3rd September
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 |
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| Participants will be listed when known. |
| Old Warden based, Shuttleworth Collection unless noted |
In case there are mistakes or changes, please check the show's site for the latest list. |
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.
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 9EP but, as with all shows, ignore the sat nav in favour of local show signs as soon as you see them.
There are links to other route planners in the Travel Advice section.
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.
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.comThere 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.
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.
Gates Open 09:30
Flying 14.00 - 17.00 (ish)
For links to other travel and route planning web sites, click the 'Getting There' tab