Duxford 2011 Air Show Themes

[Pen Pusher]

From the Duxford Web Site:

Spring Air Show, Sunday 22 May
Celebrating Women in Aviation
Women have always played an integral role in the development of aviation, from the pioneering days of early flight to today’s sophisticated air power. The Spring Air Show celebrates the achievements of women in aviation – from technological development to daring aerial aptitude.

The Duxford Air Show, Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September
75th anniversary of the Spitfire
Enjoy the sight and sound of the celebrated British single-seat fighter aircraft in the year that marks the 75th anniversary of the Spitfire’s inaugural flight. The Spitfire was first seen by the public at the RAF Hendon Air Pageant in 1936 and only a few years later formed the backbone of RAF Fighter Command. IWM Duxford, the spiritual home of the Spitfire, celebrates the aircraft’s power and panache in a spectacular air display.

Autumn Air Show, Sunday 16 October
Remembering the Korean War
The Korean War was the first major conflict in which jet aircraft sought air superiority alongside the final-generation propeller-driven piston fighters. The Autumn Air Show pays homage to this uniquely international air battle, characterised by the contrast between the highly-developed piston engine and the first generation of jet aircraft.

Web Link

Brian

[RodMcKenzie]

Hmmm... well, they're all worthwhile themes, but all of them have been done before - I seem to recall the last Korea tribute stretched things a bit by including the Canberra.

I'll jump right out on a limb and suggest the Spring show features Carolyn Grace, Anna Walker & Team Breitling

[graydays]

Hopefully they will try to beat the record for the most spitfires in modern times on the 3/4 sept. i unfortunatly missed this years b o b show due to unforeseen circumstances.

[graydays]

Hopefully they will try to beat the record for the most spitfires in modern times on the 3/4 sept. i unfortunatly missed this years b o b show due to unforeseen circumstances.
sorry damn computer keeps double posting

[classicaviation]

I'll jump right out on a limb and suggest the Spring show features Carolyn Grace, Anna Walker & Team Breitling

What gave you that idea???

[RodMcKenzie]

What gave you that idea???

Psychic powers

[classicaviation]

Could be.... or it could be the fact the display pilot profession is very male dominated. Aside from Carolyn Grace and Anna Walker, Tricia Neville (od Dennis Neville's Flying Circus) and Kirsty Moore (of Red Arrows) are the other female display pilots that come to mind in the UK. I'm sure, and hope, that there are others but the male percentage is huge - which for me is an unneccessary shame

[RodMcKenzie]

Plenty of others, actually - how about Diana Britten, Tracey Curtis-Taylor, Leah Hammond, Tracy Martin & Angie Soper? That covers an impressive range of types from Bell 47 to Yak-11. And there hasn't been a Duxford show in recent memory that didn't go ahead without significant contributions from Jeanne Frazer, Jane Larcombe or Pippa Vaughan.

What's galling is that we still need to have an airshow theme to highlight the contribution of women to aviation, when even a cursory historical study will show they've been at the forefront pretty much from the dawn of the science...

[tankbuster81]

Add to that the leader's of The Black Cats,and Patrouille de France.Both Lovely young ladies.

[RodMcKenzie]

In one season, Virginie Guyot has turned the P de F from "quite entertaining" into arguably the finest display team in the world

While we're on this subject, an honourable mention ought to go to Louise Buxton, who recently commanded the RAF Falcons.

And of course there's a certain Danish lady frequently hangs out at Duxford, whose name escapes me...

[st24]

In one season, Virginie Guyot has turned the P de F from "quite entertaining" into arguably the finest display team in the world:

Really? They've always been damned good and the sequence not really changed much for decades. I really didn't get the post RIAT euphoria about how the team have turned a corner....

[RodMcKenzie]

Didn't see them at RIAT, but did see them at Duxford - the whole sequence seemed much sharper and tighter, especially compared to their appearance at Waddo in 2009. It took me back to the 1980s, when the P de F seemed to fly with more panache than most anyone else.

Subjective I know, but it seems I'm not the only one to feel that way...

[classicaviation]

What's galling is that we still need to have an airshow theme to highlight the contribution of women to aviation, when even a cursory historical study will show they've been at the forefront pretty much from the dawn of the science...

Almost completely over-looked in a lot of cases

[Kieran]

In one season, Virginie Guyot has turned the P de F from "quite entertaining" into arguably the finest display team in the world:

Really? They've always been damned good and the sequence not really changed much for decades. I really didn't get the post RIAT euphoria about how the team have turned a corner....

Agreed! Certainly more entertaining than the Red Arrows this year!

