Duxford BoB Airshow
Discussion
Anyone thinking of going to this? Flying list looks good
https://www.iwm.org.uk/airshows/duxford-battle-of-...
I called in at Duxford yesterday on the way back fro Stanstead. Car park full, lots of stuff flying, great weather…inspired me to maybe give a Duxford airshow another chance.
It seems like quite a few TFC aircraft are displaying. I thought there had been some kind of falling out between Duxford and TFC, hence why Flying Legends got cancelled? Can’t be that bad if they’re supporting a Duxford airshow?
https://www.iwm.org.uk/airshows/duxford-battle-of-...
I called in at Duxford yesterday on the way back fro Stanstead. Car park full, lots of stuff flying, great weather…inspired me to maybe give a Duxford airshow another chance.
It seems like quite a few TFC aircraft are displaying. I thought there had been some kind of falling out between Duxford and TFC, hence why Flying Legends got cancelled? Can’t be that bad if they’re supporting a Duxford airshow?
dr_gn said:
It seems like quite a few TFC aircraft are displaying. I thought there had been some kind of falling out between Duxford and TFC, hence why Flying Legends got cancelled? Can’t be that bad if they’re supporting a Duxford airshow?
If IWM book TFC aircraft for their shows they will fly at them. However, this is the only airshow so far this year they have been booked by IWM.There was no 'falling out as such' IWM decided they wanted more money for hosting Flying Legends and TFC said no, so IWM effectively cancelled FL, so as to be able to use the slot for one of its own shows, which turned out to be a terrible show, that hardly anyone bothered with. So that worked out well for IWM.
aeropilot said:
dr_gn said:
It seems like quite a few TFC aircraft are displaying. I thought there had been some kind of falling out between Duxford and TFC, hence why Flying Legends got cancelled? Can’t be that bad if they’re supporting a Duxford airshow?
If IWM book TFC aircraft for their shows they will fly at them. However, this is the only airshow so far this year they have been booked by IWM.There was no 'falling out as such' IWM decided they wanted more money for hosting Flying Legends and TFC said no, so IWM effectively cancelled FL, so as to be able to use the slot for one of its own shows, which turned out to be a terrible show, that hardly anyone bothered with. So that worked out well for IWM.
Hopefully IWM will reconsider for next year. There is no better plae for FL.
One thing I hadn't appreciated until yesterday was that Duxford has another advantage over other venues in that it has two parallel runways (hard and grass), which makes the logistics of something like the Balbo easier, plus there's a safety benefit if one of the runways becomes blocked.
I recall one particular curator from IWM Duxford posting on her Twitter account some remarks about the "clientele" which FL attracted that she reckoned Duxford could do better than which seemed fairly alienating to most of the people who support Duxford. She also attempted to play down the aviation centric image of the, err, historic airfield.
She came across like an idiot, to be honest. That said, she almost certainly wasn't the boss at least at the time - she was responsible for the American Air Museum part of the site. She was probably doing the sort of thing the Marketing-Communications / PR departments of most big companies work hard to prevent - i.e. an individual from within their organisation publicly voicing their strong opinions to a public perception that the overall organisation supports or even agrees with those opinions someone's decided to put out there.
Given that IWM Duxford has scored a rather large own-goal by kicking out the largest airshow organized by the biggest resident with a decades-long legacy of great airshows and who have all the personal contacts and relationships with the people who own many of the other airworthy historic aircraft people will travel to see, I'd like to think IWM Duxford would have the sense and humility to ask TFC to resume control of organising the large airshow which occurs the 2nd weekend of July from 2023 onwards again.
She came across like an idiot, to be honest. That said, she almost certainly wasn't the boss at least at the time - she was responsible for the American Air Museum part of the site. She was probably doing the sort of thing the Marketing-Communications / PR departments of most big companies work hard to prevent - i.e. an individual from within their organisation publicly voicing their strong opinions to a public perception that the overall organisation supports or even agrees with those opinions someone's decided to put out there.
