Hawkers and I -16 star at Legends

The first ever appearance by a Polikarpov I-16 Rata in Britain, and the sight and sound of three Rolls-Royce Kestrel-powered Hawker biplanes in formation for the first time since the 1930s, were two of the highlights of the Duxford's Flying Legends airshow on July 3-4.

Under sunny skies more than 28,000 people flocked to the event, which was again strongly supported by Europe-based operators. Two warbirds from the fleet of the show's organisers, The Fighter Collection (TFC), which had not flown at the 2009 show owing to Civil Aviation Authority paperwork issues - Supermarine Spitfire V EP120 and Grumman F8F Bearcat G-RUMM - were back in action this year; but, sadly, most of TFC's collection remains grounded.

The Polikarpov I-16 Rata, D-EPRN, was flown over from its base at Mannheim by owner Thomas Jülch, who acquired it from New Zealand in 2009. Bremgarten, Germany-based MaxAlpha Aviation/Meier Motors sent Spitfire Mk VIII MV154, Vought Corsair F4U-5 F-AZYS and North American TF-51 Mustang D-FTSI, the latter making its British debut. The closing “Balbo” this year numbered 23 aircraft, all of them single-engined.

See September's Aeroplane magazine for the full story and pictures