AVIATION-SHOTS   

Aviation-shots had the chance to visit the  2012 Flying Legends Airshow  at IWM Duxford  this year, which enjoyed dry weather but  windy conditions.

IWM Duxford is Britain's best preserved WWII airfield and the museum includes historic buildings and state of the art exhibition halls. Historic aircraft can be found in the Airspace and American Air Museums, and military vehicles including tanks and artillery can be found in the Land Warfare Hall.  In the morning  there is always plenty of time to pay a visit at them, but the main attraction of the airshow days at Duxford is the fabolous air display!

This year's air display included among the others:

-  3 Mk.I Spitfires  + the Fighter Collection's Mk.V  and Mk.XIV  Spitfire  based at Duxford + a  Mk.VIII one based in Germany + other Spitfires;

- 2  HA-1112-M1L Bouchons,  which made a welcome return in its polished metal scheme;

- the Chance Vought FG-1D Corsair nad the Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat ;

- the  B-17G Flying Fortress ' Sally B'  and the P-47G Thunderbolt 'Snafu';

-  the Nieuport 17 , Fokker Dr.I , and Sopwith Triplane replicas;

-  the BBMF Lancaster , Spitfire , and Hurricane;

- the CASA 1.131E Jungmann, CASA ES-1 Jungmeister , and Junkers Ju-52 ;

- the  Sea Fury FB11  and the   AD-4NA Skyraider;

- The Fighter Collections Curtiss H-75A-1 Hawk, and the Curtiss P-40F Warhawk  in its stunning scheme of 'Lee's Hope' ;

- the Mustangs which included Nordic Warbirds P-51D 'Old Crow',  P-51D 'Ferocious Frankie' (44-73149),  TF-51D 'Dream Girl' , TF-51D 'Miss Velma'

Making its UK debut was the world's only airworthy Sikorsky S-38 , an unusual looking aircraft painted in zebra stripes, and owned by Tom Schrade.  Displaying with the S-38 was Plane Sailing's Consolidated PBV-1A Canso Catalina 'Miss Pick Up'.

The  Fairey Swordfish II  complete with torpedo, the  Breitling Wingwalkers in two of their orange Boeing Stearman aircraft and the  Douglas C-53D Dakota  also were in the well mixed flying display.

The airshow ended with the classic and breathtaking balbo finale... a great organization and professional skills made the 2012 Legends Airshow one of this year's favourite...well done IWM Duxford!