June 22 - 23
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the early display announcements
The Sywell Airshow is being promoted by Sywell Aerodrome and Ultimate Warbird Flights, who are based there.
The organisers promised classic aircraft from across Europe alongside modern jets, with a flying line-up that will include formation and unique displays, some of which will be UK firsts. They are certainly living up to that promise.
Aircraft annoncements started nice and early and by late January there were already over forty displays in the flying schedule, including four from the Flying Bulls; The Hawker Tempest II flying with the Hawker Fury; nine Spitfires; six Mustangs and three Corsairs.
The display schedule is in the table, but for the latest it is best to keep an eye on the show's web site or social media (there are links on the 'Key Info' tab).
The show will also feature ground attractions including classic cars, four-wheel and two-wheel racers, stalls, a fair ground and 'special photographic opportunities'.
Ticket options, which include a VIP package, are available now, although priority parking has sold out. A limited number of discounted 'Advance' tickets will be available until the end of May, unless sold out before then.
| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
 | Red Arrows (Sunday only) |
| Spitfires | |
 | Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX 'RW382' 'The Suffolk Spitfire' presented as USAAF Mk.IXc "Porky II" (converted from a low-back Mk XVIe to high-back Mk IX configuration, complete with Rolls Royce Merlin, full wing tips and earlier rounded tail, in 2011). (Owner George Haye) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire LFVb EP120 G-LFVB (The Fighter Collection) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire FR XlV G-SPIT MV293 (previously as MV268 JE-J) (Fighter Aviation) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXb G-ASJV MH434 (Old Flying Machine Company) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc G-IBSY 'EE602' (Fighter Aviation Engineering) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk IXe G-RYIX 'TE517' (517 Limited, operated by Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire Mk G-PR.XI 'PL983' (Aircraft Restoration Company) |
 | Supermarine Spitfire FRXIV 'RM297' (W Air Collection) |
 | 'Grace' Spitfire MkTR1X G-LFIX 'ML407' (Ultimate Warbird Flights) |
| Hurricanes | |
 | Hawker Hurricane Mk.I G-ROBT P2902 (Fighter Aviation Engineering) |
 | Hawker Hurricane Mk X AE977 G-CHTK, painted as Mk 1 P2921. (Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar) |
| Mustangs | |
| North American TF-51 Mustang 'Miss Ava' (ex-'Janie') (W Air Collection, France) | |
 | North American P-51D Mustang 'Nooky Booky IV' (Flying Bulls) |
 | North American P-51D Mustang (Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar / Rolls Royce Heritage Flight) |
 | North American P-51 Mustang 'Marinell' (Aircraft Restoration Company) |
 | North American P-51D Mustang 'Miss Helen' G-BIXL '472216' (owner Robert Tyrell based at ARCo / Aerial Collective) |
| North American P-51D Mustang 'Jersey Jerk' (Fighter Aviation) | |
| Corsairs | |
 | Chance Vought F4U-4 Corsair (Flying Bulls) |
 | Chance-Vought F4U-5NL Corsair F-AZEG (Les Casques de Cuir collection) |
 | Goodyear FG-1D Corsair G-FGID (The Fighter Collection) |
| Bombers and Transport | |
 | Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress G-BEDF 'Sally B' (B-17 Preservation) |
 | Douglas C-47 'Night Fright' (Night Fright Promotions Ltd) |
| Biplanes / Triplanes | |
 | de Havilland DH82 Tiger Moth (x3): G-AMTV, G-ANTE and G-ALIW |
 | Boeing Stearman with Wingwalker (46 Aviation) |
| Fokker D.VII (Reproduction) (Mikael Carlson) | |
| Fokker DR.1 (Reproduction) (Mikael Carlson) | |
| More | |
 | Lockheed P-38 Lightning (Flying Bulls) |
 | North American B-25J Mitchell (Flying Bulls) |
 | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt G-THUN 'Nellie B' (Fighter Aviation Engineering) |
| Hawker Tempest II (Fighter Aviation) | |
 | Grumman F8F-2P Bearcat G-RUMM (The Fighter Collection) |
 | Grumman FM-2 Wildcat G-RUMW (The Fighter Collection) |
 | Hawker Fury FB.II G-CBEL 'SR661' (Painted as Sea Fury Prototype) (Fighter Aviation Engineering) |
 | Hispano HA-1112-M4L Buchon "White 9" G-AWHH (Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar / Warbird Experiences) |
 | Hispano HA-1112 Buchon G-AWHK 'Yellow 10' (Aircraft Restoration Company) |
| Fokker DXXI Reproduction (Fokker D21 229) | |
 | Lockheed 12A Electra Junior G-AFTL (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd) |
| Gamebird GB1 (Steve Jones) | |
| Static Display only | |
| Douglas R4D (Commemorative Air Force) | |
Please check the show's web site for the latest confirmed list. | |
The first 'Great Aerial Pageant' was part of Sywell's opening ceremony in 1928. The second, in the following year, attracted an estimated 35,000 spectators. Since then, what was once a basic airfield has grown to become an award-winning General Aviation Airfield with hard runway, museum and hotel.
A variety of shows were held at Sywell from the early years. Most recently the Sywell Airshow was held every other year until 2014. The show due to be held in 2016 was cancelled following the Shoreham airshow incident. Other events, notably 'Pistons and Props', continued at Sywell (except during the Covid years) but the headline Sywell Airshow had been absent from the Airshow calendar until an announcement in December 2023 that it would return in 2024.
There was a proposal to hold Flying Legends at Sywell when that show announced it was moving from Duxford, but the proposed shows in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled because of Covid. The 2022 show was also cancelled when Flying Legends announced they were seeking an alternative venue.
Like Duxford and Old Warden, many of the airshow participants are based at the aerodrome. In Sywell's case, the residents are Ultimate Warbird Flights and their parent company, Air Leasing.
The Aerodrome is easily accessed from the A45, M1 and A14. It is less than a mile from the A43; four miles from Wellingborough and ten miles from the centre of Northampton.
Use postcode NN6 0BN in the Sat Nav until you get close, but ignore sat nav in favour of local airshow signs as soon as you see them.
There are links to other route planners in the Travel Advice section.
Wellingborough station is about 5 miles away and has services to and from London St. Pancras and Corby. Northampton station is about 10 miles away and has rail services to and from London Euston, Milton Keynes and Birmingham. It is possible to use local bus services between the stations and the Aerodrome but they take a while. Taxis are available from both stations.
It is best to book as far as possible in advance. This is not only because nearby hotels and guest houses tend get booked up well before the date of an airshow but also because prices can be better when you book early online.
The location is already built in to the links but please check, and change as necessary, the dates, number of rooms and number of guests.
There is a Premier Inn hotel in Wellingborough about 6 miles away, three in Northampton, about 8 miles away and one in Kettering about 11 miles away.
There are seven Travelodge hotels in Wellingborough, Northampton and Kettering, all within 10 miles of Sywell.
A full 7 day Wellingborough (for Sywell) weather forecast from the UK Met Office
The Met Office 7-day forecast includes actual and "feels like" temperatures, the likelihood of rain, wind speed, wind direction, wind gusts and visibility: the latter can have an impact on the viability of displays.
The BBC's 14-day forecast has overall conditions including and hourly estimate of temperature, wind direction, wind speed and UV range.
Click the blue-text link to go to the forecast. The location is already built into the links.
thigh.doubts.chucklingSat Nav NN6 0BN
For links to other travel and route planning web sites, click the 'Getting There' tab