[RodMcKenzie]

Almost completely over-looked in a lot of cases

I'd like to think that's changing - I can't imagine anyone nowadays would try to write a general history of aviation without invoking names like Batten, Earhart, Johnson, Reitsch or Quimby. On the other hand, when discussion of the great WW2 aces comes up, it's frustrating when the likes of Budanova and Litviak are never mentioned.

Kudos to Duxford for continuing to highlight this subject - they had the ATA tribute in '09, and in September the commentators rather wonderfully mentioned Beate Uhse (a woman with a very interesting life story ), so hopefully it'll filter into the wider public consciousness.

[Also, nice to see you channelling your inner feminist, Jimbo ]

[classicaviation]

[Also, nice to see you channelling your inner feminist, Jimbo ]

Well we all need to keep an open mind haha

[RodMcKenzie]

Does the fact that Korea has been adopted as a theme indicate the Sabre is safe for at least another season? It's hard to imagine a tribute to that conflict without the F86, although DX did once manage a Dakota-free D-Day commemoration, so I suppose anything's possible

[classicaviation]

Naturally we all hope that the Sabre stays! Though I agree it would be unusual not to have it at a Korea airshow. There is nothing on Golden Apple Ops or ARCo web sites to indicate the F86 is available for sale anymore; though we know these things are sometimes down on the quiet!

[Kieran]

From the Duxford Web Site:

Spring Air Show, Sunday 22 May
Celebrating Women in Aviation
Women have always played an integral role in the development of aviation, from the pioneering days of early flight to today’s sophisticated air power. The Spring Air Show celebrates the achievements of women in aviation – from technological development to daring aerial aptitude.

The Duxford Air Show, Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September
75th anniversary of the Spitfire
Enjoy the sight and sound of the celebrated British single-seat fighter aircraft in the year that marks the 75th anniversary of the Spitfire’s inaugural flight. The Spitfire was first seen by the public at the RAF Hendon Air Pageant in 1936 and only a few years later formed the backbone of RAF Fighter Command. IWM Duxford, the spiritual home of the Spitfire, celebrates the aircraft’s power and panache in a spectacular air display.

Autumn Air Show, Sunday 16 October
Remembering the Korean War
The Korean War was the first major conflict in which jet aircraft sought air superiority alongside the final-generation propeller-driven piston fighters. The Autumn Air Show pays homage to this uniquely international air battle, characterised by the contrast between the highly-developed piston engine and the first generation of jet aircraft.

Web Link

Brian

Women in Aviation
-Carolyn Grace Spitfire TIX
-Anna Walker Hurricane, P-51D Mustang, Seafire, Harvard, Jungmeister, Jungmann
-Diana Britten
-Angie Soper
-The Red Arrows and Flt Lt Kirsty Moore
-La Patrouille De France and their female leader..

75th anniversary of the Spitfire
Probably just your usual 10 Spitfires that you would see annually at Legends. I wouldn't expect that much because it wouldn't eclipse the fabulous Spitfire gathering this year, but it is at Duxford.

Korean War
-F-86 Sabre
-Douglas Skyraider/s
-Bird Dog
-C-47/s
-Catalina
-Corsair
-Seafire
-Sea Fury/s

I bet (and hope) that Legends will celebrate the 70th anniversaries of Pearl Harbor and Operation Barbarossa too! That would be interesting.

[Chrisse]

Except PAF won't have a female leader next year anymore, their leader is only for a year.

[RodMcKenzie]

Anna Walker Hurricane, P-51D Mustang, Seafire, Harvard, Jungmeister, Jungmann

Anna's a great pilot, but are you seriously expecting her to do SIX display routines in one show?

[Kieran]

Fair point Chrisse! Although, who was the leader of the team when they visited Waddington in 2009? Pretty sure she was leading the team then.

Well Rod, of course not Let her fly the Jungmann, her displays are always high, stick her with that!

[RodMcKenzie]

Well Rod, of course not

That's a relief! I think I once saw Mark Jeffries do four different routines at Little Gransden, and I thought that was a superhuman effort

If memory serves, Virginie Guyot was flying 'Athos 3' during 2009 - it'll be interesting to see if the incoming leader can maintain the dynamism she seems to have brought to the team...

BTW I really like your proposed Korea lineup - I hope the DX organisers are taking note!

[Chrisse]

Fair point Chrisse! Although, who was the leader of the team when they visited Waddington in 2009? Pretty sure she was leading the team then.

In 2009, Virginie Guyot was the "Charognard", that's the number 4 position. That is the person who will lead the team in the following year.

[RodMcKenzie]

D'oh! (memory didn't serve very well - in fact it foot-faulted )