Shuttleworth Season Premiere Airshow 2021 - Review
Matt Silvaire visits the first airshow of 2021 at the world-class Shuttleworth Collection.
Attending a Shuttleworth Airshow is akin to seeing your favourite band in concert for the nth time – you know you will see a lot of the old hits, and a few special guests, but you know it will still provide the magic again, and again. The season Premiere show on May 2nd was very much the same, with a long list of the Collection’s own aircraft, with a handful of visiting displays to spice things up. With the current Covid regulations in place, the Shuttleworth Collection decided to stick with their widely applauded drive-In format for the beginning of 2021, this seeing people park in designated boxes within the grounds to watch the display from. When I attended their very first drive-In show in 2020, I couldn’t fault the organisation and the way in which they went about making a covid-secure event happen, unfortunately there was a few minor foibles with organisation at this show, with long waits for entry, some miscommunication of parking staff, and just a slight lack of finesse with that aspect of things. I hold the Shuttleworth Collection organisation in very high esteem, being one of, if not, the best around – which is perhaps why any small issues around this can flag up as more noticeable than they otherwise would be. Given it being a long winter and the first show of the season, perhaps the finer details were missed, and they will be sharpened up for the next event.
Moving on from the organisation and parking, on site the event felt a little less restricted than last year, with the Swiss Gardens open, there being more ability to explore the site, more stalls and stands, vehicles and the flight line to wander around. Only when the flying display began, were people asked to return to their designated areas to watch the flying display from, which most people did without issue. The flying display held much promise with an initial total of 35 aircraft slated to display, this did change just days before when the Navy Wings Hawker Sea Fury T.20 crashed just outside Yeovilton due to an engine failure, days after it returned from deep maintenance – both crew members were okay, and an investigation has begun into the incident. Some other slated displays were not able to display for various technical or weather related issues, such as the English Electric Wren, and the Edwardians. The show did still boast some enjoyable highlights though, and some unique moments.
Opening the show was the Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina “Miss Pick-Up”. The sizeable Catalina (fresh from its escapades on Loch Ness) took off from the grass strip at Old Warden into some of the constantly changing weather, which was, as the late, great airshow commentator Melvyn Hiscock would have called it: ‘liquid sunshine’. Performing a series of low passes, topsides and showing off the various configurations of the aircraft for land and water landings, it was the perfect way to open the show and given its well documented, long winter, it was great to see it back in the air - the hulking great seaplane looked oversized compared to the rest of the display aircraft, and was an imposing display at the intimate Old Warden. Following the Catalina was the only military participant of the show, that of the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with a pair of Supermarine Spitfires from their base at RAF Coningsby. Flying the MK.Vb “AB910” and MK.XVI “TE311”, the aircraft gave three flypasts, as they had not completed their PDA yet, meaning a full display was not permitted - the aircraft were in the hands of Andy Preece and Mark Sugden. Two passes were in formation, with the final being a solo flypast by each, before they departed back towards Coningsby – a brief but welcome addition to the flying programme.
The Shuttleworth Collection soon filled the skies with a variety of their aircraft, beginning with the Comper Swift. The diminutive and speedy little aircraft gave a brief display which showed off its sleek lines, with its red paint scheme contrasting with the dull skies overhead. With the Swift back down, the Fauvel AV-36 glider was released from its tow aircraft and gracefully made the descent back to earth, with some unusual thermals around, it was able to stay airborne for a while before touching back down on the damp grass - the whistle of air over the silent airframe had people looking skywards as the shapely glider performed loops and tight turns overhead. A pair of bi-plane trainers gently lifted into the skies shortly after, with the de Havilland Tiger Moth leading the Avro Tutor, performing an enjoyable pairs routine which saw formation passes, before the pair split at crowd centre for some solo and opposition passes. A glint of sunlight chinked off the Tiger Moth which had clearly been lovingly polished up before the show, as had many of the colourful aircraft which make up the unique Shuttleworth Collection. Seeing one of the most common vintage aircraft with one of a the rarest was a nice combination and the pair complimented each other nicely in this trainer-focused display.
A third bi-plane joined in shortly afterwards; the Gloster Gladiator in the hands of Willy Hackett. The World War Two era fighter always puts on an aggressive showing of power and agility, and the premiere show routine was no exception. Diving in from crowd left, the Gladiator was piloted through several banked turns and high-speed passes, before concluding with a couple of lovely topsides. One of my favourite aircraft, it always puts a smile on my face when the Gladiator is put through its paces! Along with the Comet, the Lysander and the Sea Hurricane, the Gladiator is part of the Quartet of airframes which are synonymous with the Collection at Shuttleworth (The Sea Hurricane was absent from the opening show of the season as it was still in maintenance, a missed aircraft it must be said).
