Heinkel He 162 A-2 Volksjäger 120235 under restoration at Duxford.
One of the ongoing conservation projects at Duxford is the Heinkel He 162 A-2 Volksjäger. This example, 120235, was previously on display at IWM London before moving to Duxford in 2012.
Military vehicles on show at the Duxford Summer Air Show 2024. ON display in these photos are a MAN SV, a pair of GMC CCKW-353, an M3 Half-Track, a Dodge WC-54 Ambulance and a Willys MB Jeep.
Hawker Fury I K5674 at the Duxford Summer Air Show 2024.
K5674 was delivered in 1935 and flew with 43 Sqn RAF based at Tangmere and wears the markings of the unit as it appeared in 1937. It is the only complete, and sole airworthy example of the type in existence.
The only remaining airworthy British-built Westland Lysander on static display during the Duxford Summer Air Show at the Imperial War Museum Duxford. V9312 was built in 1940 at Yeovil and served with Nos. 225, 4 and 613 Squadrons during the war. Before serving in Canada as a target tug until 1944.
The Old Flying Machine Company's Spitfire LF.IXc MH434, known across the world for the exploits of its pilot, Ray Hanna. It flew with 222 Sqn based at RAF Hornchurch and was most notably piloted by Flt Lt Henry Lardner-Burke, who was credited with seven and a half kills with the aircraft.
HMS Duncan (D37) manoeuvring at Portsmouth.
HMS Duncan is one of six Type 45 Daring-class Destroyers. It was built by BAE Systems Surface Ships and was launched in 2010, before being commissioned in 2013. Duncan has seen service primarily around Europe and the Middle East.
ST 1502 in Boathouse 4 at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
41 1/2ft Seaplane Tender Mk. 1A ST 1502 was built by the British Power Boat Company in 1942, and saw wartime service around the UK, including as an air-sea rescue launch for the Royal Air Force. ST 1502 was retired in the mid-1950s.
Today marks the 90th anniversary of the first flight of the Supermarine Spitfire. Naturally, I had to make the Spitfire the feature of my post, and I could think of none better than the IWM's own Spitfire, N3200, a veteran of 19 Squadron, the first Spitfire Squadron, and was based at Duxford.
As of the time of posting, the other two aircraft have yet to be identified, and photos of the wreckage from one aircraft have emerged today, identifying the F-15E by the number 1327, on the inside of the nose-gear door. Assuming the photos are genuine, this matches the markings of this aircraft.
91-0327 is believed to have been one of three Strike Eagles to have been shot down in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait, involving a Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 Hornet. Thankfully, all three F-15E crews ejected successfully.
This aircraft is one of those from the squadron to have been deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Epic Fury as part of the 2026 Iran Conflict.
McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle 91-0327 at Lakenheath on 20 August 2024.
This McDonnell Douglas F-15E-52-MC Strike Eagle 91-0327 in service with the 492nd Fighter Squadron of the 48th Fighter Wing.
From the Boathouse 4 collection of heritage craft at Portsmouth is HSL 102, the last survivor of the 100-class High Speed Launches. It was built by the British Power Boat Co Ltd., Hythe, in 1936. These launches were used by the RAF for offshore rescue duties.
HMS Tyne (P281) returning to Portsmouth.
HMS Tyne is one of nine River-class offshore patrol vessels in service with the Royal Navy. Tyne was built by Vosper Thornycroft in Southampton and launched in 2002 before being commissioned into service the following year.
HMS Warrior at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Warrior was built by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Blackwall, London, and launched in 1859. It was commissioned into service in 1861 and sailed with the Channel Squadron, until it was phased out as obsolete.
Disappearing into the shrubbery at the Wight Military & Heritage Museum, an FV.222 unrestored Conqueror Mk.2 Armoured Recovery Vehicle. The Mk.2 was introduced in 1960, and 20 were built, with the museum being home to two rather forlorn surviving examples.
A quiet day at RAF Lakenheath after a busy week, the only movement while I was there today was Lockheed-Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules 08-5683. This Hercules was delivered in 2012 and currently flies with the 37th Airlift Squadron, 86th Airlift Wing based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
FV432 JTR 369D at the Wight Military & Heritage Museum.
FV432 Armoured Personnel Carrier at the Wight Military & Heritage Museum. JTR 369D was built by GKN Stanley in 1966 and registered 11 EA 77, and is a Mk.2/1, I believe.
Stored at the Isle of Wight Military & Heritage Museum is 04 ED 85, the second of two FV3805 self-propelled howitzers to be built and the only example to survive. Restoration began in 2015 but has since stalled; little news has emerged on it for years, and it is now deteriorating in the open.
FV4003 Centurion AVRE 165 12 BA 55 Wight Military and Heritage Museum.
This Centurion AVRE was built in 1953 and is a veteran of the Gulf War, where it would have served with the 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment. The AVREs were among the last Centurion variants in service with the British Army.
HMS Iron Duke (F234) returning to Portsmouth
Type 23 frigate Iron Duke was launched in 1991 and commissioned in 1993. In recent years, the ship has been involved in monitoring Russian warships.
Britten-Norman BN-2A-3 Islander VQ-SAC at the Wight Military & Heritage Museum.
This Islander made its first flight in 1971. In 1976, it was written off in a crash. The forward fuselage section was later preserved and is in the care of the Britten-Norman Aircraft Preservation Society.
Saw one flying for the first time last year, a Belgian Coast Guard example over Antwerp. I am rather fond of them; there certainly aren't many British designs in production these days!
Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander G-AVCN at the Wight Military & Heritage Museum. This was the third Britten-Norman Islander to be built, and the oldest surviving example of the type. It was built at Bembridge Airport on the Isle of Wight in 1966 and first flew the following year.
This armoured ambulance was captured from the Iraqi 51st Mechanised Division "Sarayat al Jebel". The Type YW750 was part of the Chinese Norinco YW531 family of armoured personnel carriers, more commonly known as the Type 63.
Scammell Pioneer SV2S heavy recovery vehicle at the Wight Military & Heritage Museum, built in 1943 with the registration VSU 741 and the War Department number H4500858.
Universal Carrier Mk II T296243 'Windy' at the Wight Military and Heritage Museum. One of the ubiquitous British line of armoured machine gun carriers developed by Vickers-Armstrongs, the Universal Carrier was introduced in 1940 as a standardised design, succeeding its more specialised predecessors.
FV214 Conqueror Mk II 'William' at the Wight Military and Heritage Museum
This tank was built by the Royal Ordnance Factory and mostly served with the FVRDE for trials. It later stood as a gate guardian at Ludgershall vehicle depot.
It is now preserved at the Wight Military and Heritage Museum.
This aircraft was built in 1974 as a Series 120 Model 122 Bulldog, and flew with the Ghana Air Force as G-111. Following its return to the UK, it was registered again from 1996 as G-CCOA until 2002. Now on display at the Wight Aviation Museum, it is marked as the prototype Bulldog, G-AXEH.
