Shuttleworth Season Premier Airshow

And so after a break of some 18 months I was back at Biggleswade aerodrome for the Shuttleworth Collection’s 2019 Season Premier Airshow. Did it feel like coming home….? Yes it  most certainly did, I’ve been visiting Biggleswade aerodrome for some 40 years and even after all this time it has lost none of the charm and old-time magic for which it has become renown.

A fine and varied collection of aircraft featured in the display which included a Vietnam theme. Representing  this theme was a North American OV-10 Bronco, UH-1 “Huey”, Douglas DC-3,  2  Cessna Bird Dog O1-Es and a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina. From WWI there was an excellent selection comprising a Sopwith Camel, Sopwith Triplane, Avro 504K, and Bristol M1C.

We had one ‘no show’ due to serviceability issues, this being the ARC Lysander IIIA V9312/G-CCOM. It was a disappointment, seeing two ‘Lizzies’ flying together would have been a real treat, but undoubtedly the correct decision was made not to fly the aircraft, safety and preservation must always come first (in that order).

Usually I pick a personal favourite or two, but this was such a cracking show that I would end up listing at least half of the participating aircraft.

As with any airshow the weather conditions were very relevant. Generally it was kind but chilly, with no precipitation, light wind and a high cloud base. Very welcome was the wind direction which stayed roughly NW allowing aircraft to take off and land from the ‘house end’ of the main runway, exceptionally useful for us photographers.

The Images
Having said that the weather was kind I should add that the light conditions changed often and this did make aerial photography rather tricky. Having not snapped flying aircraft for some time I was also a little out of practice and so maybe this isn’t my best work, but i shall leave that decision to you dear reader.

Aeroplanes

De Havilland Chipmunk
North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco – Bronco Demonstration Team
Blackburn B2 (Chuttleworth Collection) & the Tower
De Havilland DH60 Cirrus Moth – Shuttleworth Collection
Cessna O1-E Bird Dog – G-PDOG
Douglas DC-3 – Aces High
Douglas DC-3 – Aces High
Douglas DC-3 – Aces High
Nieuport 17 replica – G-BWMJ
Nieuport 17 replica – G-BWMJ
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plain Sailing
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plain Sailing
Westland-Bell 47G – G-MASH
Westland-Bell 47G – G-MASH
Cessna O1-E Bird Dog – G-PDOG
Albatros DVa – WWI Aviation Heritage Trust
Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 – Shuttleworth Resident
EoN Primary Glider – Shuttleworth Collection
Cessna O1-E – Bird Dog – G-JDOG
Z-1RA Stummelflitzer – G-ZIRA
Westland Lysander Mk.IIIa
North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco – Bronco Demonstration Team
Spitfire Mk.XVI – BBMF
Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 – Shuttleworth Resident
North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco – Bronco Demonstration Team
North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco – Bronco Demonstration Team
North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco – Bronco Demonstration Team
North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco – Bronco Demonstration Team
Hawker Sea Hurricane 1b – Shuttlewoth Collection
Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 – Shuttleworth Resident
EoN Primary Glider – Shuttleworth Collection
EoN Primary Glider & Piper Super Cub – Shuttleworth Collection
De Havilland DH60X Moth – Shuttleworth Collection
EoN Primary Glider – Shuttleworth Collection
Left to right Sea Hurricane 1b, Spitfire Vc & Hurricane Mk.1
Hawker Sea Hurricane 1b – Shuttlewoth Collection
Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 – Shuttleworth Resident
Supermarine Spitfire Vc – Shuttleworth Collection
De Havilland DH82a Tiger Moth – Shuttleworth Collection
De Havilland DH82a Tiger Moth – Shuttleworth Collection
Blackburn B2 – Shuttleworth Collection
Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” – http://www.huey.co.uk
Douglas DC-3 – Aces High
Douglas DC-3 – Aces High
Gloster Gladiator I – Shuttleworth Collection
Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” – http://www.huey.co.uk
Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” – http://www.huey.co.uk
Douglas DC-3 – Aces High
Cessna O1-E – Bird Dog – G-JDOG
Cessna O1-E – Bird Dog – G-JDOG
Percival Provost – Shuttleworth Collection
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plain Sailing
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plain Sailing
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plain Sailing
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plain Sailing
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plain Sailing
De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
DHC-1 Chipmunk and Provost
Sopwith Camel – Shuttleworth Collection
Sopwith Camel – Shuttleworth Collection
Sopwith Camel – Shuttleworth Collection
Bristol M1C – Shuttleworth Collection
Bristol M1C – Shuttleworth Collection
Avro 504K – Shuttleworth Collection
Sopwith Triplane – Shuttleworth Collection
Sopwith Triplane – Shuttleworth Collection
De Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide
Westland Lysander Mk.IIIa
De Havilland DH88 Comet – Shuttlewoth Collection

Vehicles
As always a collection of vehicles were present, both military and civilian. Here I offer  just a small selection that especially appealed to me.

Programme
For the very reasonable price of £5 an excellent, full colour programme could be had which included a guide to the day’s events, a guide to the flying display, site map and articles on the visiting aircraft.

And finally….

IMG_3736

So ended another splendid Shuttleworth show, proving once again that no better way could be found to start a new airshow season. My sincere thanks to all at Shuttleworth for your unstinting efforts and professionalism. I look forward to my next visit in July for the Military Airshow when, if all goes to plan, no less than 6 Hurricanes and 1 Sea Hurricane will be on display.

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