A fantastic day of nostalgia at Spitfires, Merlins and Motors today

Duxford IWM Merlins & Motors 2013

Thousands of visitors enjoyed a day of thrilling nostalgia today (Sunday 28 July) as IWM Duxford celebrated the iconic Supermarine Spitfire, the unmistakable Merlin engine and the golden age of motoring.

Visitors were able to get up-close to a number of Spitfires on display this morning and have their burning questions about all things Spitfire-related answered by members of the Spitfire Society.

Visitors were also able to see Aircraft Restoration Company’s Spitfire Mark V and the Old Flying Machine Company’s Spitfire IX MH434 take off for air displays at Silverstone and land back later in the day.

Old Flying Machine Company’s Spitfire IX MH434 is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and is also celebrating 30 years of being based at IWM Duxford. It also took to the skies in the afternoon as part of a series of Spitfire flying displays.

Visitors could also see Merlin engines running in a dynamic display, and meet a range of costumed characters, including an authentic Second World War ground crew, a Squadron Leader in 1940, a Sergeant Pilot in 1944 and a female Air Transport Auxiliary pilot. There was also the rare opportunity to sit in a real Spitfire!

Glorious classic and contemporary cars gleamed in the summer sunshine, including a wonderful display of vintage Rolls-Royce cars. Burma Star veterans chatted to visitors about their wartime experiences in the Forgotten War exhibition in Land Warfare.

In the afternoon, the Spitfires that had been on static display in the morning, took to the skies for solo displays.

It was a fantastic day of iconic aircraft, wartime nostalgia, stunning motors and some fabulous flying!

www.iwm.org.uk

(image copyright IWM)

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