Review - This was my first visit to Duxford since Flying Legends 2004 and the first time I had been to a non-Flying Legends show since 2001.  Perhaps I had been suffering Legends fatigue, read several reviews of 'lacklustre' IWM shows (bad weather paying a part here) and was also disappointed that my favoured photographic position on the far left of the display line had been changed to the detriment of a good view.  However, all these doubts were cast aside by an excellent display, a change of position to the right hand side of the display line near the land warfare hall (great for take off and taxiing shots) and amazement at the quality of the new AirSpace exhibition which, alongside the American Air Museum rekindled my enthusiasm for seeing rare and historic aircraft at close quarters in a museum setting.

The display itself had a great relaxed atmosphere with the Red Arrows opening the show at mid-day on the Saturday providing a welcome break from the usual long wait to 2pm for flying to start.  Another highlight was the surprise formation of two Gnats and two Hunters which preceded the Hunter's displays.  There were warbirds aplenty with the mass Spitfire and Hurricane segment particularly impressive, a wonderful two ship Spitfire formation routine catching a glimmer of sunlight on an otherwise overcast day.  My personal warbird highlight was the close quarters encounter with the Flugwerk Fw190A-8.  To see a live example of this machine in the flesh rather than in black and white photographs in a book sent shivers down my spine.

It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Brian Brown at Shoreham the next weekend.  The Hurricane he was flying, BD707, displayed at this show the week before (flown by a different pilot) and I leave images of the aircraft here in tribute.

back to airshow photographs from 2007