Duxford Flying Legends 2011 Review

Duxford Flying Legends 2011 Review:
The Duxford Flying Legends airshow was the first event I attended in the 2011 airshow season. No fast jets in this show but plenty of classic aircraft from World War One and World War Two. We were treated to a huge variety of aircraft including the debut of The Flying Bulls with a Lockheed P-38L Lightning and a Vought F4U-4 Corsair. Forty different aircraft displayed on the bright sunny Sunday afternoon at Duxford.
The first part of the display consisted of seven Supermarine Spitfires with a Mk. IA, two Mk. VBs, a Mk. IXC, a Mk. XIVE, a Mk. XVIE and a PR XIX. The Spitfires were also joined by three Messerschmitt Bf-109 Buchons and a Hawker Hurricane Mk. XII. We were treated to the three Messerschmitts flying straight over the Imperial War Museum and flying in a close formation alongside the Hurricane and Spitfire Mk. IA. The sound of the engines together was truly spectacular and was even more so when the other six Spitfires arrived chasing each other in a cascade of loops and barrel rolls as the other aircraft departed. This was a fantastic display and a fitting start to a great event.
Next up was a trio attack aircraft which were too late to participate in World War Two but was used extensively in the Korean War. I am of course talking about the Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider. Seeing three of them in formation was a very unique site in the sky and the sounds of their powerful engines was truly incredible.
The Vought F4U-7 Corsair and the Grumman F8F Bearcat were the next aircraft to display. Even though they didn’t fly together in formation which would have been a great sight, the individual performances by both aircraft were brilliant and should be expected for two of Duxford’s regular performers.
Display teams at Flying Legends are not unheard of but still rare, so were in for a treat when The Horseman Aerobatic Team displayed for us. The team consisted of two North American P-51D Mustangs with the names “February” and “Fragile But Agile”. The two Mustangs were incredibly graceful as they flew through the now cloudy sky but they did disappear from view for some reason which was a disappointment but none the less was a good display.
More Mustangs displayed next with a total of four flying in the sky at one. They were named “Big Beautiful Doll”, “Ferocious Frankie”, “Miss Velma” and “Nooky Booky IV”. The sounds of the four Mustangs together as well as them flying in formation was truly a fantastic sight to behold. “Big Beautiful Doll” and “Ferocious Frankie” were then joined by the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress “Sally B” in a flypast before the B-17 Flying Fortress performed its display. The performance by the Flying Fortress was as stunning as ever, especially with the white smoke coming from two of its engines at the end of the display.
Three classic transport aircraft were up next to entertain us. These were the De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide and two De Havilland DH.84 Dragon Is. They flew together in loose formation and then made several passes individually. These classic aircraft from the 1930’s are still used today as they were in the past and are a shining example of an aircraft that has stood the test of time.
We then had a brief display by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Avro Lancaster, which displayed admirably which was a great addition to the airshow despite the shortness of the display and a pity that the Lancaster wasn’t jointed by a Spitfire and Hurricane.
A replica of a Fokker DR1 gave us a solo display which was impressive with its agility and loops which make it look like it is falling out of the sky. Upon landing the Fokker tipped over onto its nose but fortunately the pilot was unharmed and the aircraft only sustained minor damage. Unfortunately this delay meant we were unable to see the Curtiss P-40B and P-40N Kittyhawks performance as well as the Curtiss Hawk 75 display.
Another German aircraft displayed but this time from World War Two. The Junkers Ju-52 flew through the clear skies with remarkable grace despite not being the most beautiful aircraft in the world. A regular at Flying Legends was once again a sensation and the sight of three engines on one aircraft rather than the typical two or four for a transport was a truly remarkable sight.
Still on the German theme, we treat to the display of the Bucker Bu-133C Jungmeister. I do think that the majority of the display was a bit too high up and along with the now cloudy sky made it very a bit of a pain to photograph. Despite this, the display was fantastic in that perfectly demonstrated the acrobatic ability of the Jungmeister
Next up were four remarkably beautiful silver aircraft from the 1930’s. The Hawker Demon, Hind, Nimrod I and Nimrod II flew in formation before splitting into two different groups where the Nimrods went in one direction whilst the Demon and Hind went the other. The sight of these silver biplanes in the sky together was fabulous and would have been more so if the sun hadn’t of gone behind the clouds.
