Combined Ops 2011 at Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent

Last Sunday I visited Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent for the second day of Combined Ops 2011. Combined Ops is an annual historic military vehicles and classic aeroplanes show organised by Invicta Military Vehicle Preservation Society (IMPS).  For a flavour of what was flying that afternoon please take a look at my short video of P-51D Mustang "Janie" in action.

"Janie" on the ground at Headcorn Aerodrome.

Hawker Hurricane XII Z 5140

Boeing Stearman G-CCXA "669" last seen at Damyns Hall Aerodrome, Upminster was also at Headcorn.

 Throughout the show pleasure flights were given in DH89 Dragon Rapide G-AKIF.

Military and Flying Machines 2011 at Damyns Hall Aerodrome - Part 3

I have just posted my final videos from last Saturdays show. I have included a compilation of footage taken of events 'on the ground' which shows how to push a P51 Mustang singlehandedly! Enjoy. 

Military and Flying Machines 2011 at Damyns Hall Aerodrome - Part 2

First video footage from the show at Damyns Hall has just been uploaded to my youtube channel. More to follow.

Military and Flying Machines at Damyns Hall Aerodrome - Part 1

Today I visited the annual Military and Flying Machines show at Damyns Hall aerodrome near Upminster, Essex. 

For a relatively small show which has only been in the UK airshow calendar for a few years, Damyns Hall hosted an impressive lineup of military re-enactment groups, including the Luftwaffe Society, a diverse range of military vehicles and weaponry and good static aircraft displays on the ground including a replica of a downed Me 109 based on the aircraft flown by Unteroffizier Arno Zimmermann which crashed near Lydd in 1940. 

There were also replicas of the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane.  

In the air, the German presence at the show was especially notable with three pre-war training aircraft and a replica WW1 Fokker Eindekker. 

 

The training aircraft were:

Messerrschmitt Bf_108

 

 

Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann (G-BTDZ)

 Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister (G-BUTX)

  

The Bf 108, Jungmann and Jungmeister flew in this morning and taxied to the Luftwaffe Society re-enactment tents where the pilots mingled with the re-enactors who leant a helping hand in parking the aircraft.

They were later joined by a Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (GM AI)

 

By midday the following American aircraft had also arrived:

P51D Mustang replica “Big Beautiful Doll”

  

Harvard T6 (G-TEXN)

North American Navion (N8968H)

More aviation at the 2011 War and Peace Show

Nieuport 17 replica

  

An Aerospatiale AS-350B-2 Ecureuil (G-ORKY) made pleasure flights throughout the show. 

 

 

Do they do pleasure flights in this too? It would certainly make a change from the helicopter.  

Warbirds at the 2011 War and Peace Show

Last Sunday I attended the final day of the War and Peace Show, the military vehicles and collectors fair held annually at the Hop Farm in Beltring, Kent, England.  Billed as the “The largest military vehicle spectacular in the world” it is a truly international event, attracting re-enactors not only from around the UK but also from other European countries including France, Germany and the Netherlands.

There is an aviation element to this show too. This year, the Battle of Britain Experience included replicas of a Hurricane flown by Robert Stanford Tuck in the Battle of Britain (the pilot bore more than a passing resemblance to the great man himself!), a Spitfire IX flown by Johnnie Johnson when he commanded a Canadian wing at RAF Kenley in summer 1943 and a Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Replica of Hawker Hurricane flown by Robert Stanford Tuck

 

Supermarine Spitfire IX

Messerschmitt Bf 109

 

 

  

RAF re-enactors at the War and Peace Show

RAF re-enactors next to Messerschmitt Bf 109 

Also on display and open to the public for a small fee were the forward sections of two Avro Lancaster bombers, one from the Canadian 405 Pathfinder squadron.

   

A brief history of the Avro Lancaster

and where the surviving Lancasters are now