Flying Legends Airshow 2007, IWM Duxford
Flying Legends has always been about the very best of historic piston engined aircraft. That changed in 2007 with the 60th Anniversary of the United States Air Force. For the first time ever, Flying Legends hosted a modern fast jet solo display and one that was making its UK debut – the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Strike Eagle from the USAF Strike Eagle Demo Team. It made for quite the opening to the flying display and was completed by the largest Heritage Flight formation yet seen at a UK event featuring the Fighter Collection’s Bell P-39Q Airacobra, P-51D Mustang ‘Twilight Tear’ and TF-51D Mustang ‘Miss Velma.’
The latter aircraft, ‘Miss Velma’ had just completed ‘Operation Balero II’ in the days before Legends. This was a recreation of the transit route taken by United States Army Air Force types during the Second World War. Unfortunately, the P-38F ‘Glacier Girl’ that was accompanying the TF-51D was unable to complete the epic flight due to engine problems. Also make an appearance, though not part of the formal flying displays, was TFC’s latest P-40, a P-40B Warhawk that has recently been restored in the US by Steve Hinton. It is a genuine survivor of the devastating Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour having been based in Hawaii at the time. It owes it’s survival to a landing accident just before the Japanese attack which meant it was in a maintenance hangar at the time and escaped damage.
All photography by Paul Johnson/Flightline UK.
