Getting the Ball Rolling - Duxford VE Day Flying

[Professor_M]

A visit to Duxford today for the first flying day of the summer, photos in the order taken...

The Jungmann-Ballerina pair to open the show was followed by a dogfight between the ARCo Buchon and Hurricane P3717 & Spitfire N3200. John Romain in the Buchon was the best (from the perspective of an M11-end spectator) take-off of the day, the only one using the grass to then keep rather close, banking round early.
Hispano HA.1112 M-1L | G-AWHK | ARCo by Professor M, on Flickr
Supermarine Spitfire I | N3200 | IWM | Hawker Hurricane I | P3717 by Professor M, on Flickr

Having not seen the Tiger Club's Turbulent Team display for a decade, I was very pleased to see the routine remain just as I remembered it (though today they displayed as only a three-ship, with a fourth Turbulent remaining on the ground). Whilst the Flour-bombing and Balloon-bursting was too far away from my location for any good photos, it was good fun to watch (the winds put paid to any limbo flying).
Druine D.31 Turbulent | G-APVZ | The Tiger Club Turbulent Team by Professor M, on Flickr

The star item for me from todays Flying Day was the Comanche pairing of Spitfire LFIXe ML417 & Ia AR213/"P7308".
Supermarine Spitfire LFIXe | ML417 | Supermarine Spitfire Ia | AR213 | Comanche by Professor M, on Flickr

The flying concluded (after a brief display from a late addition L-4H Grasshopper) with TFC's Bearcat alongside the Fighter Aviation Thunderbolt (a change from the Fury ISS listed in the run-up to today). The two of them did seem to display to good effect for those of us at the east end, even if their initial formation pass on arrival was rather loose and didn't come sweeping round the corner in the way that the Spitfires and Hurricane had earlier.
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt | 'Nellie B' | G-THUN | Fighter Aviation Engineering by Professor M, on Flickr
Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat | G-RUMM | The Fighter Collection by Professor M, on Flickr

Two intended flights from the R4D didn't come to fruition after it taxied out and held at the end of the runway before the flying display, only to taxy in again with the wind out of limits - remarkably everything else was able to display as hoped. Overall, a lot of distant flying and a lack of M11-end topsides, but not a bad day of flying.

[Nighthawke]

Good mix covering most of the flying. Weather was lovely except for the wind being a bit strong (shame the R4D couldn't fly - was looking forward to it but still great to see her again after 40 years!)

[Focal_Plane]

Out of interest, which Jungmanns opened the show?

[Professor_M]

Good mix covering most of the flying. Weather was lovely except for the wind being a bit strong (shame the R4D couldn't fly - was looking forward to it but still great to see her again after 40 years!)

Indeed - hopefully there'll be plenty more chances to see it in the air over the next few months.

Out of interest, which Jungmanns opened the show?

It was Anna Walker in CASA 1.131E Jungmann G-BSAJ and Pete Kynsey in LeVier Cosmic Wind Ballerina - both Duxford residents that now live next to the Beaufighter in the south side of Hangar 2 (after a good few years in the north part of Hangar 2 until some point in the last year or so). Two very small aeroplanes quite far away - one more for watching than photos.

[Focal_Plane]

Good mix covering most of the flying. Weather was lovely except for the wind being a bit strong (shame the R4D couldn't fly - was looking forward to it but still great to see her again after 40 years!)

Indeed - hopefully there'll be plenty more chances to see it in the air over the next few months.

Out of interest, which Jungmanns opened the show?

It was Anna Walker in CASA 1.131E Jungmann G-BSAJ and Pete Kynsey in LeVier Cosmic Wind Ballerina - both Duxford residents that now live next to the Beaufighter in the south side of Hangar 2 (after a good few years in the north part of Hangar 2 until some point in the last year or so). Two very small aeroplanes quite far away - one more for watching than photos.

Thank you.

[Bilvo]

A visit to Duxford today for the first flying day of the summer , photos in the order taken...

Vey nice photos, but come on, where did you get that idea from!?! Yes, the weather is nice and unseasonably warm but it's NOT summer!

Even the nutters at the Met Office don't claim that summer starts until the 1st June - even though the official date, is and always will be the summer solstice - e.g. the START of Summer = 21st June

It's currently SPRING.

[Nighthawke]

Ah the ultimate in pedantry. I think we all know what season it is. Warm sunny weather, take it while you can. "True" Summer will probably be cold, wet and windy.