Traditionally the "Shuttleworth Pageant" slot for the year, 2017 saw a spacial "Heritage Day" event to tie in with 175 years of Clayton and Shuttleworth. The company produced agricultural equipment for many years and even built a number of Sopwith aircraft during the First World War. https://www.flickr.com/photos/127965535@N04/37016415213/in/dateposted-public/ On the ground there was plenty to see, … Continue reading Shuttleworth Collection Heritage Day – 3rd September 2017
Over the past few years each Shuttleworth Collection season has featured a First World War themed event. This is hardly surprising given the unbreakable link between Old Warden and First World War aircraft. On the whole, the collection have fallen foul of bad weather on almost every occasion. Thankfully this years evening show saw flyable, … Continue reading Shuttleworth Collection WW1 Evening Airshow – 15th July 2017
The early July Sunday show at Old Warden has hosted the collection's Military Pageant now for a number of years. This show gives visitors the chance to take in the incredible line up of based military aircraft along with some fine selections from the wider UK warbird scene. This year saw events focused on Army … Continue reading Shuttleworth Collection Military Pageant 2017
The second oldest aeroplane in Flying Condition at the Shuttleworth Collection is the Deperdussin 1910 Monoplane. This was one of the earliest in a line of racing monoplanes built by the Aeroplanes Deperdussin company in France during the 1910s. https://www.flickr.com/photos/127965535@N04/36367346392/in/dateposted-public/ The prototype of this design first saw air under its wheels in October 1910. The … Continue reading Shuttleworth Collection 1910 Deperdussin
Just seven years had passed since man first achieved powered flight when the Bristol Aeroplane Company first flew their new flying machine, the Boxkite. You would certainly be forgiven for mistaking the box kite for the Wright Brothers famous “Flyer” as it shares a number of similar features. The airframe features a forward mounted elevator, … Continue reading Shuttleworth Collection Bristol Boxkite
Yesterday (18th May 2017) marked a historic milestone for the Shuttleworth Collection and the UK WW1 aviation scene. As of yesterday afternoon the UK now boasts a fully accurate, rotary powered, airworthy Sopwith Camel. Dodge Bailey took the aircraft up for a test flight from Old Warden under grey skies, completing an already impressive line … Continue reading Shuttleworth Sopwith Line-up Complete – Camel Takes to the Skies
Another new series of posts I am trying to put together take a look at the begining and end of key stages of fighting aircraft. These "handover" points can be seen in a number of key designs in history. The end of the great war saw favour change from the rotary unstable scout, which to … Continue reading A New Age of Fighters – Part 1 – Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a
Britain’s aviation industry in 1934 largely had the same core concepts as it did during the First World War. Its main line of defence was still the open cockpit biplane, not yet having made the switch to sleek monoplanes that were starting to be developed elsewhere. https://www.flickr.com/photos/127965535@N04/27899167084/in/album-72157670415350230/ The Gloster aircraft company made a slight change … Continue reading Aircraft Profile – The Shuttleworth Collection’s Gladiator
The Hawker Hurricane is often cited as the unsung hero of the Battle of Britain and undoubtedly played an incredibly important part in Britain’s air defence during the early years of the war. The Hurricane, unlike the Spitfire saw relatively little development in terms of engine and airframe changes throughout the conflict. This didn’t stop … Continue reading Aircraft Profile – Hawker Sea Hurricane
The 2016 airshow season has finally arrived. It is certainly something that at times over the winter seemed anything but certain. I'll get something out the way before I get started on reviewing the day. Yes the display lines were changed and yes it was different to Old Warden shows prior to this season. Those … Continue reading Shuttleworth Collection Season Premiere Airshow – 8th May 2016
Warbird Tails 