Old Warden, 5 June 2026 – Festival of Flight, Shuttleworth’s flagship air show, is back on 27 and 28 June 2026. The two-day spectacular features a stellar line up of breath-taking air displays from the very best UK and international display aircraft as well as all of Shuttleworth’s serviceable Collection aircraft. This year’s show also sees more free ground attractions than ever before.
Rare display aircraft, including a UK air show debut
Making its UK air show debut will be the only Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 flying in Europe. The aircraft is an example of the front-line fighter flown by Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, sharing a strong military history with Britain’s Spitfire. This specific aircraft was recovered in 1993 from Russia, where it had crash landed in January 1942.
Many of the visiting aircraft at Festival of Flight are the only airworthy models of their kind in Europe and the world. This includes the world’s only airworthy Avro Anson Mk.I and the world’s only airworthy Bristol Blenheim, as well as Europe’s last remaining airworthy B-17G Flying Fortress.
Red Bull’s The Flying Bulls will also display five of its fleet, including the rare warbird Lockheed P-38L Lightning with its unconventional twin tail, and the eye-catching Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat. For fans of Royal Air Force aircraft, the Eurofighter Typhoon will join Shuttleworth for the Sunday of Festival of Flight.
Trailblazing female pilot Mélanie Astles, the first and only woman to compete in the Red Bull Air Race and the first female pilot to win a Red Bull Air Race event (Challenger Class, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 2017), will perform an aerobatic display in her Extra 330SC on both days. In addition to her breathtaking display in the sky, visitors will have the opportunity to hear Astles speak in inspiring Q&A sessions tailored for younger audiences.
More ground attractions than ever before, all included in the price of visitors’ tickets
Festival of Flight 2026 sees more free ground attractions than ever before, with fun fair rides, archery, axe throwing, circus skills workshops, and a land train amongst the scheduled entertainment. Shuttleworth’s own Fire Service will showcase their skills, with visitors having the chance to take part in hands-on demonstrations, and there will be live demonstrations from various heritage exhibits from Clayton & Shuttleworth – one of the early builders of portable steam engines and thrashing machines. Younger visitors will be able to enjoy an array of STEM-focused educational activities at Shuttleworth’s Discovery Zones spread across the site. Visitors can also enjoy vintage bus rides and explore Shuttleworth House and Swiss Garden, making the event a full day out for the whole family.
Marc Boult, Head of Visitor Operations at Shuttleworth, commented: “Everyone at Shuttleworth is super excited for Festival of Flight. Each year we actively build on the feedback we receive and further develop our air shows, so our events just keep getting better and better, and Festival of Flight is a prime example of this. We have a variety of top-quality, world-renowned rare aircraft joining us, and our ground attraction offering continues to grow, making the event a summer staple for aviation enthusiasts as well as families looking for an action-packed day out.”
To find out more about Festival of Flight and book your tickets, click here.
