Duxford Air Museum

The history of Duxford begins during the first World War

and was one of the first Royal Air Force stations.

Duxford is south of Cambridge and north of London

Duxford's website

The American connection with Duxford also dates back to WWI
when two US Aero Squadrons were based here.

We "tossed our hat into the ring"
Below is a French Spad aircraft painted in the style of Eddie Rickenbacker's,
who was the top US ace during WWI with 26 confirmed kills.

In 1938 the first RAF squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire. The primary British fighter was the Hurricane, but you never hear about that one.
(The Spitfire is the top photo)

During the Battle of Britain Duxford's squadrons played a vital role

in the repulse of the Luftwaffe attacks over the skies of London.

They had an excellent exhibition in one of the hangers on the
Battle of Britain. During the filming of the movie on-scene at Duxford, they actually blew up an old hangar during a German bombing scene.
Above are two of the original ambiances.
Below is a German tail wing that saw some action.

There was also a German plane (well parts of it)
that was shipped to the US for a fund raiser-
people could scratch their names in the paint for a fee.

But on lighter notes, there was plenty to do for the little man

Ohhh, plane
Plane!
Can't you just hear him?!

Helicopter!
(okay so he cannot really say Helicopter but there
is no way I can decipher what he says for helicopter)

They were stacked all over the place,
if you didn't look up you could run into one!

What a privileged life, aboard the Concorde by 2 1/2!

Most of the planes were in flying condition however there were some
that were under long term restoration and regular maintenance
below the gentleman is working on Spitfire's a Royal Royce engine.

Like I said, not all were in flying condition
Don't think I'll be hopping aboard this one anytime soon!

Good thing Dad was there to point out what all the planes were!
But what he is really saying here is,
"Boats are so much cooler Iain!"

B-17 Flying Fortress G-BEDF Sally B is the last remaining
airworthy B-17 in the Europe.
It has been maintained (by donations) and flown as a memorial to the
79,000 Allied airmen who gave their lives flying out of the
UK in the Second World War.
This bomber is 55,000 pounds and has four engines.
Sally B also had a starring role in the film Memphis Belle

Sally B Preservation Site
Europe's last air worthy B-17 Flying Fortress

Looks like Sally "be" needing some clothes on if you ask me!

This is a German ME-109, the Spitfire's rival and I flew one!

Well not really -
in the simulator below was original footage of a 109 / Spitfire dogfight
off the coast of England near Dover from the German's point of view.

It was 2 v 2.
We shot down one Spitfire and turned to go back
when the other Spitfire came back and shot the lead 109 down.
I, as a wingman, let him down by not looking. Ooops.
But I made it back home.

A Hungarian MiG-21 - Over 10,000 MiG-21's were built by the Russians since the 1950's and exported to over 30 countries. Many countries still fly them as their primary fighter.

In the US Hanger
not a lot of our photos came out very well because the lack of light...
but this gives you an idea how packed it was

7062 United States aircraft were lost
that flew from UK bases during the Second World War
over 30,000 US airmen were in those aircraft