The final air display of the Shuttleworth season saw the return of the popular Race Day air display, last held in 2019 with the previous two years being cancelled due to poor weather. The event focuses on pre-war motorsport with the Shuttleworth Sprint in the morning while the air display continues with the racing theme celebrating air racing from before the war up to the present day.

Following visiting aircraft arrivals early on the late morning and lunchtime saw the sprint taking place on the runway with a large number of pre-war car and motorcycles taking part. A number of the race cars are one off special builds and it was good to see them doing what they were built for as each vehicle got several runs along the runway. As well as the race vehicles there was also a large display of vintage and classic cars visiting along with the usual display of vehicles from the Shuttleworth Collection. As usual ahead of the air display visitors could look around the collections hangers and view the flying participants along the crowd line. Younger visitors also had the opportunity to try their hand at modelling in the Airfix experience being run by IPMS Brampton, experience operating an anti-aircraft gun, try out pedal powered aircraft or try some art in the art experience.

The afternoons flying display got underway with the Yak-11 being flown by Mark Jefferies and showing Ukraine roundels as opposed to the usual red stars showing support for the Ukraine following the Russian invasion. The type is representative of the ones used in the unlimited air racing class in the United States. It was then over to John Romain in the Spitfire PRXI, more recently known as the NHS Spitfire. Post war this aircraft was used in air races when operated by the American Air Attaché and flown by female pilot Lettice Curtis.  Next up it was a group of the collections aircraft who recreated handicap air racing flying circuits. These aircraft were De Havilland DH.51 ‘Miss Kenya’, Blackburn B2, Parnell Elf, Southern Martlet, Desoutter 1, Miles Magister, Comper Swift and DHC Chipmunk. Formula One air racing was demonstrated by the trio of small and fast racers, Le Vier Cosmic Wind, Monnett Soneral 1 and Cassutt Racer IIIM. While these were displaying a trio of gliders were getting to altitude to demonstrate a gliding competition. The vintage Slingsby Kirby Kite Prototype and Petrel were joined by the modern day Schleicher ASW 28-18E showing the progression of gliders over the years. Providing a break from the racing theme it was the collections Percival Provast that provided an aerobatic demonstration at a lower level that usually seen.

More of the collections aircraft provided the World War One section with the SE5a and Sopworth Pup being joined by John Gilbert’s Nieuport 17 and David Bremner’s Bristol Scout. The collection three famous racers then took to the sky, the DH88 Comet being joined by the Percival Mew Gull and Miles Hawk Speed Six. The trio performed two formation flypasts before separating for their individual displays. Following these was a section dedicated to sporting aircraft with the collections Comper Swift being joined by a Chilton DW1, David Beale’s reproduction Percival Mew Gull and making its Shuttleworth debut the Travel Air D4000. It was then to the collections World War Two contingent starting with the Lysander and Gladiator who performed as a pair before breaking for solo displays. These were followed the Sea Hurricane and Spitfire Vc again flying as a pair before performing solo displays. It was then hope that there would be a recreation of the ‘War of the Roses’ air race between the collections Blackburn Type-D Monoplane and Avro 504k. With the winds out of limit the Monplane was unable to fly leaving the Avro 505k to perform a solo display. Having opened the show earlier now closing the show was Mark Jefferies in his Extra 300s. Performing a solo aerobatics routine that included pyrotechnics this represented the type of aircraft used more recently in the Red Bull air racing series and Aero GP.

The show rounded off a successful display season for Shuttleworth with a full calendar of displays scheduled for 2023. Further details about Old Warden and the Shuttleworth Collection can be found by visiting https://www.shuttleworth.org/

Event photo album – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.804522421675719&type=3

Gary Malkin