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ILoveMondeo
Original Poster
7,652 posts
95 months
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Went today with the family. AWESOME!!!
We've been to loads of these kinds of places all over the UK, but Duxford is in a class of it's own! We were there from 12:00 to 5:00 and only did half of it, utterly staggered at the scale of the place, we'll be going back again in a couple of weeks to finish exploring! Maybe for the air show as well.
Not sure if it's normal but there was plenty of old planes flying around too, including a two seater spitfire.
Has anyone ever done one of the flights out of Duxford in the old planes? I've lost the damn leaflet now but It was £350+ for a 20 minute flight in an american WW2 fighter, is that the plane I'd have seen doing aerobatics several times during the day? I'm tempted to send my Dad up for laugh if it is.
I understand the second seat in that spitfire is rentable too, but a bit of googling indicates the waiting list is fairly epic.
If we decide to go for the airshow in September, any travel tips? I'm guessing it's a bloody nightmare for traffic and parking.
Cheers
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mrloudly
2,163 posts
104 months
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It's special!
The tank bit at the far end is brilliant as well!
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ILoveMondeo
Original Poster
7,652 posts
95 months
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mrloudly said: It's special!
The tank bit at the far end is brilliant as well! Agreed, whilst a lot smaller I found it better than the Tank Museum in Dorset. With a lot of museums like this I get the impression things are done on a very tight budget indeed, which they probably are, no real sense of that at all at Duxford, but I'm sure it's the case there as well. Seriously slick place, with some stunning exhibits. The American air museum was worth the entrance fee alone, spend about two hours in there and could have spent longer. just stunning the way all the planes are slotted in and around each other! When it turns out I'm the heir to some Russian oligarch I'll be getting some flying lessons and having my own personal F111
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Mister3man
223 posts
16 months
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Been here a couple of times, excellent day out.
The first hanger you go into and the last (with the b52 iirc) have always been highlights for me.
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Simpo Two
54,241 posts
134 months
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ILoveMondeo said: Has anyone ever done one of the flights out of Duxford in the old planes? I've lost the damn leaflet now but It was £350+ for a 20 minute flight in an american WW2 fighter, is that the plane I'd have seen doing aerobatics several times during the day? I'm tempted to send my Dad up for laugh if it is.
I understand the second seat in that spitfire is rentable too, but a bit of googling indicates the waiting list is fairly epic. Warbirds can't take paying passengers for certification reasons. The Spitfire is probably Carolyn Grace's; her passengers are usually veterans, the occasional reporter and perhaps if you gave her a Merlin you could have a go - but it's not commercially 'bookable'.
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Boatbuoy
704 posts
31 months
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Simpo Two said: ILoveMondeo said: Has anyone ever done one of the flights out of Duxford in the old planes? I've lost the damn leaflet now but It was £350+ for a 20 minute flight in an american WW2 fighter, is that the plane I'd have seen doing aerobatics several times during the day? I'm tempted to send my Dad up for laugh if it is.
I understand the second seat in that spitfire is rentable too, but a bit of googling indicates the waiting list is fairly epic. Warbirds can't take paying passengers for certification reasons. The Spitfire is probably Carolyn Grace's; her passengers are usually veterans, the occasional reporter and perhaps if you gave her a Merlin you could have a go - but it's not commercially 'bookable'. The American WW2 Fighter you refer to is a Harvard, not strictly a fighter but WW2 vintage none the less. It's a 2 seat trainer and is a common route for wannabe warbird pilots. There is one at Duxford that you can purchase flights in and it can quite often be found flying on 'normal' days. It's quite distinctive with it's raspy sound. ML407 (Carolyn Grace's Spitfire) is no longer based at Duxford (now at Bentwaters). The 2 seat Spit at IWM belongs to the Aircraft Restoration Company who have a small private hangar at the far lefthand end of the airfield. As Simpo Two correctly points out the CAA wont sanction passenger flights in WW2 fighters, but ARC get arround this by effectivly providing a training sortie on their Spitfire. However, to valididate this you must already hold various pilot qualifications. Then there's the waiting list (several years), not to mention the cost (around £4k in total I think I last worked it out at). All in all, you have to be a pretty seriously determind individual to get in the seat! My appologies if I got any of the above wrong, I'm sure EricMC will correct me if I am! Regards, Olly
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IanUAE
1,193 posts
33 months
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It is the SR-71 that gets me. I mean everything you read about the whole aircraft and it is just there (read The Skunk Works book). My brother went and he said when he first saw the aircraft he just stopped almost thought he was dreaming. Strange thing is I did the same thing (the wife and son didn't understand at first). The son picked up a die cast model of it.