Going on to a naval theme, we were shown one of the most iconic piston engine aircraft used by the navy. In the sky were two Hawker Sea Fury T20s and a Hawker Fury FB10 ISS. Unfortunately they did not fly in formation but they were a fantastic sight as they whizzed through the sky with each of their distinctive markings.
We were in for a treat when the Royal Navy Historic Flight’s newly restored Fairey Swordfish Mk. II which performed with grace as its four crew members put this vitally important and rare aircraft through its routine before heading back to RNAS Yeovilton.
The Flying Bulls were now getting ready to perform on their airshow debut. The Lockheed P-38L Lightning and the Vought F4U-4 Corsair made single flypast in formation and then separated into their individual performances. The Corsair performed a brilliant but brief display whilst the Lightning took centre stage with a stunning performance. The unique shape of this fantastic aircraft with its bright silver colouration made this display truly extraordinary.
Next, was a World War One dogfight re-enactment between another Fokker DR1 Replica and a Nieuport 17 Replica. The two aircraft chased each other about the sky, fully utilising techniques and skills which would have been utilised during the First World War.
Two very different World War Two aircraft displayed their routines next. They were the Morane-Saulnier D-3801 which was used by the French forces along with the Yakovlev Yak 9UM which was used by the Russian forces. When they flew past the crowd in formation, they were truly remarkable with their very different designs and gave us all plenty of photo opportunities. This display was unique due to the rarity of both these aircraft.
Nearing the end of a truly spectacular day of flying was the pairing of the Douglas C-47B Dakota and the Douglas C-53D Dakota. This display proved beyond doubt that you don’t need high-speed and complex manoeuvres to entertain the crowds. Both aircraft flew through the sky with grace and was a fitting display finisher for such a great day.
But that wasn’t the end of Duxford Flying Legends 2011
As a total of twenty-seven aircraft took to the skies and joined in a mass formation known as “The Balbo” the Grumman F8F Bearcat entertained the crowds for a bit as the finale of the flying display was being prepared and we waited in anticipation for one hell of a final performance which you will not see anywhere else.
The sound of the oncoming formation was truly extraordinary and the sight of the mass formation was incredible. Six North American P-51D Mustangs, five Supermarine Spitfires, three Douglas AD-4NA Skyraiders, three Messerschmitt Bf-109 Buchons, two Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks, two Vought F4U Corsairs, two Hawker Sea Furys, a Hawker Fury, a Curtiss Hawk 75, a Yakovlev 9UM and a Lockheed P-38L Lightning were in the sky all at the same time. The formation flew by us once before the one of the Corsairs and the Lightning separated to land and then flew past us again. The formation then split into two separate formations and each flew by once again. The final part of the formation display involved groups of three to four aircraft passing by and splitting off to turn round to land. It was during the final part of this display when another unfortunate accident occurred. One of the Douglas AD-4NA Skyraiders collided with one of the North American P-51D Mustangs. “Big Beautiful Doll” crashed into a nearby field whilst the Skyraider turned around and landed despite have a large part of its wing torn off during the collision. The Skyraider pilot was unhurt whilst the Mustang pilot sustained only minor injuries. Despite this ordeal the cheers and applause from the crowds upon hearing the news of the pilot’s safety broke through the tension.
Despite the unfortunate events that occurred on the Sunday, the airshow was fantastic and one of the best airshows I attended that year. It was a shame the Curtiss Hawk 75 and Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks couldn’t display but the rest of the displays more than made up for it. I think the highlights of the show were the Lockheed P-38L Lightning display as well as the displays of the Supermarine Spitfires, Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf-109 Buchons. This was a great airshow to start my 2011 airshow season.
For those of us who stayed late, we were treated to the arrival of the Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina which is always a welcome sight, especially at its home airfield here at Duxford.
I hope you enjoy the photos in the gallery. If you wish to see more, check out my Facebook Page