in the air

For 2025, we are putting together a small afternoon Air Display program.

On static display several gliders & helicopters will be roaded in for static viewing (privately owned aircraft are not permitted to land due to Military Aviation Authority ruling which came into force last year) however certain military types are permitted. It is hoped the Royal Air Force will again participate to include one of the large transport types from nearby RAF Brize Norton statically as part of the public engagement exercise  & potential for military helicopter(s) so stay tuned to this page and our social media 

We welcome the return of Europes only flying example of the DeHavilland Vampire T11. 

Owned by Mr Mark Hooton, the jet first flew in 1950 and retired from active RAF service in 1968.

Today Mark will give us an 8 minute air display during the afternoon, but operating from / back to its home base.

www.vampireflight.co.uk

We are both excited & delighted the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will participate with the Lancaster / Dakota pairs display which is a rare treat.

The Lancaster is the RAFs iconic World War Two heavy bomber, powered by four Rolls Royce Merlin engines and the DC3 Dakota a World War Two workhorse transporting troops and equipment to several hotspots, and was also involved in the 1948 Berlin Airlift.

www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/battle-of-britain-memorial-flight/

The iconic Boeing B-17 is based at Duxford Airfield  and is operated by Elly Sallingboe of B-17 Preservation and flown as a memorial to the 79,000 Allied airmen who lost their lives in Europe during the Second World War. 

The aircraft is the only one of its type flying within Europe. 'Sally B' will perform a beautiful display with us, but operating from / back to its home base Duxford.

www.sallyb.org.uk 

The Westland Scout served as a land-based general purpose military helicopter with the Royal Naval-orientated Westland Wasp helicopter broadly similar with the main difference being the Navy Wasps had fixed wheel undercarriage to enable them to land on ships decks.

The type's primary operator was the Army Air Corps (British Army) which operated it in several conflict zones including Northern Island and the Falklands War.

At least one Scout will be on static display.

The Air Cadet Historic Flight (formerly 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron Historic Flight) will be in attendance showing the importance or Air Cadet gliding through the years.

This Kirby Cadet XA310 was delivered to 87 Gliding School, Weston Super Mare on 18 March 1953. 87 Glider Squadron became 621 Volunteer Gliding School where XA310 spent its entire service career so it is particularly fitting they are able to operate this airframe as part of the 621  Volunteer Gliding Squadron Historic Flight

We are hoping that some elements (aircraft) of the Kings Birthday Flypast which is held on the same day will be able to fly overhead Abingdon shortly after Buckingham Palace. 

We are liaising with the Royal Air Force, and we can update on this closer to the time.

This, whatever we gain is a huge coup and most likely the only public event to see some elements whatever it may be in clear surroundings as they pass through.

As mentioned, more on this closer to the time once we know ourselves.

The Ka 6 is a single-seat glider designed by Rudolf Kaiser,built by Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co, Germany and is constructed of spruce and plywood with fabric covering. 

This Schleicher Ka-6 is owned by Mr Kevin Hale

We welcome back Mr Iain Smith who will be demonstrating the aerobatics of his Pitts S1 - but more commonly known as the Jubilee Pitts with its bright colours.

The sequence will include stall turns, loops, rolls, knife edge passes aswell as straight & level flypasts. His routine is approximately 8 minutes and will be operating from / back to its home base.

A second glider provided by the Air Cadet Historic Flight (formerly 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron Historic Flight) will be this rare Grasshopper TX1.

These entered RAF service from 1952 and gave many their first taste of gliding. As you can see from the photo it is a very fragile glider with the pilot completely exposed.

Our brightest Glider to confirm is this beautifully painted Kirby Kite. It was built in 1937 and used with the Glider Training Squadron in 1941.

Today the glider is painted to represent the mid 1940s Air Training Corps markings it used. This is another very rare type on display.

The Tutor is a basic training aircraft in the RAFs inventory that serves on fifteen University Air Squadrons around the UK. This gives student pilots the first real taste of fixed wing flying before moving on if successful to bigger, more powerful types within the RAF with a further thirteen Air Experience Flights giving young Air Cadets their first taste of flying.

The aircraft is powered by a single 180hp Textron Lycoming  AE-360-B piston engine giving a top speed of 185 knots.

www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/tutor-t1/

One of our most loyal supporters have been The Gazelle Squadron which are based not too far from the airfield.

The team are run by volunteers whom the majority are either serving or ex serving personnel. The Gazelle was used by all three UK military services however all are now retired with many in private hands, like with the Gazelle squadron.

They will be operating from / to their home base.

The team was originally formed in 1961 by six instructors from the Parachute Training School at RAF Abingdon: Flight Lieutenants Hearn and Thirtle, FS Moloney, Sergeants Peacock, Robertson and Mcloughlin.

The team were nicknamed ‘The Big Six’ as most of the members were shorter than 5 ft 6 in! ‘The Big Six’ made their debut display at the Farnborough Air Show in 1961. In 1965 the team increased to twelve personnel and renamed the 'Falcons' and has since performed to millions of people both in the Uk and abroad.

www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/falcons/the-team/

The Yak3 is originally a robustly built soviet world war two fighter with many being produced. However this is a much later version that is powered by a Pratt & Whitney 1830 radial engine and  one of a few built in the 1990s. 

Owned by Mr Bob Davy who is a former RAF Abingdon Bulldog pilot of University of London Air Squadron days he will perform a couple of flypasts for us during the afternoon.

The ASH 25 glider is a two-seater high performance Open Class glider manufactured by Alexander Schleicher from 1986 until September 2008, originally with a 25-metre wingspan. 

This will form part of the glider area that is being put together and will be one of the largest gliders on show.

The Gazelle served with the Army Air Corps, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force from the early 1970s as both a lightweight attack and training helicopter.

The Army Air Corps was the biggest user with 158 helicopters on strength, the Royal Navy with 30 helicopters on strength and the Royal Air Force with 14 on strength during their peak. All Gazelles are now retired from UK military service.