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perdu
3,255 posts
68 months
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IanUAE said: It is the SR-71 that gets me. I mean everything to read about the whole aircraft and it just there (read The Skunk Works book). My brother went and he said when he first saw the aircraft he just stopped almost thought he was dreaming. Strange thing is I did the same thing (the wife and son didn't understand at first). The son least picked up a die cast model of it. Not just me then...
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Fat Albert
939 posts
50 months
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Great place, love flying in there, especially as you can wander 'the other side of the fence' If it is a Harvard on offer you will probably get better value at somewhere like Sywell or Goodwood Has a special place in our family as my Grandfather was a Populsion Tech on 19 sqn when they got their Spitfires, so the kids love visiting where Great Grandad used to work!    
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Ledaig
1,099 posts
131 months
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ILoveMondeo said: Not sure if it's normal but there was plenty of old planes flying around too, including a two seater spitfire.
Has anyone ever done one of the flights out of Duxford in the old planes? I've lost the damn leaflet now but It was £350+ for a 20 minute flight in an american WW2 fighter, is that the plane I'd have seen doing aerobatics several times during the day? I'm tempted to send my Dad up for laugh if it is. Tip number 1: Go to DX to EITHER watch an air show OR do the museum! I appreciate you have managed to do half of it, but to try to do the rest on a show day will leave you frustrated due to the volume of people there. Regarding the Taz - the Texan/Harvard, I have flown in this piloted by Anna Walker. Had a memorable time - Anna's an excellent pilot and very friendly individual, the best part was having the opportunity to take control for a while - the first time in twenty years since dropping my ppl after being blinded in one eye (down to me not the CAA). One of the best parts of the flight came at the end - a low fast run down the runway centreline 
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Mug
472 posts
42 months
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I love Duxford, and since moving about 30 mins drive away, I visit probably twice a year.
Walking through one of the prototype Concordes, under the bomb bay of a Vulcan, reaching out and touching an SR71 and a B52D. Awesome all of it!!
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viper paul
2,485 posts
143 months
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I loved it so much I joined up as a volunteer several years ago, I am now one of the lucky Tank and various other vehicle drivers who displays vehicles to the public.
If you think its a magical place when you go I can tell you at 7:00 in the morning the place feels alive with its history, most of whom have left a spirit or two.
Classic Wings run the plane rides great bunch the T6 is always well flown, the Dragon's are lovely to watch and a power check before take off still gets me looking up from whatever I am doing.
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BLUETHUNDER
7,624 posts
129 months
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perdu said: Not just me then... I can say I have had the privilege of watching these fly from Mildenhall as part of the 9th SRW.
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mybrainhurts
71,621 posts
124 months
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ILoveMondeo said: If we decide to go for the airshow in September, any travel tips? I'm guessing it's a bloody nightmare for traffic and parking.  Beware plod at that M11 junction... Northbound here...
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Simpo Two
54,241 posts
134 months
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Clearly drunk - can't even stand upright!
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mybrainhurts
71,621 posts
124 months
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Mutley
2,118 posts
128 months
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ILoveMondeo said: ...If we decide to go for the airshow in September, any travel tips? I'm guessing it's a bloody nightmare for traffic and parking. I always get there about 830, and it's busy already. By arriving early you can set up on the fence where you want to watch from. It's ok to leave your chairs there and wander about, just make sure you remember where you leave them(!)
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nellyleelephant
1,786 posts
103 months
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Mutley said: I always get there about 830, and it's busy already. By arriving early you can set up on the fence where you want to watch from. It's ok to leave your chairs there and wander about, just make sure you remember where you leave them(!) Disagree with the chair comment. It pisses people off no end when there are a row of empty chairs at the front next to the fence.....that goes for all events, not just airshows!
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Zippee
9,458 posts
103 months
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I'm thinking of heading there on the Saturday. Most likely by myself though so look for the loner with no mates and that'll likely be me!
TBH, the flight line is OK to see them taxi past but as 95% of the action takes place in the air you're better off finding a quietish spot down the end (near the tank hall) and plonking yourself on the grass.
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