Shuttleworth Bedfordshire Vintage Airshow

Bedfordshire Vintage Airshow

3rd September

Bristol Boxkite

Bristol Boxkite

The September airshow at Old Warden used to be a Wings and Wheels show. For 2017 and 2018 it became 'Heritage Day'. In 2019, the theme remained all things heritage, but the name changed to 'Vintage Airshow'. For 2023 the show adopts a local emphasis with the inclusion of 'Bedfordshire' into the title and celebrates the county's aviation, steam and agricultural heritage in which the Shuttleworth family played an important part.

The Bedfordshire Vintage Air Show will celebrate everything that is 'Shuttleworth', featuring the working machinery Richard Shuttlewoth collected and maintained in the 1920s and 1930s and an array of stylish aircraft.

Aircraft
Any more participants will be listed when known.
Old Warden based, Shuttleworth Operated Aircraft
Avro 504K
Avro Triplane
Avro Tutor
Blackburn B2
Bleriot XI
Bristol Boxkite
Bristol F.2B Fighter
Comper Swift
de Havilland DH.51
de Havilland DH.88 Comet
de Havilland DH60X Moth
de Havilland DH82a Tiger Moth
Deperdussin
Desoutter I
English Electric Wren
Eon Primary
Gloster Gladiator
Hawker Cygnet
Hawker Sea Hurricane Ib
Hawker Tomtit
Miles Hawk Speed Six
Parnall Elf
Percival Mew Gull
Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a
Sopwith Pup
Sopwith Triplane
Southern Martlet
Supermarine Spitfire Vc
Visiting Aircraft
Avro 504K (British Aviation 100)
Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing (Peter Kuypers)
de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide (Philip Meeson)
de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide (Scillonia Airways)
Focke-Wulf Fw 44J Stieglitz (operated by Richard Menage)
Hawker Hurricane (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight)
Nieuport 17 (John Gilbert)
Percival Mew Gull (David Beale)
Shenstone (CzerwiƄski Harbinger)
Slingsby T.21
Supermarine Spitfire (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight)
Tiger Nine
Travel Air D4000 (Richard Seeley)
Travel Air Type R Mystery Ship (Richard Seeley)
Waco UPF-7 (Nigel Finlayson)

In case there are mistakes or changes, please check the show's site for the latest list.
Appearances are always subject to technical, weather and other constraints.

About Old Warden

This is a relatively small venue, where flying feels closer to the crowd than in some bigger airfields, even since the change in the regulations. The venue also has a mansion, Shuttleworth House, which is usually open to visitors for at least part of airshow days, park-like gardens (Swiss garden) and huge children's outdoor play area.

Old Warden is home to the Shuttleworth Collection of planes from both world wars and earlier, including original pioneering aircraft such as the Bleriot (identical to the one that made the first crossing of the English Channel). There are around 40 airworthy planes in eight hangars.

The collection is on static display most days throughout the year. There are significant flying events about monthly between May and October, ranging from daytime full airshows to evening proms and additional smaller events.

Getting to Shuttleworth Airshows

By car

Shuttleworth's Old Warden Aerodrome is about two miles to the west of the A1 near Biggleswade. It is about 20 miles from Junction 13 of the M1 and from the south it is about 30 miles from Junction 23 of the M25. It is signposted from the A1 at Biggleswade.

The Post Code (for sat nav) is SG18 9DT but, as with all shows, ignore the sat nav in favour of local show signs as soon as you see them.

Driving directions

There are links to other route planners in the Travel Advice section.

By Train

There is a train station at nearby Biggleswade, which is about 40 minutes from London Kings Cross and about 30 minutes from Peterborough. There is no bus service from the station to the aerodrome but there is a taxi rank close to the station.

Click here to create a pocket timetable for your journey between any stations on the National Rail network.

Travel Advice

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DIY pocket timetable
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Route planners (Road)
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Accommodation near Shuttleworth Airshows

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 link but please check, and change as necessary, the dates, number of rooms and number of guests.

Booking.com

Some More Options

There are three Premier Inn hotels in Bedford, another two in St Neots and more in in Hitchen and Letchworth, all roughly 10 miles away.

Travelodge have three hotels around Bedford, between six and eight miles from Old Warden and two more within ten miles.

Weather for the Old Warden area

UK Met Office Forecast

A full 7 day Old Warden weather forecast from the UK Met Office

BBC Forecast

A 14-day forecast from the BBC

What the forecasts tell you

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.

2023 Show Basics

Date

September 3rd

Airshow links

Show's web site


Times

Gates Open 09:30
Flying 14.00 - 17.00 (ish)

Travel

Driving directions

For links to other travel and route planning web sites, click the 'Getting There' tab

Photos

Photos taken at earlier airshows at Old Warden

 

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