The Duxford Museum Battle of Britain celebration included a feast for the eyes and ears. The annual tribute to the young aviators who gave Britain the breathing room it needed to mount a defense and then take the fight to Nazi Germany, along with dozens of other countries, is held every September and this year featured a formation of 15 Spitfires and seven Hurricanes. Sound up for the majesty of the Merlins.
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The 85th Anniversary of the Battle and “Battle of Britain Day” is Sept 15th this year.
Check out a similar scramble at the 70th Anniversary show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AGwgqNUYwI
I took my first “flying lessons” at the 70th anniversary show in 2010. First in a Tiger Moth. Second day – aerobatics in a T-6 Harvard (Texan for you US types). Couple of days later I was in a C-172 at KPVD – Providence and slogged my way through the winter gaining my PPL. Four years (and a lot of hours and $$ later) was back on the South Coast of England strapping on a Tiger moth, then a Texan and then a Spitfire (T-9 two seat). Billed as “a ride”. The chap called “Cliff” who took me up realized I was very prepared, could fly aerobatics and over a few flights he let me “have at it”. “Cliff” turned out to be “Sir Clifford Rodney Spink, RAF (Ret)”. Look him up if you want to see an impressive biography. He didn’t come across that way. “Hi – I’m Cliff – here is what you need to know”….
Even though carefully conserved and throttled back and flown no where near their wartime loads and limits – you cannot beat a squadron scramble at Duxford at a Battle of Britain airshow.
Fantastic! I had no idea that many were still flyable.
“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” (Winston Churchill). Considering the RAF was outnumbered 3 to 1 in aircraft compared to the Germans, this was beyond heroic. And to do it wearing a tie in fine British tradition!
The ratio was more like 6:1 on paper on the ground and during a major engagement 5:1. But as the British could not bring all to bear simultaneous to the German raid – British pilots were often diving into German formations – outnumbered 50:1 in the local airspace south of London.
The tie was for the rookies (as shown in the 1969 movie). The old salts who had survived the Battle of France or more than a couple of weeks in UK airspace rarely wore their regulation Service Dress (with collar and tie) and wore whatever was comfortable. Some flew at 25,000ft (minus 40F/C) in shirt sleeves and adrenaline. Others would wear a combination of shirt, roll neck sweater, tunic, whatever came to hand and was comfortable. All who survived long wore a loose silk scarf to deal with chafe around the neck from constantly twisting to look behind.
I actually flew some of my 2010 experience wearing WWII kit to see what it was like. Truly awful in some combinations.
For Battle of Britain probably more fitting as 7 Hurricanes and 15 Spitfires; most here know it was the Hurricanes that did the heavy lifting. Remember that for those since and in today’s generation that may not fly or have flown the press darling fastest, pointiest nosed aircraft but went in anyway.
Nil Time (No Fear) motto of No. 501 squadron RAF. Flying Hawker Hurricanes, they brought down 149 enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain, while suffering the loss of 19 pilots, more than any other squadron. As for the other fighter, highly recommend viewing David Fairhead’s and Ant Palmer’s 2018 film documentary “Spitfire: The Plane that Saved the Word” normally available on Amazon Prime and Netflix.
sigh… we need an edit function. “Spitfire: The Plane that Saved the World.”
Has someone requested audience with King Russ on getting a edit feature here? Not being able to correct typos is sad.
Had a friend who flew Hawker Hurricanes in North Africa. Told me a story of how he and another pilot went across the bomb line on a Sunday morning on a “hunt and peck” mission—a “rhubarb mission,” he called it. He said that was to keep the Germans from sleeping in on a Sunday. They were told to shoot anything that moved. He caught a line of Germans standing in line for a chow truck. He said he went down the line and strafed them. I said “They must’ve tipped over like little tin soldiers.” He said “Oh no—they flew through the air, their great coats flying open. The shells on the Hurricane are huge,” he said.
I decided to become a pilot on the spot.
I can verify that the Battle of Britain Day airshow at Duxford is indeed awesome!
Wife & I had separate professional conferences in England the week following the 2019 Duxford event, so we went over early to catch the show. We knew the traffic would be an issue so I snagged a BnB just down the lane for the night before. We are both multi-decade Airventure volunteers in Vintage, so we were very pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get in and around. We had plenty of time to tour the hangars and talk to docents who seemed absolutely delighted to explain the history and provenance of the aircraft in their care. I specifically remember the few who had personal experience of that time as children, though I doubt that many of them are still with us. And of being abashed by my ignorance of the breadth of British wartime aircraft.
Graeme is absolutely right: when a squadron took off, or flew over, all conversation stopped and heads swiveled. And despite its reputation, the weather was glorious. Put the Duxford BoB Day on your bucket list and budget now.
Now this is an airshow I’d really like to see up close next year.
I went to this years show and it was just amazing. What Russ didn’t mention is that the largest formation of Hurricanes in the modern era did a flypast, with 8 airframes. Many of which were veterans of the Battle of France in April/May 1940.
It was a very special moment.
Yep – there has been a decent uptick in the number of flyable Hurricanes. They only had 4 at the 2010 show and they flew a segment themselves. As someone else mentioned – it was actually the Hurricane that did the heavy lifting in the BoB. It varied with day to day availability – but a ratio of 2 Hurricanes to 1 Spitfire was about the norm. And a smattering of Boulton Paul Defiants (till withdrawn), Bristol Blenheim “fighters” and even a few biplane Gloucester Gladiators. One of which is still flying at Duxford.