Full Duxford Air Festival flying programme announced for May Bank Holiday air show

The festival of flying will take place on Saturday, May 27 and Sunday, May 28 at IWM Duxford.

And the final flying displays have been announced, completing a spectacular programme over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The might of the French Air Force, an elite parachute display team, head-spinning aerobatics and glorious historic aircraft will offer spectacle and excitement for all the family.

Across the museum, families can investigate the wonders of science with Mad Science experiments, help to build a large-scale model of a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, and see a replica of the world land speed record-attempting Bloodhound Car.

Visitors can meet serving members of the Parachute Regiment and living history groups representing First World War aviators and World War Two United States Army Air Forces pilots and ground crew.

Entrance to the whole museum – including AirSpace, the newly redeveloped American Air Museum, and the Battle of Britain exhibition – is included in the price of the air show ticket.

The Bloodhound Project car [Picture: Flock London] (Image: Archant)

Tickets must be bought in advance. Kids under 16 go free to this May Bank Holiday spectacular.

Tickets are not available on the gate on the day of the air show.

All flying is subject to weather, serviceability and operational commitments.

The Duxford Air Festival commemorates the centenary of IWM Duxford this year.

Work began to build Duxford’s airfield in 1917 during World War One and it became pivotal to the air defence of Great Britain during the Battle of Britain and D-Day operations.

Newly announced flying displays for the Duxford Air Festival include:

• The French Air Force Dassault Rafale, a powerful and agile multi-role fighter aircraft used in combat over Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

• The Red Devils (Sunday only), the official parachute display team of The Parachute Regiment and The British Army.

• The Trig Aerobatic Team, flying a distinctive pair of yellow and black Pitts S-1D Special biplanes in a dynamic and thrilling aerobatic display.

• The Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet fighter, one of the best fighter aircraft of the Korean War.

• Glorious historic aircraft, including a rare First World War Sopwith Pup, a North American TF-51 Mustang and, closing the flying display, two Mark I Supermarine Spitfires.

Fun family activities across the museum includes:

• Colourful and hands-on experiments with Mad Science. The Fantastic Flight show presents a magical mystery tour of aircraft and aerodynamics with amazing demonstrations such as gravity-defying floating balls. In the Stunt Planes and Fantastic Flyers workshop, children will create paper planes to change directions and attempt to loop the loop.

• Have a go at assembling a large 1/8 model of a Boeing B-29 Superfortress from its component parts.

• Meet members of the Bloodhound Project Team and see a replica of the Bloodhound car. The Bloodhound Project is a global engineering adventure, using a 1,000mph world land speed record attempt to inspire the next generation to enjoy, explore and get involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Get behind the wheel in the Bloodhound driving experience and find out what it takes to set a World Land Speed record.

• Meet serving personnel from The Parachute Regiment, the 7th (Parachute) Regiment Horse Artillery, 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistics Corps and 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles.

• Chat to members of the Dawn Patrol living history group, portraying aviators of the Great War period, and also members of the Ranger Re-enactments living history group, representing Second World War United States Army Air Forces pilots and ground crew next to B-17 Flying Fortress Sally B.

• Get a different perspective of the flying display with Duxford’s large screens, getting you ever closer to the action.

The full list of participating aircraft

Agusta Westland Apache AH1 – 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps, Wattisham Flying Station

Avro 504K – Great War Display Team

BAC 1 67 Strikemaster x 2 – Mark Petrie

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress – B-17 Preservation

Boeing Stearman PT-1 7 x 2 – Breitling Wingwalkers/AeroSuperBatics

Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Plane Sailing

de Havilland DH88 Comet – Shuttleworth Trust

de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide – D & MMiller

de Havilland DH90 Dragonfly – Shipping and Airlines Limited

de Havilland DH1 10 Sea Vixen – Naval Aviation Limited

de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver – Aircraft Restoration Company

Dassault Rafale C – ETR 03.004, French Air Force, Saint-Dizier

Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 – 29(R) Squadron, RAF Coningsby

Extra EA300LP/330SC x 4 – The Blades

Fokker DrI Triplane x 2 – Great War Display Team

Junkers CLI x2 – Great War Display Team

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 – Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron

Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman – Norwegian Spitfire Foundation

North American TF-51D Mustang – Richard Grace

North American Rockwell OV-1 0B Bronco – Bronco Demo Team

Percival MewGull x 2 – Shuttleworth Trust and David Beale

Pitts S-1D Special x 2 – Trig Aerobatic Team

Rotorsport Calidus autogyro – Gyro Air Displays

Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c – Great War Display Team

Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a x 3 – Great War Display Team

Sopwith Pup – Historic Aircraft Collection

Sopwith Triplane – Great War Display Team

Supermarine Spitfire Ia x 2 – Imperial War Museums/Aircraft Restoration Company and Comanche Fighters

The RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team – RAF Brize Norton (Saturday only)

The Red Devils – The Parachute Regiment (Sunday only).