, and the 'Wilmslow Concert Band' performing swing band classics.

This event is run by 'The Fighter Collection' who own the largest collection of WWII warbirds in Europe. They are based at IWM Duxford and the collection was set up by Stephen Grey. This was to be his final display at Flying Legends and he opened the show at 1.45pm with an excellent display in the Grumman Bearcat to a Pink Floyd track.

The Bremont Horsemen Flight Team made a welcome return this year after displaying in 2009, and 2011, although this year the pilots, Steve Hinton, Dan Friedkin, and Ed Shipley swapped their trio of P-51 Mustangs for three Spitfires including Spitfire Ia (X4650, Comanche Warbirds), Spitfire Ia (AR213, Comanche Warbirds), and Spitfire Vb (EP120, TFC).

Grumman Bearcat

Grumman Bearcat

Grumman Bearcat

Spitfire Mk.Ia

Spitfire Mk.Vb

More Spitfires were up next along with two Hispano Buchons (Messerschmitt Bf 109s). The Spitfires included Spitfire XIVe (MV293, TFC), Spitfire XVIe (TD248, Richard Lake), and Spitfire Tr.IX (ML407, Carolyn Grace). The Buchons included HA-1112-M1L Buchon C.4K-31 (Richard Lake), and HA-1112-M1L Buchon C.4K-102 (ARCo).

Spitfire Mk.IXc

Spitfire Mk.XIVe

Spitfire T.IX

Spitfire Mk.XVIe

Spitfire T.IX

Next was 'Sally B', a Boeing B-17G (124485, B-17 Preservation) and the last airworthy Flying Fortress left in Europe. It was joined by a P-47G 'Thunderbolt (42-25068, TFC) which along with the P-51 Mustang were used to escort the B-17 bombers to their target and were referred to by the bomber crews as our 'Little friends'. Sally B is based at IWM Duxford but is not part of the collection and relies solely on charitable donations, sponsorship, sales of souvenirs, volunteers, and members of the Sally B Supporters Club yet it has been displaying in the UK for an incredible 38 years.

Buchon

Buchon

B-17G

P-47 Thunderbolt

P-47 Thunderbolt

We then had two Curtiss P-40 Warhawks along with a Curtiss H-75A-1 Hawk (No.82, TFC). The Warhawks included a P-40F Warhawk (41-19841, TFC), and P-40N Warhawk (42-105915, SDPA). There was also a Curtiss P-40B Warhawk (41-13297, TFC) which formed part of the Balbo at the end of the show. Due to a lack of information on the service history of the P-40F it wears the striking scheme of 'Lee's Hope' from the 85th Fighter Squadron, 79th Fighter Group, which was flown by Lt Robert J Duffield from Capodichino airfield, southern Italy in early 1944. The Curtiss Hawk is a very rare aircraft and wears an authentic Armée de l'Air standard three-tone scheme, with her GC 11/5 markings on her port, and the Lafeyette Escadrille Sioux Indian head motif (the TFC logo) on her starboard side.

P-40F Warhawk

P-40N Warhawk

P-40B Warhawk

Curtiss Hawk

Curtiss Hawk

The Junkers 52 (5489, Lufthansa Traditionsflug) then performed its display. The Junkers 52 was a German tri-motor troop and cargo transport aircraft which was also used as a civilian airliner and freight hauler during the 1930s and 1940s continuing on until the 1980s. In the 1930s, a bomber variant was designed with two bomb bays which could hold up to 3,300 lb of bombs and had a defensive armament of two 7.92mm MG 15 machine guns in an open dorsal position, and in a retractable ventral position. This remained the Luftwaffe's main bomber until the introduction of the Heinkel He 111, Junkers Ju 86, and Dornier Do 17. Then the Bucker Bu 131 Jungmann (G-BSAJ, A Kynsey) gave its aerobatic display. This aircraft was also used by the Luftwaffe during World War II and was used as a basic trainer.

