Soaring into summer - a spectacular season ahead at Duxford

Visitors can soak in the atmosphere of historic Duxford at the two major air shows- where kids aged 15 and under go for free- alongside themed flying days and a weekend with veterans, authors, historians and special guests at the IWM History Festival.

Highlights include best-selling authors Damien Lewis, Joshua Levine, Flight-Lieutenant Colin Bell - the last-surviving de Havilland Mosquito pilot - and BBC Radio 2 host Dermot O’Leary. A special addition to this year’s IWM History Festival is an exclusive after-hours screening of Ghosts of Alderney: Hitler’s Island Slaves, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and IWM’s Head of Public History, Dr James Bulgin.

For the ultimate family day out, the Duxford Summer Air Show (4-5 July) will bring spectacular flying displays including fan favourites the AeroSuperBatic Wing Walkers, the RAF Typhoon Display Team and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) Spitfire and Hurricane display team. Across the weekend, visitors can enjoy special displays from The Flying Bulls and their fleet of rare and historic warbirds, such as the P-38 Lightning, F4U-4 Corsair, F8F-8 Bearcat, B-25J Mitchell and P-51 Mustang. The Royal Jordanian Falcons will be displaying at the Duxford Summer Air Show for the first time.

Families can look forward to this year’s special theme marking 250 years of American Independence, celebrating Duxford’s role as home of the USAAF 78th Fighter Group during the Second World War. To mark the special occasion, several US-based aircraft will join the line-up, including the Piper-NE 1, two rare examples of the Cessna C337G Skymaster displaying in the UK for the first time, and the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco. American-themed entertainment will feature throughout the showground, from Nashville country rock bands, USAAF living history groups and themed food stalls.

Later in July, IWM Duxford will host a remarkable aviation event with its Legends of the SR-71 Weekend (25-26 July), exploring one of history’s most iconic aircraft, the SR-71 Blackbird. The pinnacle of Cold War technological innovation, the Blackbird was the fastest manned, operational jet-powered aircraft ever built, with the only example outside the USA on permanent display in the American Air Museum at IWM Duxford. Across the two days, visitors can enjoy a packed programme of meet and greets, lectures and a special evening VIP reception with thirty SR-71 pilots, Reconnaissance Systems Officers, ground crew and civilians who flew and worked on the aircraft.

Rounding off the summer, Duxford turns back the clock to the 1940s, with vintage aircraft taking to the skies at the Battle of Britain Air Show (12-13 September), this year marking the 90th anniversary of the Spitfire’s maiden flight. Visitors will see iconic displays including the Duxford Big Wing, along with a spectacular array of vintage aircraft. Vintage-themed stalls, music and activities will recreate the spirit of the era, ensuring this another spectacular weekend to remember.

For full details of these – and other planned events – go to www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford