First World War Aerial Display • IWM Duxford - Battle of Britain Airshow 2024
Video from the channel Biggsy about Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show 2024, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 11:03. Language: English. Video type: Air show.
Competition and team
First World War aircraft display at the Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show 2024. Flying are a BE2e, the Historic Aircraft Collection's DH.9, Paul Ford's SE5a replica, the World War I Aviation Heritage Trust's Albatros D.Va and Paul Ford's Fokker Dr.I replica.
What you see
The display recreates a mission from the period. The Allied aircraft fly past the crowd amid explosions simulating artillery fire, with the DH.9 escorted by the SE5a. The German aircraft take off to intercept them, and the Albatros tails the DH.9. At the end all aircraft land and the commentary introduces each one.
The aircraft on display
The commentary explains that the DH.9 reached squadrons in France in large numbers around April 1918 and suffered constant engine trouble. Of the SE5a, it recalls that it was the mount of aces such as Albert Ball, Mick Mannock and James McCudden. The BE2e is one of two replicas that arrived in the UK in 2014, built by The Vintage Aviator in New Zealand, and carries the markings of No. 7 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. The Albatros D.Va, with a Mercedes D.III engine, wears the colours of Otto Kissenberth, who commanded Jasta 23b and scored 20 victories; it has been in the UK since 2018. The Dr.I replica, built from scratch over more than five years, reproduces one of Manfred von Richthofen's aircraft.