Shuttleworth Festival of Flight 2025
The Standout Airshow of the Year
Old Warden | 11 May 2025
Intro
The Shuttleworth Festival of Flight 2025 truly emerged as the airshow of the year. From its humble beginnings in 2024, it has already grown into one of the standout events on the UK aviation calendar. Spread across two days, the organisers assembled an exceptional programme that blended rarely seen visiting aircraft with much‑loved favourites from the Collection.
The opening day delivered a vibrant, family‑focused atmosphere, headlined by the Red Arrows and an RAF Chinook. Sunday, by contrast, shifted into a more enthusiast‑driven experience — a day shaped by atmosphere, rarity, and the kind of thoughtful curation that sets Shuttleworth apart.
A Sunday for the Enthusiasts
The second day opened in classic Shuttleworth fashion with a serene, almost spellbinding routine from the Slingsby glider. It was a gentle prelude before the tempo rose sharply with the welcome return of Bob Davy in his Yak‑3, a display that instantly injected energy into the programme.
Shuttleworth’s own barnstorming trio — the DH.60, Tiger Moth, and Elf — followed with nostalgic charm, before the show shifted into one of its most thoughtful sequences: the Mercury Flight. The Gladiator, Lysander, and the Aircraft Restoration Company’s Bristol Blenheim IF flew together in tribute to the Bristol Mercury engine that powers all three types.
A Rare Gem Returns – The Dassault Flamant
A genuine highlight of the afternoon was the appearance of the French‑based Dassault MD 312 Flamant, operated by Amicale Alençonnaise des Avions Anciens. Absent from UK skies for more than five years, its return generated real excitement among enthusiasts.
The Flamant’s display was smooth, elegant, and quietly evocative — wide, unhurried passes that showcased its glazed nose, distinctive lines, and the gentle rumble of its twin SNECMA 12S engines. It didn’t rely on high‑energy manoeuvres; its rarity and immaculate condition did the talking. This was Shuttleworth at its best: celebrating aviation history with authenticity and care.
First World War Heritage
The WWI contingent — Bristol M1C, Sopwith Triplane, and Sopwith Dove — added depth and texture to the programme. Shuttleworth remains one of the few venues capable of presenting these machines in their natural element, and the trio provided a poignant reminder of the era’s rapid technological evolution.
Cold War Colour – The Flying Comrades
A burst of energy arrived with the Flying Comrades, flown by Phil Hardisty, Alex Lewton, and Tom Turner. Their formation of one Yak‑18T and two Yak‑52s brought a refreshing Cold War flavour to the day. Their display blended tight formation work with personality and humour — a celebration of rugged Soviet training aircraft and the flying culture that shaped them.
Their presence added contrast and broadened the historical narrative, reminding audiences that aviation heritage isn’t confined to the Western canon.
Axis Trainer Trio – A Bold, Unusual Inclusion
Shuttleworth surprised many with a rare Axis Trainer slot — something almost never seen on a UK display schedule. The trio consisted of:
- Nigel Wilson’s Nord 1002, the French‑built descendant of the Bf 108
- Lilham Aviation’s Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister, the aerobatic icon of the 1930s
- Jean‑Michel Munn’s Focke‑Wulf Fw 44 Stieglitz, the Luftwaffe’s primary trainer
Three contrasting machines, three distinct roles, and a sequence that felt both educational and visually striking. It was a bold programming choice that paid off.
Warbird Strength and Heavy Metal Presence
The Commemorative Air Force’s Douglas R4D‑6S Ready 4 Duty brought its Shuttleworth season to a close with a final solo appearance in the Festival of Flight flying programme. Having proven a hugely popular visitor at both the Premier and Military shows — complete with internal tours and a superb exhibition of Second World War US Navy artefacts — the aircraft has become a familiar and much‑appreciated presence at Old Warden. Its concluding display felt like a fitting send‑off for a machine that has added real depth, character, and a distinctive slice of naval history to Shuttleworth’s 2025 line‑up. Quietly authoritative and unmistakably purposeful, Ready 4 Duty once again demonstrated the enduring appeal of the Dakota family with a very unique wartime purpose.
Another standout moment came courtesy of the Warbird Display Team, bringing a unique and visually striking pairing to Old Warden. Their combination of a CAC Boomerang replica (N32CS) and a Yak‑3U (F‑AZIM / F‑AZZK) is unlike anything else on the UK circuit. Both aircraft are based in Belgium and operated by Egmond Vintage Wings, and their appearance at the Festival of Flight marked their UK mainland debut.
The Boomerang — a T‑6 Texan‑based replica — contrasts beautifully with the muscular, high‑performance Yak‑3U, one of the most potent Russian fighters of its era. Together they delivered a dynamic, fast‑paced “dogfight” routine complete with smoke, high‑speed crosses, and tight, aggressive manoeuvring. It was a sequence that combined theatre with authenticity, adding a burst of energy and international flavour to the afternoon programme.
The finale to the daytime display brought together three of the most charismatic machines on the programme: the Shuttleworth Collection’s Supermarine Spitfire Vc, Lilham Aviation’s Supermarine Spitfire IX, and Flying Legends GmbH’s Chance Vought F4U‑5NL Corsair. It was a superbly judged closing sequence, one that made full use of Old Warden’s intimate layout and the late‑afternoon light. The trio opened with a series of tight, sweeping formation passes, the contrasting wing shapes and engine notes creating a wonderfully rich visual and auditory tableau. The Spitfires — elegant, precise, unmistakably British — framed the muscular, broad‑shouldered Corsair perfectly, the three aircraft moving as a cohesive, confident unit across the airfield.
After the formation work came a spirited break into tail‑chaser passes, each aircraft offering generous top‑sides as they carved through the circuit. It was dynamic without being rushed, theatrical without losing authenticity — the kind of finale that captures the essence of Shuttleworth’s approach to airshow storytelling. A closing act with real presence, and a fitting end to a day built on atmosphere, rarity, and thoughtful curation.
A Show That Has Found Its Identity
What made the 2025 Festival of Flight so compelling wasn’t just the aircraft — it was the curation. Shuttleworth has found a formula that blends atmosphere, rarity, storytelling, and variety without ever feeling bloated or unfocused. The result is a show that feels both intimate and ambitious, capable of surprising even the most seasoned enthusiast.
From the Flamant’s graceful return to the bold Axis Trainer slot, from Cold War camaraderie to WWI authenticity, the Festival of Flight 2025 delivered a programme that was rich, thoughtful, and deeply satisfying.
It wasn’t just a good Shuttleworth show. It was one of the airshows of the year.
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