Duxford Diary 2024

[DCW]

Duxford Remembrance Sunday, 10th November:

DH.9 E8894 flew three sorties today, wearing some striking additional markings:













Other local flights from the based SE5A replica and Fokker Dr.1:





The poor weather held off just long enough for a poppy drop from the Blenheim, (too grey for my gear):





Also today:









Duxford Airfield Fire And Rescue Service on parade for the two minute silence:

[DCW]

Disappointing to see a change of ownership pending for P-51D 'Miss Helen'
Long connected to Duxford, she departed September 15th and has been at Goodwood since last Friday (November 8th)

[shuck]

Disappointing to see a change of ownership pending for P-51D 'Miss Helen'
Long connected to Duxford, she departed September 15th and has been at Goodwood since last Friday (November 8th)

Is Miss Helen staying in the UK.

[Tom105]

Warbird Digest have just posted on facebook its now owned by the same person that owns G-IRTY and will be looked after by spitfires.com at Goodwood. G-IRTY has spent previous summers in the UK before heading to the Europe (I think holland but im not sure) for the winter

[Mike]

Denmark

[DCW]

Another recent Duxford departure which I overlooked was the Yale G-BYNF / 3349 which departed to Old Buckenham (?) sometime in mid October.
Duxford based since 1999 and flying since 2006.

[DCW]

Duxford Tuesday 12th November:

Yak 18A G-CEIB returned to Breighton this afternoon after a spell of maintenance, crew ferry was Safir G-EKTP:





One Spitfire sortie today, PR.XI PL983:



TFC's Wildcat in detail:



Also today:

[Professor_M]

Duxford Tuesday 29th October:

Wing-Walking Stearman G-EDII visited today for a demonstration flight. I understand they are looking for more venues from which to offer rides (No, I don't know who Ethel is !):

Hmm...



(Post by Classic Wings on Facebook)

[Professor_M]

Wednesday 20th November

There were two signs today that winter is nearly upon us. The first was the sound of Christmas Music that ARCo were listening to in the Stephenson Hangar, audible from the viewing gallery. The second was the frost and associated colder temperatures.

These colder temperatures and the subsequent ice on the runway meant that the visiting French Air Force DHC-6 Twin Otter landed on the grass runway - it would have been a good opportunity to get some closer photos of it in flight, had it not arrived 20 minutes before the museum opened this morning (it also wasn't tracking on ADSB).

It has been a good year for French Twotters, this being the third visit - a record?

After the dozen or so frenchmen had finished their jolly around the museum, they departed home again at around 3pm...
French Air Force DHC-6 Twin Otter - F-RACC (2) by Professor M, on Flickr
French Air Force DHC-6 Twin Otter - F-RACC (1) by Professor M, on Flickr

Also today...
TFC Wildcat by Professor M, on Flickr
Beagle Terrier 2 - VF516 by Professor M, on Flickr

Lurking in the shadows, looking rather unloved...
O'Brien's Flying Circus Trailer by Professor M, on Flickr

[shorsley]

After the dozen or so frenchmen had finished their jolly around the museum, they departed home again at around 3pm...

With a longer than usual take-off roll if the amount of ale they purchased in the shop to take home was anything to go by!

[Professor_M]

Wednesday 20th November - Part 2 (Or just a rather short postscript for the sake of completeness)

With the Twin Otter not long since departed, it was time for a brief double-check of ADSB before heading off, just in case there should be anything else around to wait for. A Chinook plotting around Cambridge seemed like one to keep an eye on. Soon, the typical sight and sound of a Chinook at low level through the countryside could be seen heading south from the north of the airfield. Not long after, it was banking around the east end of the airfield to fly through, illuminated by the cold late-afternoon November sunshine.

RAF Chinook HC6A - ZA704 - Duxford - 201124 by Professor M, on Flickr

After the dozen or so frenchmen had finished their jolly around the museum, they departed home again at around 3pm...

With a longer than usual take-off roll if the amount of ale they purchased in the shop to take home was anything to go by!

I hope they also get sent home with a wodge of museum leaflets to share with friends in other units ! It certainly sounds like they had a good day, but there must be more to the French Air Force than DHC-6, PC-6 and Super Puma (the most frequent French Duxford tourist taxis).

[DCW]

Duxford Thursday 21st November:

Jet Provost T.3A G-BWOT / XN459 dropped by for circuits and fuel while on a training flight from North Weald:



Sikorsky S-76C++ M-JCBD was on an engineering check flight out of Stansted:



Visiting Super Cub G-RWCA:

[Professor_M]

Duxford Tuesday 29th October:

Wing-Walking Stearman G-EDII visited today for a demonstration flight. I understand they are looking for more venues from which to offer rides (No, I don't know who Ethel is !):

Hmm...



(Post by Classic Wings on Facebook)

Wingwalking booking now open with dates from April 2025.

https://www.classic-wings.co.uk/duxford ... xperience/

[Professor_M]

Due to extreme weather conditions IWM Duxford will be closed today. The IWM History Festival will continue inside IWM Duxford’s AirSpace building as planned. To ensure the safety of our visitors and staff, no external access across IWM Duxford will be possible for History Festival ticket holders.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford

[Mike]

What a good job the Sunderland isn’t outside

[Professor_M]

Tuesday 26th November
Harvard pair...
Harvard FE695 + 1747 by Professor M, on Flickr

A peeling poppy continues to adorn the DH9 in Hangar 3...
DH9 - E8894 by Professor M, on Flickr

Amongst many lighter visitors...
Cabri - G-TOOO by Professor M, on Flickr

[DCW]

Duxford Tuesday 26th November:

Four red visitors:

[DCW]

Duxford Friday 29th November:

Today's warbird activity was confined to the regular Friday hangar shuffles:







A few more from today:



AW169 G-CPTZ is a regular sight at nearby Addenbrooke's Hospital and called in for fuel:

[Professor_M]

Saturday 30th November
Yak-52 G-OALZ was flying this afternoon...
Yakovlev Yak-52 - G-OALZ - Duxford - 301124 by Professor M, on Flickr

[Mike]

I take it the owner is colourblind?

Or perhaps he did it for a bet?

[Domvickery]

Saturday 30th November
Yak-52 G-OALZ was flying this afternoon...
Yakovlev Yak-52 - G-OALZ - Duxford - 301124 by Professor M, on Flickr

That’s ace!

[Boypaddy]

That is definitely a case of a ‘Marmite’ scheme

[DCW]

Duxford Tuesday 3rd December:

Spifire MH434 returned to Hangar 3 this afternoon after completion of her Annual.
Now inhibited, de-striped and wearing her bespoke covers ready for hibernation:



Heinkel He162A-2 120235 has the first tailplane parts attached:



Ready for next year's Airspace moves, the main gear for Mosquito TT.35 TA719 is now out of storage.

[Professor_M]

Wednesday 4th December
A rather overcast day despite bright blue skies and sunshine first thing.

RW382 went out to Sywell for lunch...
Supermarine Spitfire XVI - RW382 - Duxford - 041224 by Professor M, on Flickr

Visiting today...
Cessna 170B - N2366D - Duxford - 041224 by Professor M, on FlickrNPAS EC135T2 - G-POLD - Duxford - 041224 by Professor M, on Flickr

[Pen Pusher]

From the IWM web site -

Storm Darragh: high winds are forecasted on Saturday 7th December. We anticipate that IWM Duxford will open this weekend, but please check our website before travelling.