4/8/2021 IWM Flying Day @ Duxford

Time to get on the bike for a nice trip out into the country - it's SO much better than the car for this sort of day out. This event isn't one of the well known big weekend air displays at this famous Battle of Britain airfield - this is a much less formal midweek 'Flying Day' run by the Imperial War Museum who own the airfield and have an outpost of the museum on site. These less publicised events showcase some of the IWM's airworthy aircraft, and some owned by other organisations also based here.

There are less aircraft flying than at the big displays, but the entrance price is also a lot lower - and still includes admission to the museum hangers which are full of aviation treasures in addition to the many museum aircraft parked outside. Interestingly, this is the only place I have had to show proof of Covid vaccinations on admission - even though the event is outdoors and there are no crowds!

All the aircraft pictured here could be seen flying - in the air where they belong, not gathering dust in a museum.

The weather was perfect, both for the ride to and from the airfield, and also the event itself. It was much less crowded than the big displays here - still well attended, but with a much more relaxed atmosphere.

The Spitfire and Hurricanes are rare Mk 1 versions and actually flew in the Battle of Britain - these aircraft are living history.

In addition to the aircraft to be seen flying on the day, there are more Hurricanes and Spitfires than you can shake a stick at to be found tucked away in the hangers - and most of them are airworthy.

The museum at Duxford is well worth a visit in it's own right even on a non flying day. Duxford is still an active airfield and many privately owned historic aircraft are based there, along with many in the process of either being restored for the museum or restored to full flight status - so you may well see activity on the airfield itself or aircraft being test flown. The American Air Museum on site is also worth a visit on it's own. It's not all aviation related either - there is the Land Warfare Hall to visit if tanks are more your sort of thing, and on some days you can even see some of them in action outside. There is a great deal to see even if there is no flying going on.