incorporating UKAirshows
and EnglishAirshows

Dunsfold Wings and Wheels 2009

Last year, Wings and Wheels day started very wet but it brightened up to allow colourful flying conditions later on. For Wings and Wheels 2009 the met office promised cloud and sunny intervals. They were half right. There was certainly plenty of cloud. However, unlike last year, the sun stayed hidden so it was rather gloomy all day. This didn't prevent near- continuous action in the air and on the track, throughout the day and beyond the scheduled display finish time.

Dunsfold is an intimate show, with fly-ins before the show and a full programme on August Bank Holiday Sunday. The schedule includes classic and military vehicle and bike runs, plenty of trade and amusement stands, a static aircraft display area and about four hours of flying, all within a small and friendly former world-war II airfield, also well known as the location of the BBC Top Gear studio and test track. Stars of the static area were the B25, especially when it fired up for display, and the Bleriot replica, which had a rare engine run.

There is an emphasis on vintage aircraft at Dunsfold, but a splattering, too, of jet offerings, including this year the Red Arrows, The Typhoon and the Vulcan.

The star of the show had to be the Vulcan. It kept us waiting a while as Brendan O'Brien in the commentary box built up the tension describing its progress and counting down its appearance. Despite the cloud, she did not disappoint, dancing with such agility through the murky skies. As we waited for its appearance I heard a family man standing nearby say that he wondered why people had been so bothered about an old aircraft and why people had spent so much to get it airborne. Then it arrived. "Now I get it", he said.

The Arrows arrived direct from a display in Poland. A formation of eleven Arrows flew along the runway before breaking for landing. Later, Red 11 took off with the nine for the display and flew on to base.

The display itself was necessarily restricted, both by the low platform caused by proximity to Gatwick and the cloud. It was also the last display of the day. By this time it was getting rather darkish and a bit chilly and many from the crowds had already decided to leave, presumably to avoid the inevitable long exit queues. Also restricted by the cloud base were the four Tigers, who opened the air part of the day. They jumped from just 2,000 feet but still managed a vertical tandem pair and a landing on the spot. Impressive!

Other team aerobatic displays were provided by the Guinot Wingwalker pair, the Blades and the Matadors. The Blades displayed their usual ex-Red Arrow talents in their four Extra 300LP craft but response from the crowds indicated that the Matadors would have won the team aerobatic prize had there been one. The pair danced their aerial ballet undeterred by the the murky conditions, their Sukhoi Su-26M2 craft in phenomenally tight formation.

The Eurofighter was well able to make the most of the grey backdrop to the day. It's near-sky coloured body was fair camouflage but its afterburners were hard to disguise as it roared athletically to woo the crowds.

Older aircraft were excellently represented by no fewer than 9 replica WWI craft, including Fokker and Sopwith triplanes, four SE5a's, a Junkers CL1, Fokker DR1 and Nieuport. After a mock battle in which the German aircraft seemed to come off worse (funny that) they displayed briefly in small groups and landed individually, some at a second attempt in the gusty conditions.

WWII fighters displaying were The Old Flying Machine Company's "Ferocious Frankie" P51D Mustang and MkIX Spitfire, and the unique Mk11B Hurricane Bomber. The Hurri bomber went solo but the Spitfire and Mustang offered pair as well as brief individual performances. The rather larger North American B25 Mitchell, from the RNAF Historic Flight, attracted the crowds in the static aircraft display area when firing up, as well as during its sortie.

At the end of the day a hardy few remained to witness visiting aircraft, including some of the display craft, departing the static aircraft display area, taking off from different parts of the runway.

Wings and Wheels is a 'must visit', not only for enthusiasts, but also for local families seeking an excellent day out. And as a bonus the profits benefit the air ambulance and local charities as well. Put Wings and Wheels, August Bank Holiday Monday, in your diary now!