Further Shuttleworth Favourites took to the skies next with the bright yellow Canadian schemed de Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk and the grunty Percival Provost, with the former performing low level passes and topsides, whilst the latter gave a high-altitude aerobatic routine with its raspy radial going full chaff. The chipmunk is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2021, and Old Warden will play host to two events through the summer, you can learn more about the events and information on the aircraft in our latest Aircraft Files: Chipmunk. | Air Displays UK.
The Collection’s Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc roared skyward and into the stormy skies for it's solo aerobatic routine, with the earth-shaking Rolls Royce Merlin filling the showground with noise as the aircraft was led through a series of high rolls and loops, unfortunately lacking any topside passes, but the sound is one which cannot be ignored – people across Shuttleworth enjoying the Merlin magic! The Westland Lysander and Polikarpov PO-2 roared down the grass strip and up into the ever-changing skies, showing the crowds these unusual types in a variety of angles, with the Lysander giving a fantastic topside to close the display – one of only two flying examples of the Lysander, the other will join the Shuttleworth example on May 15th for the Spies and Intrigue Airshow. A pair of Miles Magisters were on the roll next, with the Collections own airframe being led by a second privately owned by David Bramwell, the pair went through a series of passes, which was not the most exciting display of the day but allowed another rare type to be seen up close – and not just one, but two in this case - some lovely light to boot!
As usual, World War One types are well represented with the Sopwith Camel, Sopwith Triplane, Bristol M1.C and the Avro 504K all doing solo displays – the weather was deceptively calm at ground level, whilst gustier at display height, with ominous clouds, rain and thermals causing slight disruption to some of the schedule and the WW1 types being put through a range of subdued displays as a result. One of the highlights of the show was the Bristol F2.b fighter which has recently returned to flight following extensive refurbishment, making its return after a three year hiatus. The oversized fighter makes the rest of the WW1 airframes look minute and is similar in statue to a WW2 warbird! The aircraft graced the skies and was shown off excellently against a dark, rain-laden sky, with a crack of sun behind the crowd giving the aircraft a warm glow. It was a treat indeed to see such a beautiful airframe airborne and with such beautiful light as a bonus!
Another of the visiting aircraft took to the grey skies of Shuttleworth to prepare for a special moment of the day, with James Brown performing his first airshow in his Noorduyn AT-16 Harvard IIB. The routine was understandably a little subdued, between the weather and it being the first public airshow. He patiently waited in the hold before and again afterwards for a good while whilst other displays took place – credit to him though for a solid first airshow solo appearance - hopefully many more to come. A second glider of the day was set loose with the EoN Primary which gave a short descent after being released from its tow aircraft - again, the thermals allowing the gliders to glide around the sky like leaves on the wind - pure elegance. However I'm not sure elegant is the word for the pilot perched precariously on the nose of the wooden frame!
A series of sports and race aircraft were launched to give an account of the early 20th century air racing glamour, with the Southern Martlet, followed by the always tremendous and eye-catching de Havilland Comet "Grosvenor House", this time accompanied by the Miles Hawk Speed Six in formation, before the pair split and performed a series of solo passes, again with the dramatic backdrop of rainy skies and ominous clouds hanging heavy in the distance. Some of the topsides by the Comet were surely in the running for best in show!
The final act of the afternoon came from the Aircraft Restoration Company based at Duxford with the Hispano HA-1112 Buchon. The aircraft had just returned from filming for a docu-series on the SAS, and thus was wearing a temporary desert camouflage paint scheme depicting Messerschmitt BF-109s in that theatre of war during WW2. In the hands of John Romain, the Buchon was put through a high energy display of high climbs, precise aerobatics and beautiful topsides which showed of the shark-like shape of the stalking Buchon, coupled with the grunt of the Rolls Royce Merlin up front - the routine was the best of the day to many and closed the show nicely.
The opening show of the season is always a treat, and after a long, cold winter is the first chance for many to re-familiarise themselves with old faces, dust off the cobwebs, enjoy a days flying and have a piece of escapism again. In 2021, and after a third lockdown over the winter, this was all amplified and was shown by the show selling out, the huge crowds on the gate hours before the flying began, and the fact that people were keen to experience a day out again – a slice of normality. Shuttleworth provided that much needed escapism, and whilst the show did not go off without a hitch, was still what many needed for their mental health, and to soak up a bit of atmosphere and forget about the past few months, if only for one afternoon. There is no better place for it than an airshow at Shuttleworth to combine that fresh air, and a day out, with some unique flying and a chance to meet some old faces again. We look forward to a packed year of plenty more airshows at Shuttleworth, and many more people getting a chance to regain some normality after a difficult year. This was most definitely a good start!
Words and Photos by Matt Silvaire.
Copyright 2023 Air Displays UK.
Cookie Policy
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies. Privacy Policy