Shuttleworth Collection

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The Shuttleworth Collection's Bristol F.2B Fighter
The Shuttleworth Collection's Bristol F.2B Fighter

The Shuttleworth Collection is an aeronautical and automotive museum located at the Old Warden airfield in Bedfordshire, England. It is one of the most prestigious in the world due to the variety of old and well preserved aircraft.

Contents

[edit] History

The collection was founded in 1928 by aviator Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth. While flying a Fairey Battle at night on August 2, 1940, Shuttleworth fatally crashed. His mother, in 1944, formed the Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth Trust for the "Promotion of education and training in the science, practice and history of aviation and automotive transport."

[edit] Collection

Restoration and maintenance work is carried out by a staff of six full-time and many volunteer engineers. These volunteers are all members of the 3,000-strong Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society (SVAS)[1]. These dedicated enthusiasts are crucial to the preservation and restoration of the collection. In addition to the aircraft, the collection houses a number of vintage and veteran cars. Events include model-flying days, and once a year, there is a special flying day for schools in the area - an educational treat!

The Shuttleworth Collection puts an emphasis on restoring as many aircraft as possible to flying condition. There are typically about twelve air shows per year, including evening displays, which offer the opportunity to see aircraft which in many cases are the last of their type to survive, let alone to exist in flyable condition.

[edit] The Edwardian Flying machines

Some of the most notable aircraft in the collection are the five Edwardian aeroplanes, of which one is the oldest British aeroplane still in flying condition. What makes these exceptional is that they still fly (weather permitting). The oldest is the Bleriot XI (still with original engine), which dates back to 1909 - six years after the Wright brothers' aircraft and it is the world's oldest airworthy aeroplane.

[edit] Aircraft in the collection

Type Date Identity Notes
ANEC II 1924 G-EBJO
504K 1918 G-ADEV painted as H5199
IV Triplane 1964 G-ARSG Replica
Tutor 1933 G-AHSA Painted as RAF K3241
Avro Nineteen (Anson) 1946 G-AHKX Owned by BAE Systems
Monoplane Type D 1912 G-AANI Oldest airworthy British aeroplane
Bleriot XI 1909 G-AANG Oldest airworthy aircraft
Bristol Boxkite 1964 G-ASPP Replica
F.2b Fighter 1918 G-AEPH Painted as RAF D8096
Bristol M.1C 1981 G-BWJM Replica painted as RFC C4918
CASA 1.131E Jungmann 1967 G-RETA Painted as Luftwaffe GD+EG
Comper Swift 1932 G-ACTF
de Havilland DH.51 1924 G-EBIR
de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird 1923 G-EBHX Miss Kenya
de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth 1925 G-EBLV Owned by BAE Systems
de Havilland DH.60X Hermes Moth 1928 G-EBWD
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth II 1942 G-ANKT Painted as RAF K2585
de Havilland DH.88 Comet 1934 G-ACSS Grosvenor House
De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 1952 G-BNZC Painted as RCAF 671
Deperdussin Monoplane 1910 G-AANH
Desoutter I 1930 G-AAPZ
English Electric Wren 1923 G-EBNV
Gloster Gladiator 1937 G-AMRK Painted as RAF K7985
Granger Archaeopteryx 1932 G-ABXL Under restoration off site
Hawker Hind 1935 G-AENP Painted as RAF K5414
Hawker Sea Hurricane IB 1939 G-BKTH Painted as RAF Z7015
Hawker Tomtit 1931 G-AFTA Painted as RAF K1786
Messerschmitt Me 163 191454 Wingless replica
Mignet HM.14 Flying Flea 1939 G-AEBB
Miles Magister 1939 G-AJRS Painted as RAF P6382
Parnall Elf 1932 G-AAIN
Percival Prentice T1 1949 G-AOKL
Percival Provost T1 1955 G-KAPW Painted as RAF XF603
Polikarpov Po-2
RAF SE.5A 1918 G-EBIA Painted as RFC F904
Slingsby Grasshopper TX.1 XA241 Display only
Sopwith Camel 2001 G-BZSC Replica (under construction off site)
Sopwith Pup 1920 G-EBKY Painted as RFC 9917
Sopwith Triplane 1980 G-BOCK Replica painted as RNAS N6290
Southern Martlet 1930 G-AAYX
Supermarine Spitfire LF.VC 1942 G-AWII Painted as RAF AR501
Westland Lysander IIIA 1942 G-AZWT Painted as RAF V9367

Also resident but privately owned:

[edit] Vehicles in the collection

There is also a collection of tractors.

[edit] Other large collections of flying historic aircraft

[edit] References

  • Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. SBN 901319-01-5
  • Ogilvy, David. Shuttleworth - The Historic Aeroplanes. Shrewsbury, England: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1989 ISBN 1-85310-106-0

[edit] External links

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