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Duxford Flying Day: The Americans 2026
‘...the Buchon doing some chasing of its own as it tried to get the massive 7 tonne Thunderbolt in its crosshairs...’
The last of this seasons Flying Days was held at IWM Duxford on the 24th July celebrating the wartime connections between the United States and the United Kingdom. Following on from the brilliant opener celebrating VE Day and the rather wind hampered D Day flying day, this one was certainly the cherry on top of the cake.

It is always worth getting to Duxford for opening as there is always so much to see on any airshow or flying day, but I felt more so this time round there was so much more to be seen, heard and experienced even before the flying had started.
Not only did you need the time to visit each of the memorial museums who turned up, such as Bottisham Airfield Museum, 95th Bomb Group Heritage Museum, Station 146, and the 384th Bombardment Group, to name a few, each selling merchandise and patches, but you also had the opportunities to tour Plane Sailings Catalina or become a member for the day with the B-17 Preservation Society for a look around the much loved Sally B.
The American Air Museum was also buzzing all day with special talks and walks around the prized SR-71 Blackbird, as people flocked in throughout the day to see the magnificent machine and hear some of the stories behind her and the types of missions she flew. Flanked by clusters of personnel from both RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, including some incredibly cool guys from Mildenhall Fire Department who were more than happy to be out off base for a day of airshow watching, brought the presence and the modern realisation that what the day was celebrating was still a very much on-going event.
 
A couple of my personal favourites this time round were the small camp set up by the RAF Alconbury 10th Security Police Squadron, who had people on guard looking mean and menacing, with their cold war era weaponry, but were all more than happy to pose for some pictures along with the reenactors all piled on to a few of the many Willis Jeeps located around the airfield.

As always at Duxford, along with the open hangars, there was a large collection of different aircraft on static display along the taxi way to take pictures off from the fenceline, and not just participants, which I always welcome as it allows for some stunning shots with the Duxford hills as a backdrop.

With the day hotting up, I decided to make my way down to the bank by the now closed Land Warfare Hall for the first time for some different angles and photo opportunities. The heat haze was now really starting to show, across the airfield so with a new angle and this in mind, I got myself ready.
The flying started with a new formation of the B-17G Flying Fortress Sally B with Peter Kypers and Paul Szluha at the controls, joined by the late replacement P-40F of the Fighter Collection displayed by Stu Goldspink and Anna Walker in Supermarine Spitfire Mk1 AE213 in a never seen before formation, show casing the might of the US Air Force Bomber and escort capability. Why a Spitfire you might ask? Well, AE213 was sporting markings of the Eagle Squadrons, made up of US Pilots who signed up to fly within the RAF before the United States joined the War.

It was a poignant formation with another first, as Anna Walker became the first female pilot to fly in formation with Sally B, and incredible feat when you think how long Sally B has been on the airshow circuit for now.
 
The fighters pulled up allowing Sally B to take centre stage and perform a solo sequence, paying respects to all those that gave their lives during the daring day time bombing raids during the war. As always, she graced the skies with elegance and class, sporting the Square D on her tail for the remainder of the 2026 flying season in remembrance of the 100th Bombardment Group, the Bloody Hundredth.

As Sally B finished her display and came into land to a well-deserved round of applause, Anna led the two ship of fighters over the Duxford skies, showing off two different Merlin powered examples of aircraft that US Fighter Pilots donned their skills on in the skies. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Comanche Fighters Mk1 Spitfire fly, but she looked really at home over the skies of Duxford. Anna Walker did an incredible job showcasing AE213 before a long landing on the runway and a deserved in take of the crowds pleasure as she went along the taxi way.
 