Given that IWM Duxford has scored a rather large own-goal by kicking out the largest airshow organized by the biggest resident with a decades-long legacy of great airshows and who have all the personal contacts and relationships with the people who own many of the other airworthy historic aircraft people will travel to see, I'd like to think IWM Duxford would have the sense and humility to ask TFC to resume control of organising the large airshow which occurs the 2nd weekend of July from 2023 onwards again.
As mentioned above, the current management & 'direction' of IWM Duxford has been a cause for concern for a few years now.
Since they forced the closure of 'Friends of Duxford' & replaced it with 'IWM Membership' it's been pretty much all downhill, in my opinion.
Members receive less discount on air show tickets & in the shop, year by year. Members are subjected to constant 'upselling' tactics. The previous Duxford news updates that Friends of Duxford received are a distant memory. It's all very modern, very corporate, we have a 50/50 gender balance in our directors don't you know, now. I get a totally different feeling to when I was a proud member & supporter of 'Friends of Duxford'. Today IWM Membership feels no more emotionally involving than having a B&Q card, they both want my money. They are lucky to still have so many of the fantastic volunteers.
IWM Membership gives free entrance to other IWM branches, but I've never been able to take advantage of this as I live near Duxford & the aircraft are my main interest anyway.
There was talk of building a hotel on site & also Marshalls Aerospace moving in ? All that's gone quiet. I could google for the latest news, but quite frankly I can't be bothered to depress myself with the muddle.
The museum needs money (they employ a lot of staff..) but they can't just keep increasing ticket prices again & again. It's currently £25 for each adult on a non event day. Plus children 5-15 are £12.50 a piece. (there's also a slightly higher 'with donation price' they will tell you about)
Having no Flying Legends Air Show any more is a massive loss & I would humbly suggest tells you all you need to know.
Since they forced the closure of 'Friends of Duxford' & replaced it with 'IWM Membership' it's been pretty much all downhill, in my opinion.
Members receive less discount on air show tickets & in the shop, year by year. Members are subjected to constant 'upselling' tactics. The previous Duxford news updates that Friends of Duxford received are a distant memory. It's all very modern, very corporate, we have a 50/50 gender balance in our directors don't you know, now. I get a totally different feeling to when I was a proud member & supporter of 'Friends of Duxford'. Today IWM Membership feels no more emotionally involving than having a B&Q card, they both want my money. They are lucky to still have so many of the fantastic volunteers.
IWM Membership gives free entrance to other IWM branches, but I've never been able to take advantage of this as I live near Duxford & the aircraft are my main interest anyway.
There was talk of building a hotel on site & also Marshalls Aerospace moving in ? All that's gone quiet. I could google for the latest news, but quite frankly I can't be bothered to depress myself with the muddle.
The museum needs money (they employ a lot of staff..) but they can't just keep increasing ticket prices again & again. It's currently £25 for each adult on a non event day. Plus children 5-15 are £12.50 a piece. (there's also a slightly higher 'with donation price' they will tell you about)
Having no Flying Legends Air Show any more is a massive loss & I would humbly suggest tells you all you need to know.
Well, whatever the details, I’ve got tickets for the kids and me (£88 including a programme). It cost £75 for four of us to get in last Thursday - just for the museum. Cost aside, thoroughly enjoyed it, and saw some flying too.
End of the day, for me, £88 is £30 less than a tank of petrol these days.
Way I see it, you either cough up, forget the cost and enjoy it, or stay away in the hope that it’ll all go back to how it was. It won’t.
End of the day, for me, £88 is £30 less than a tank of petrol these days.
Way I see it, you either cough up, forget the cost and enjoy it, or stay away in the hope that it’ll all go back to how it was. It won’t.
Have to say despite everything said about Duxford recently, I though todays show was brilliant. Great selection of aircraft, and the Spitfire/Hurricane finale was something else. It was heaving with people, yet pretty easy to get a place next to the fence. Free access to the flight line, Museum open till 7. Heavy rain for 20 minutes or so half way through the finale, but they just circled a few miles away and completed the show when the rain passed.
FL had got a bit jaded over its final years; this was better, plus I think all the airworthy TFC aircraft were there anyway. Throw in the Vampire and Czech helicopters…Great day out.