Junkers 52

Jungmann

Sea Fury FB11

Sea Fury FB11

F4U-4 Corsair

Next we had the Hawker Sea Fury FB11 (WH589, Spitfire Warbirds) complete with smokewinders, and the Vought F4U-4 Corsair (96995, The Flying Bulls). The Sea Fury FB11 was a British single-seat fighter-bomber used by the Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Canadian Navy. It remained the Fleet Air Arm's primary fighter-bomber until 1953 and also served in the Korean War where a Sea Fury managed to shoot down a MiG-15 jet. The F4U-4 Corsair was an American naval aircraft which also served in the Korean War and was pitched against Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters but also managed to shoot down a MiG-15 jet.

The Aerostars Aerobatic Display Team displayed in their six Yakovlev Yak-50 aircraft. The Yak-50 aircraft was designed by the Soviet Yakolev Design Bureau in the early 1970s to provide the USSR aerobatic team with an aircraft to dominate international competitions. They were also used by several countries as military trainers.

Aerostars

Aerostars

Gladiators

Gladiator II

Gladiators I

We were then treated to two Gloster Gladiators flying together for the first time. They included Gloster Gladiator I (L8032, The Shuttleworth Trust), and the Gloster Gladiator II (N5903, TFC) which has only recently taken to the air. The Gladiator was a British built bi-plane fighter used by the Royal Air Force, and Fleet Air Arm (Sea Gladiator), as well as several other Air Forces in the 1930s. The Gladiator was the RAF's last bi-plane fighter and was largely replaced by the Hurricane, and Spitfire at the start of the Second World War.

P-51D Mustang

P-51D Mustang

P-51D Mustang

TF-51D Mustang

P-51D Mustang

The Mustangs scrambled next and performed a really excellent display with TF-51D 'Miss Velma' (44-84847, TFC), P-51D 'Nooky Booky' (44-74427, SDPA), P-51D 'Princess Elizabeth' (43-25147, Comanche Warbirds), and P-51D 'Moonbeam McSwine' (44-73656, Mistral). This was a excellent opportunity to see two rare blue-nosed Mustangs which represented aircraft flown by Captain William T Whisner of the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group based at RAF Bodney, Suffolk in 1944. After swapping their P-47 Thunderbolts with the sleek and powerful P-51 Mustangs, the 352nd Fighter Group painted the noses of their aircraft blue and were very successful against the enemy and produced several aerial aces. Moonbeam McSwine made its British debut at Flying Legends 2013 and was bought recently by Frederic Akary of Avignon, in southeastern France. Princess Elizabeth arrived at Duxford in May this year to take part in the Eagle Squadron commemoration at the Spring Air Show and is owned by the Friedkin family's Comanche Warbirds collection in Chino, California.

P-51D Mustang

TF-51D Mustang

Demon

Nimrod I

Nimrod II

Next we had the Hawker aircraft consisting of Hawker Nimrod I (S1581, TFC), Hawker Nimrod II (K3661, HAC), Hawker Demon (K8203, Demon Displays), and Hawker Hurricane IIa (P3351, Jan Roozen). The Hawker Nimrod was a British carrier-based biplane fighter while the Hawker Demon was a fighter variant of the Hawker Hart light bomber and both types were built in the early 1930s. This particular Hawker Hurricane IIa made its debut at this year's Flying Legends. It was part of the 'Alpine Fighter Collection' based in New Zealand and was regularly displayed at the 'Warbirds over Wanaka International Air Show' before being acquired by its new owner in Dijon, France this year. It is now based at Cannes-Mandelieu Airport in the south of France and flown by Dutchman Jan Roozen.

Hurricane IIa

Hurricane IIa

BBMF

Lancaster

Hurricane IIc

On Saturday the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) displayed with the Avro Lancaster (PA474, BBMF), the recently restored Supermarine Spitfire XVI (TE311, BBMF), and Hawker Hurricane IIc (PZ865, BBMF) but on Sunday there was only the Lancaster followed by the Hurricane IIc (LF363, BBMF) but without a Spitfire. The BBMF are based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and are administratively part of No.1 Group RAF. As well as the Lancaster, the BBMF consist of several Spitfires, and Hurricanes, a Chipmunk, and Dakotas.