Next the French Wing of the Commemorative Air Force took to the skies for it’s penultimate show of its Little Blue Cloud Tour of the UK, before heading back to France with their Piper NE-1 Cub. Used by the US Navy as a flight trainer, most were painted in Lock Haven Yellow, however, this particular one is painted to represent BU26359 which served on the US West Coast supporting airship operations. Flown by Francios Arbour, the NE-1 really showed off it’s capabilities that the type was well known for. Slow, controlled flight, with the ability to make tight turns to position for the best spotting opportunities.

It must be said that the CAF French Wing Little Blue Cloud Tour was a resounding success following on from last years Ready 4 Duty Tour, and if all goes to plan over the winter, there’s an even bigger CAF aircraft hoping to tour the UK next summer, so watch this space.
 
 
 
One display I was very excited to see again was of Isabelle Rutland and her beautiful P-51D Mustang Marinell. I was lucky enough to see her display at the Headcorn Airshow last month and it was brilliant. This time was no exception, with plenty of topside passes to allow all the budding photographers the opportunity to get the perfect shots of such a well-kept aircraft. Isabelle is now a few seasons into her airshow display career now with Marinell and each year gets better and better, a real testament to the time she puts in, but also the guidance from the other Warbird pilots who have shown her the way. As a crowd of warbird lovers, we are extremely lucky to have such talent at our shows.
 
Another formation pairing new to myself saw Ben Cox in the Ultimate Warbirds Lockheed Electra 12A and Phil Pettitt and Jeff Boyling in Plane Sailings PBY-5A Catalina take to the skies for some twin-engine action. With both forming up for a couple of pairs passes before splitting into their individual solo displays, it was great to see two iconic American aircraft flying next to each other, which likely would never have been thought to have happened.
With the Electra being used for secret reconnaissance missions and the Catalina used for Anti-Submarine and Search and Rescue roles, their paths would only ever cross at an Airshow like this. Kudos to the organisers to for coming up with these new formation pairings to keep these days fresh and engaging not only to the new visitors to the museums and flying events but also the long-term supporters.
 
Piston Power came next and with this some more speed and energy to the proceedings with the Grumman F8F Bearcat. To some the pinnacle to Piston powered flight, and this really shows in her rate of climbs and acceleration characteristics during her display, even at only about 70% throttle. Pete Kynsey piloted the Bearcat, which proved to be a match made in heaven as he tamed the powerful beast and put on a spectacular display really showing why the Bearcat is held in search high regard as a single engined fighter and why, even though obsolete by the time of the Korea War it managed to hold it’s own when really it had no right too.
 
We then reached the penultimate display of what had been an entertaining and dynamic afternoons flying. Stu Goldspink going up for his second flight of the day took the P-47 Thunderbolt up to chase down the Aircraft Restoration Company’s Hispano Buchon flown in the very capable hands of Martin Overall. In what turned out to be a refreshing dogfight display that although still ended in the Buchon trailing smoke by the end, saw the Buchon doing some chasing of its own as it tried to get the massive 7 tonne Thunderbolt in its crosshairs before the Thunderbolt getting on its tail and gaining another display. I applaud the pilots for giving this a new bit of life and dynamic to the display.
 
Finishing off the day, and in the closing spot after opening the show for the last few years, two F-15E Strike Eagles and two F-35A Lightning II of the 48th Fighter Wing brought the noise to send everyone away on a high. Running in from the West in a four-ship formation and breaking into the circuit, the crowd were treated to some low approaches down the Duxford runway before each aircraft pulled up and headed back to RAF Lakenheath to end their days work. A real spectacle to see them close the show this time round because as always, their appearance is fully down to their operational availability so should always be appreciated when they are able to turn up and wow the crowds like they have done for the past few years.
 

With the afterburner of the 48th Fighter Wings jets fading away in the distance, the flying display ended, concluding the final Flying Day of the 2026 season. Up next comes the Duxford Flying Evening, another fantastic event I look forward to watching and reviewing with all the chances of golden hour glows, before the big Battle of Britain Airshow in September. Check out www.iwm.org.uk for more details on the upcoming events.

Review by Nick Soan