FL had got a bit jaded over its final years; this was better, plus I think all the airworthy TFC aircraft were there anyway. Throw in the Vampire and Czech helicopters…Great day out.
dr_gn said:
Have to say despite everything said about Duxford recently, I though todays show was brilliant. Great selection of aircraft, and the Spitfire/Hurricane finale was something else. It was heaving with people, yet pretty easy to get a place next to the fence. Free access to the flight line, Museum open till 7. Heavy rain for 20 minutes or so half way through the finale, but they just circled a few miles away and completed the show when the rain passed.
FL had got a bit jaded over its final years; this was better, plus I think all the airworthy TFC aircraft were there anyway. Throw in the Vampire and Czech helicopters…Great day out.
Good to hearFL had got a bit jaded over its final years; this was better, plus I think all the airworthy TFC aircraft were there anyway. Throw in the Vampire and Czech helicopters…Great day out.
While travelling back from Brands Hatch today, we saw this pleasant sight
https://youtu.be/fIBR2JcURcY
…which was nice.
https://youtu.be/fIBR2JcURcY
…which was nice.
Tony1963 said:
While travelling back from Brands Hatch today, we saw this pleasant sight
https://youtu.be/fIBR2JcURcY
…which was nice.
Nice. It was quite a collection of Spitfires and Hurricanes. The mass take-off and Joker routines were something to behold.https://youtu.be/fIBR2JcURcY
…which was nice.
heisthegaffer said:
I went to Duxford yesterday, absolutely brilliant.
We were right in the middle of the Czech helicopters which I loved although I nearly lost my hat!
Just when I thought Duxford air shows were a thing of the past for us, they go and organise something pretty spectacular like that.We were right in the middle of the Czech helicopters which I loved although I nearly lost my hat!
The 2 minute silence on Saturday was quite something (presumably the same on Sunday?) - all those thousands of people, yet you could have heard a pin drop. Then after exactly 2 minutes the NHS Spitfire came in from the left at full chat...wow. I don't usually get too bothered about stuff like that, but it was pretty special. I'll not forget it in a hurry.
Quite pleasantly surprised to see the Balbo going over my back garden again, as I thought IWM had done away with all that unwoke stuff.
Maybe the people responsible for the falling out with TFC have quietly been sent off to look for evidence of slavery in NT tea rooms and we are heading back to good air shows again.
Maybe the people responsible for the falling out with TFC have quietly been sent off to look for evidence of slavery in NT tea rooms and we are heading back to good air shows again.
Foss62 said:
Quite pleasantly surprised to see the Balbo going over my back garden again, as I thought IWM had done away with all that unwoke stuff.
Maybe the people responsible for the falling out with TFC have quietly been sent off to look for evidence of slavery in NT tea rooms and we are heading back to good air shows again.
I’ve a good idea why TFC aircraft displayed at the weekend. I wouldn’t read too much into it. I think there’s a bit more to the situation than anyone outside TFC and Duxford know.Maybe the people responsible for the falling out with TFC have quietly been sent off to look for evidence of slavery in NT tea rooms and we are heading back to good air shows again.
Nobody can deny that the BoB airshow was a really great event (obviously by ‘modern’ standards). There seemed to be plenty of overseas visitors too; some near where we were viewing from didn’t speak much English, but judging by the smiling faces and thumbs-ups they weren’t disappointed. I doubt it was the traders or fun fair etc. that attracted the thousands of attendees - it was the flying list, which was hugely enhanced by the presence of TFC.
dr_gn said:
heisthegaffer said:
I went to Duxford yesterday, absolutely brilliant.
We were right in the middle of the Czech helicopters which I loved although I nearly lost my hat!
Just when I thought Duxford air shows were a thing of the past for us, they go and organise something pretty spectacular like that.We were right in the middle of the Czech helicopters which I loved although I nearly lost my hat!
The 2 minute silence on Saturday was quite something (presumably the same on Sunday?) - all those thousands of people, yet you could have heard a pin drop. Then after exactly 2 minutes the NHS Spitfire came in from the left at full chat...wow. I don't usually get too bothered about stuff like that, but it was pretty special. I'll not forget it in a hurry.
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