previously 'Wings and Wheels'
October 1st
Chilton D.W.1A. Chiltons were flown in U.K. air races for several years
Shuttleworth bids farewell to the 2023 season with the return of 'Race Day', celebrating Richard Shuttleworth's passion for racing, both on the ground and in the air.
The show promises some true classics from across the UK, and a few motoring and flying surprises, as vehicles parade and aircraft fly at the Old Warden Aerodrome.
Around 50 historic racing cars will be there, including Sir Malcolm Campbell’s 350hp Sunbeam ‘Bluebird’, the holder of three World Land Speed Records.
Before the flying there will be three Edwardian Car Demonstration Sprints on the main runway. These will be The Shuttleworth Sprint at 11.00; The Blue Bird Sprint at 12.15 and The 1,000M Sprint at 13.00.
In the air will be Shuttleworth-based and visiting aircraft. The initial list is in the table. Any more will be added when announced.
Shuttleworth had previously listed the October show as 'Wings and Wheels'. Tickets purchased as 'Wings and Wheels' are still valid for Race Day.
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.
| Aircraft | ||
|---|---|---|
| Flying | ||
| Shuttleworth-based aircraft | ||
 | Avro Triplane replica G-ARSG (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
| Blackburn B2 (was BAe Systems but donated to Shuttleworth Collection) | ||
 | Blériot XI (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
 | Bristol Boxkite (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
| Comper CLA7 Swift G-ACTF (Shuttleworth Collection) | ||
 | DHC Chipmunk T.22 (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
 | DH88 Comet, Shuttleworth Collection | |
| de Havilland DH.51 | ||
| Desoutter Mk1 G-AAPZ (Shuttleworth Collection) | ||
 | Gloster Gladiator Mk 1 G-AMRK 'K7985' (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
 | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk Ib G-BKTH Z7105/7-L, Shuttleworth Collection | |
 | Miles Hawk Speed Six | |
 | Miles Magister 'P6382' G-AJRS (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
| Parnall Elf | ||
 | Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
 | RAF SE5A G-EBIA | |
 | Sopwith Pup (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
 | Southern Martlett (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
 | Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk Vc G-AWII 'AR501' (Shuttleworth Collection) | |
 | Westland Lysander IIIA G-AZWT, Shuttleworth Collection | |
| Visiting Aircraft | ||
 | Hawker Fury FB.II G-CBEL 'SR661' (Painted as Sea Fury Prototype) (Fighter Aviation Engineering) | |
| Chilton DW1A (Chris Barnes) | ||
| Zivko Edge 540 (Mark Jefferies) | ||
 | North American Harvard Mk IV G-NWHF (Navy Wings) | |
 | Canadian Car Foundry Harvard Mk IVM T-6H AJ841 'Wacky Wabbit' (T6 Harvard Aviation) | |
| North American Harvard T6 (Rolls Royce Heritge Flight) | ||
 | Mew Gull (Replica) G-HEKL (David Beale) | |
| Slingsby Kirby Kite | ||
| Slingsby Petrel (Graham Saw) | ||
| Supermarine Seafire XVII (Navy Wings) | ||
In case there are mistakes or changes, please check the show's site for the latest list. | ||
Spitfire PL983
No other airshow is quite like Race Day. There were a few aerobatic displays but much of the four hours of flying was taken up with groups of aircraft racing around the same anti-clockwise circuit over the countryside at Old Warden.
It is evident from social media and forum comments that this generates little excitement for many and for them the airshow season will have finished a week or two sooner.
For the significant crowds at Old Warden on that chilly October Day, however, Race Day represents the very spirit of Shuttleworth. The spirit of Shuttleworth is not jets, nor formation flying, nor flamboyant aerobatics. The spirit of Shuttleworth is vintage aircraft and vintage road vehicles, doing what vintage aircraft and vehicles do, the superb Shuttleworth way.
| Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Flying | |
| Visiting Aircraft | |
| North American P-51D Mustang ‘Contrary Mary’ (Previously painted as Miss Velma. Replaced ‘Tall in the Saddle’) | |
| North American P-51D Mustang ‘Tall In The Saddle’. This was to have been Peter Teichman’s last ever public display, but it was cancelled. | |
| Spartan 7W Executive | |
| LeVier Cosmic Wind ‘Ballerina’ | |
| Taylor Titch | |
| Midget Mustang | |
| Druine D.31 Turbulent | |
| Miles Messenger | |
| Bulldog (that won the Kings Cup in 2002) | |
| Miles Hawk Speed Six | |
| Pitts: x6 | |
| Vans RV4 (Pace plane for Pitts race) | |
| Slingsby T.13 Petrel Glider | |
| Slingsby Falcon 1 Glider | |
| Slingsby Kite Prototype Glider | |
| Rhönsperber Glider (cancelled) | |
| Grob Viking T1 (cancelled) | |
| Aviat Husky Float Plane G-WATR | |
| Cessna 172F Float Plane G-DRAM | |
| Mew Gull: G-HEKL | |
| Travel Air Type R Mystery Ship | |
| Comper Swift: G-LCGL (Flew in the morning but not during the display) | |
| Comper Swift: G-ECTF | |
| Chilton: G-JUJU | |
| Shuttleworth Collection Aircraft | |
| Blackburn B2 | |
| DH60X Moth | |
| DH60 Cirrus Moth | |
| DH62A Tiger Moth | |
| Desoutter | |
| Southern Martlet | |
| Hawker Sea Hurricane 1B | |
| Miles Magister | |
 | DHC Chipmunk T.22 |
| DH88 Comet | |
| Percival Mew Gull | |
| Chilton: G-AESZ (cancelled) | |
| Chilton: G-CDXU (cancelled) | |
| Comper Swift | |
| Sopwith Camel | |
| Bristol M1C | |
| Sopwith Dove (did not fly) | |
| Avro 504K (did not fly) | |
 | Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc |
| Supermarine Spitfire PRXI ‘PL983’ (John Romain flying a tribute to Lettice Curtis) | |
| Avro Triplane IV (cancelled) | |
| Bristol Boxkite | |
| Blackburn Monoplane Type ‘D’ | |
| Deperdussin | |
| Additionally the following are due to be on static display, but are not flying during the show | |
| Chilton: G-DWCB Sopwith Tabloid (Brooklands Museum) | |
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.
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.
Tickets are available now from the Shuttleworth web site
Gates open 9:30
Flying from 14:00
Event ends 17:00 (ish)
For links to other travel and route planning web sites, click the 'Getting There' tab