NHS Spitfire to headline extended Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show

This year’s socially distanced three-day Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show, including Friday’s new proms event, will combine nostalgic flying formations with contemporary, awe-inspiring aerobatic displays. Acts will include the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, a Spitfire Balbo, the Red Arrows and the Blades, as well as a unique appearance from the NHS Spitfire.

IWM_Battle of Britain 80 banner

Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September

#BattleOfBritain80

To mark 80 years since the RAF defeated the Luftwaffe in the 1940 aerial campaign, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will be showcasing a new Dowden formation with an Avro Lancaster, a Hawker Hurricane and three Supermarine Spitfires. The Aircraft Restoration Company’s Spitfire Mk.PRXI PL983 'L',  a former reconnaissance aircraft which has recently been touring the country’s hospitals in tribute to the NHS, will also be gracing the skies.

Phil Hood, Air Show Event Manager, IWM says: “We’ve been working tirelessly with the local authorities to ensure that we have all the measures in place to make this event COVID-secure and prioritise the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers. We encourage those attending to read our COVID-19 Response Page on our website which outlines all the operational measures in place including test and trace procedures, mandatory mask-wearing when indoors, the appointment of a designated Social Distance team and thorough cleaning in all areas.”

Hood continued, “We’re thrilled to be inviting old favourites back to the Battle of Britain Air Show, and to welcome more modern acts to the skies. Although this is a step away from our usual September format, we see this as an opportunity to support the aviation industry when most of the year’s air shows were sadly cancelled. We would also like to thank all of our flying partners at IWM Duxford for preparing their aircraft especially for the event, which we’re confident won’t disappoint!”

A Battle of Britain air show wouldn’t be complete without a re-enacted dog fight between a Hispano Buchón, Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfires. The flying schedule will feature three of the world’s four remaining Mark 1 Spitfires, including the Dunkirk evacuation veteran, the Spitfire N3200, and culminate with a traditional Spitfire Balbo.

At Friday’s Duxford Battle of Britain Proms, the De Havilland DH-9 E8894 will make a rare appearance following its discovery in an Indian fortress and remarkable restoration by the Historical Aircraft Collection. Other First World War-era aircraft include the Great War Display team, combining perfectly choreographed aerial battles with showstopping pyrotechnics.

For thrill-seeking visitors, the Blades promise to deliver a high-octane performance with close-formation aerobatics. On Friday only, air show favourites the AeroSuperBatic wingwalkers will showcase daring mid-air acrobatics and flying synchronisation, while the Fireflies Aerobatic Display team boast wingtip pyrotechnics and dazzling coloured LED lighting.

On the ground, visitors will be transported back to the 1940s with vintage fairground activities and market stalls, military vehicle displays, bunting workshops, flight line walks and plenty of music and dancing. Duxford Battle of Britain Proms will also host concerts by The D-Day Darlings and the Fly Boys.

Since reopening on 1 August, IWM Duxford has installed a number of social distancing and hygiene measures to ensure the safety of all visitors, staff and volunteers. Please visit the Coronavirus FAQs page on the IWM website, or watch the ‘Welcome back’ video on YouTube for more information.

  • Tickets are available to purchase from £37 for adults on the IWM website.
  • For the most up-to-date flying schedule, visit the IWM website. The line-up is subject to change and all confirmed flying is subject to weather and serviceability on the day.
  • Visit the Coronavirus FAQs for a full list of changes to this year’s air show, including the cancellation of the Grandstand Experience, and social distancing measures.

 

Battle of Britain Events

This summer and autumn will also see IWM Duxford host a number of new Battle of Britain events and activities including bespoke tours, photography workshops and panel discussions. Highlights include the Life and Death in the Battle of Britain walking tour with IWM historian Carl Warner, who will provide an insight into the psychological pressures young fighter pilots faced in the summer of 1940, and a panel discussion with author, historian and broadcaster James Holland. There is also the chance to sit in the cockpit of an airworthy Mk1a Spitfire or gain after-hours access to the site for Battle of Britain 80: The Night Shoot for an opportunity to capture Duxford’s historic buildings and airfield through your camera lens. For a full list of events, please visit the IWM Duxford website.

Battle of Britain 80

This autumn, IWM Duxford is hosting Battle of Britain 80, an anniversary programme which looks back at the momentous events which took place over the British skies in 1940. The annual Battle of Britain Air Show (18-20 September) has been extended this year to include a Friday proms event, with further commemorative activities including family runs, curator-led talks and exclusive access inside a Spitfire cockpit. Visitors can discover personal stories of the men and women who fought in the aerial campaign in two exhibition spaces: The Ops Block: Battle of Britain in newly transformed historic rooms, and the reinterpreted Battle of Britain Exhibition housed in an aircraft hangar.

IWM Duxford

IWM Duxford is Britain’s best-preserved Second World War airfield, with a fascinating history that dates back to the First World War. Historic aircraft can regularly be seen taking to the skies from Duxford’s wartime airfield. Duxford has been a witness to world-changing events over the past 100 years where ordinary people have had extraordinary experiences. Exploring state of the art exhibition halls and historic buildings, visitors walk in the footsteps of the men and women who served at RAF Duxford. Through the powerful stories of the men and women involved and the rich displays of aircraft we tell the story of the impact of aviation on the nature of war and on people’s lives.

Open daily from 1 August:

Last entry an hour before closing.

Summer hours: 10am – 6pm (1 August to 24 October 2020)

Winter hours: 10am – 5pm (25 October 2020 – 12 March 2021) – please note, from 4 – 5pm only AirSpace and the Visitor Centre will be open. All other hangars will close from 4pm.

Closed 24 – 26 December.

Admission: £20.25 Adults; £16.20 Concessions (Senior, Student, Disabled); £10.10 Child (5-16); Free Child (under 5); Family tickets available; Special rates for groups of 15 plus. Free for members.



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