Shuttleworth Summer Airshow Celebrates 90 Years of the Supermarine Spitfire

There are airshows you attend for the spectacle, and there are airshows you attend because the aircraft themselves are the story. Shuttleworth has always belonged firmly in the second category, and this year’s Summer Airshow on July 25 did nothing to change that. Tickets sold out well in advance, and standing on the grass at Old Warden, located near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, UK, it was easy to understand why. The entire event was dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the maiden flight of the Supermarine Spitfire, which remains one of the most iconic aircraft of WWII.

(Image credit: Kris Christiaens)

Following the record-breaking Shuttleworth Festival of Flight covered by VAN contributor Nigel Hitchman in June, the Summer Airshow provided another remarkable demonstration of what makes Old Warden one of the world’s finest venues for historic aviation. The flying program was built around the Spitfire’s important anniversary. The audience saw aircraft that helped lay the foundations for the legendary fighter’s development, as well as examples of the types it faced in combat during WWII. A total of 11 Spitfires participated in the Summer Airshow, with a mass takeoff involving nine of them providing one of the day’s undisputed highlights. Organizers aimed to assemble as many variants of this iconic aircraft as possible, and they succeeded admirably. The gathering included a Spitfire Mk.Ia, Mk.IIa, Mk.Vc, Mk.VIII two-seater, Mk.IX, Mk.IXb, Mk.IXc, Mk.IX two-seater, PR Mk.XI, Mk.XIVe, and PR Mk.XIX.

(Image credit: Kris Christiaens)

During the show, one of the Spitfires also flew alongside a Gloster Gladiator and Hawker Hurricane, bringing together three fighters that played important roles in the defense of Great Britain during WWII. The Hawker Hurricane Mk.I that participated in the display is the only airworthy Hurricane known to have taken part in the Battle of Britain. One of the most beautiful and spectacular demonstrations of the Summer Airshow brought together the magnificent de Havilland DH.88 Comet and Miles Hawk Speed Six. With only five DH.88 Comets and three Hawk Speed Sixes originally built, seeing these two extraordinary aircraft flying in formation was a particularly rare experience.

The striking red de Havilland DH.88 Comet first flew in 1934 and established several notable long-distance records during the 1930s. The Shuttleworth Collection acquired the aircraft in 1965 and, in 1972, re-registered it under its original identity as part of an extensive restoration to airworthy condition. It finally returned to flight in 1987. The Miles Hawk Speed Six was also built in 1934 and remains another icon of the golden age of British air racing. This magnificent aircraft is part of the Shuttleworth Collection and continues to fly with its original 200-hp de Havilland Gipsy Six engine.

Alongside the many Spitfires, the event featured several other historic aircraft from the Shuttleworth Collection, including the Avro C19 Anson, Westland Lysander, Blackburn B.2, and Bristol M.1C. Numerous visiting aircraft also participated, including the Miles Falcon, Miles M.14A Hawk Trainer III, Hispano Buchón, de Havilland DH.60 Moth, and Hawker Hurricane Mk.I. Miles Falcon G-AEEG was built in 1936 and initially operated by Phillips & Powis Air Taxi Services. It was later sold to Sweden and flew with the Swedish Air Force.

As night began to fall, visitors were treated to an impressive demonstration by FUBAR Aviation’s WSK-Mielec Lim-5, the Polish-built version of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F. The aircraft, which displayed with its afterburner glowing against the darkening sky, is currently the only airworthy MiG-17F in Europe. Built in 1958, it formerly served with the Polish Air Force. Strong winds during the evening portion of the show forced the cancellation of several planned demonstrations. Nevertheless, the audience still had the opportunity to see the rare Parnall Elf—one of only three originally built—as well as the historic Avro 504K.

The remarkable day concluded with a display by the Spitfire Mk.Vc in stunning evening light, providing a fitting finale to an event devoted to celebrating one of aviation history’s most recognizable and beloved fighters. For anyone with a serious interest in aviation heritage—or simply a camera bag and an eye for the classic silhouette of a vintage aircraft against a summer sky—the Shuttleworth Summer Airshow remains one of the finest events on the UK airshow calendar. The 2027 Shuttleworth Festival of Flight will take place on June 26 and 27. For more information, visit www.shuttleworth.org.