L-4A Cub

L-4J Cub

L-4J Cub

Yak-3M

Yak--9UM

We had no fewer than three Piper L-4 Cubs including Piper L-4A Cub (42-36375, Frazerblades), Piper L-4J Cub (44-80609, Robin Roberts), and Piper L-4J Cub (43-28251). Next up were the Yak fighters with Yakovlev Yak-9UM (0470406, Paul Boschung), Yakovlev Yak-3M (0470107, Richard Grace), and Yakovlev Yak-11 (25-III-08, Rob Davis). The Soviet built Yakovlev fighter proved to be a formidable dogfighter during the Second World War.

Although absent from the flying display on Sunday, the Grumman FM-2 Wildcat (86711, TFC) did display on Saturday. A welcome addition to the display was the Grumman TBM-3E Avenger (53319, Laurent Calame). This Avenger was acquired by a Swiss collector in 2006 and brought to Switzerland and registered HB-RDG. It is still flying in her original marks as 53319/RB-319 named "Charlie's Heavy" assigned to VR-22 in 1953. The Grumman Wildcat was a Second World War American carrier based fighter while the Grumman Avenger was an American torpedo bomber.

Yak-11

TBM-3E Avenger

TBM-3E Avenger

TBM-3E Avenger

TBM-3E Avenger

The Royal Navy Historic Flight (RNHF) brought along their Hawker Sea Fury T.20 (VX281, RNHF), and Fairey Swordfish II (LS326, RNHF). Unfortunately the Swordfish was unable to fly as it missed its display slot on Saturday and suffered a damaged rudder after being towed to the flightline by a tractor on Sunday. The Sea Fury was the last British propeller-driven fighter aircraft to serve with the Royal Navy and was the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built. The Swordfish was a British torpedo bomber biplane which was nicknamed 'Stringbag' and although it was an outdated design it remained in service throughout the war and achieved some notable successes.

Sea Fury T20

Sea Fury T20

Sea Fury T20

Lysander IIIa

Fi 156A-1 Storch

The Westland Lysander IIIa (V9552, The Shuttleworth Trust), and Fieseler Fi 156A-1 Storch (G-STCH, Peter Holloway) were up next. The Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft and was used to place and recover agents at night usually in occupied France during the War. The Storch was a small German liaison and army co-operation aircraft used during World War II. Both of these aircraft have an impressive short take-off and landing capability.

The last two aircraft to display were the Morane-Saulnier MS406 (J-143, Mobile Air Service), and Douglas DC-3 (11750/LN-WND, Foundation Dakota Norway). The MS406 was a French fighter aircraft built in 1938. Although sturdy and manoeuverable it was outclassed by the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 as it was underpowered and weakly armed. The DC-3 revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s and the military version C-47 Skytrain or Dakota was an excellent transport aircraft.

MS406

MS406

DC-3

Joker

Balbo

Now was the moment for many of the warbirds to take-off and form the Balbo. While the aircraft are forming up it is up to the joker to keep the crowd entertained. This has traditionally been done by Stephen Grey in the Grumman Bearcat but starting from this year the joker will be performed by his son, Nick Grey in the Gloster Gladiator.

A big thank you to 'The Fighter Collection' and the 'Imperial War Museum Duxford' for putting on another fantastic, and safe air show this year.

Duxford will be hosting two more major air shows this year, with the 'Duxford Air Show' on the 7th and 8th of September 2013 which will feature the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the RAF Typhoon, the Red Arrows (Sunday only), Patrouille de France (Sunday only), Spitfires and much more!, and the Autumn air show on 11th October 2013 which will be throwing the spotlight on the historic aeroplanes that are operated by flying partners based at the museum, with displays by some of the iconic aircraft that call IWM Duxford home. See the Duxford website at www.iwm.org.uk/duxford for more details.

               Article and photographs by Dave Key - www.military-airshows.co.uk

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Next year's air show dates at IWM Duxford include: • 24th - 25th May 2014 - D-Day Anniversary Air Show • 12th - 13th July 2014 - Flying Legends • 13th - 14th September 2014 - The Duxford Air Show

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