Experience a stateside showcase at Imperial War Museum Duxford
American Air Day
Friday 19 August
Enjoy an Anglo-American celebration as Imperial War Museum Duxford hosts its fifth American Air Day on Friday 19 August.
This family-friendly, interactive day showcases the work of the United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE), in particular units of the Third Air Force based at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in East Anglia.
Meet and mingle with USAFE personnel and find out more about their missions, aircraft and equipment. Discover what it is like to be serving on an American air base in Britain.
Exciting flying demonstrations will include displays by the F-15 C (x2), a tactical single-seat fighter and the F-15E Strike Eagle (x2) a dual-role fighter designed to perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. There will also be a flyby from the KC-135 Stratotanker, the aircraft that provides the core refuelling capability for the United States Air Force, having excelled in this role for more than 50 years.
It is also likely that there will be a flypast by the A-10 Thunderbolt II (x 2), a highly-advanced fighter aircraft which has excellent manoeuvrability at low speeds and altitude, with a highly accurate weapons-delivery platform. The A10 Thunderbolt II has not previously flown at Duxford so there is huge excitement around this potential flypast!
A selection of Duxford’s historic American aircraft will also take to the skies, celebrating the United States’ heritage of iconic aeroplanes. These will include the North American F-86 Sabre, Boeing Stearman, AT-16 Harvard (x 2), Beechcraft 17 Staggerwing and the Consolidated PBY Catalina.
See a wide range of displays and demonstrations which show the diversity of operations and roles within USAFE. The popular Security Forces Service (SFS) K9 dog display team will be showcasing the skills of USAFE’s highly trained dogs in three demonstrations throughout the day.
There will also be a display of the Security Forces Humvee vehicles and a display of trucks and firefighting equipment from the USAFE Fire Service, including the chance to meet Sparky the Fire Dog. In addition, there will be a Birds of Prey demonstration, which is always a huge attraction.
The USAFE Operational Support Service will be presenting aircrew flight equipment and demonstrating how they prepare a fighter aircraft for readiness – using Duxford’s own static F15 Eagle exhibit as part of the demonstration for true authenticity.
In a poignant Missing in Action ceremony, the USAFE Honor Guard will be remembering United States personnel who have lost their lives in active service.
This moving act of remembrance directly links with the American Air Museum at IWM Duxford, which stands as a memorial to the 30,000 American airmen who gave their lives flying from UK bases in defence of liberty during the Second WorldWar and also honours those who fought in Korea, Vietnam, Libya, Iraq and other conflicts and battles of the 20th and 21st centuries.
We’re delighted to be welcoming back SR-71 Blackbird pilot Colonel Richard Graham who will be hosting walk-around tours of the Blackbird spy plane that he flew, which is now in pride of place in the American Air Museum.
There will also be a display of stylish American classic cars, complete with fins, chrome and fabulous interiors.
Come along and meet members of the United States Air Force in Europe in a relaxed, family-friendly day and enjoy an Anglo-American celebration at Duxford!
This exciting day also acknowledges the historic link between East Anglia and the United States Army Air Force that dates back to 1918, when the first US airmen arrived at RAF Duxford.
Summer Holiday activities too!
In addition, IWM Duxford’s summer holiday activities will be running during American Air Day.
Try your hand at exciting experiments as Feel the Force brings science and technology to life from 10.30am to 2.30pm under the wings of the iconic Concorde in AirSpace. Get a grip, pulling and pushing gears and levers to see forces and motion at work and then discover how those forces are put to great effect in the huge aircraft that surround you.
Test your knowledge of the flying pioneers who played a significant role in the development of aviation and try a real ejector seat for size.
The Airfix Make and Paint Zone provides an opportunity to make your own Airfix model and paint it in a range of colours. Once complete, the finished model aircraft is placed into a hanger box so that you can take your aviation masterpiece home as a souvenir of your day at Duxford.
Duxford takes a trip back to the 1940s Home Front in Hangar 4: Battle of Britain from 11.00am to 3.00pm with Gooseberries and Gas Masks.
Find out about life during the Second World War; discover what the wartime ration of food looked like, the types of gas masks that were worn and the air raid precautions that were strictly followed. Then put your wartime wisdom to the test with our Home Front quizzes.
Chat to a costumed interpreter enacting a wartime character – you could meet a Forties housewife, a member of the Home Guard, an ARP Warden or a Bomb Disposal Officer. Find out more about their exciting and dangerous war work and day-to-day Home Front life.
Visit the children’s dressing up station and try on mini-wartime outfits and uniforms. Choose from ARP, Home Guard and civilian outfits and see which suits you best!
Get hands-on with thrifty ‘Make Do and Mend’ craft activities and see a recreated ‘Dig for Victory’ allotment, bursting with ‘vegetables’ to keep Britain healthy during wartime.
