Legendary warbirds return to Goodwood after 75 years

If Saturday’s Revival crowds were any guide, the gleaming aircraft was one of the biggest stars of this year’s Freddie March Spirit of Aviation, presented by Avtrade.

“We have been after this aircraft for a long time and it’s finally here,” says Goodwood Flying School Manager Rob Wildeboer. 

“There are lots of beautiful aircraft in this year’s Spirit of Aviation display but for me, the Lightning is the highlight. It’s a beautiful aircraft with a big story behind it.” 

The twin-engined fighter/bomber was designed as a long-distance, high-altitude interceptor and flew with the US Air Force mostly in the Pacific region. Its unusual design of a central cockpit mounted between twin booms, each housing a huge Allison engine, gave rise to its description as “two planes, one pilot”. 

The turbo-supercharged engines gave so much torque the props had to turn in different directions to counteract the forces. The aircraft’s design brief called for a maximum airspeed of at least 360 mph and a climb to 20,000 ft within six minutes, the toughest requirements set. 

Weather permitting, the Lightning is due to fly on Saturday, September 9^th, promising even more of a treat for fans of the stupendous machine.

Other aircraft proving popular with the crowds include the 1942 Curtiss P-40C Warhawk, a 1040bhp V12-powered ground-attack fighter that is appearing at Goodwood for the first time. 

Like others, including the ever-popular and amazing Bristol Blenheim, the Warhawk is unique: the only examples of their type still flying. Some of the unique machines, like the Whitney Straight, are so precious they had to stay inside their hangar during Saturday’s wet weather. Weather permitting they should all join the display for the rest of the weekend, making a unique sight for aircraft aficionados. Other special visitors include a Ryan SCW brought to Goodwood all the way from Australia.

Another wonderful flying machine to catch GRR’s eye was the elegant pastel-blue 1945 de Havilland DH 89 Dragon Rapide, a plywood-and-fabric passenger plane that first went into service in 1934. It was used by BEA on the Lands End to Scilly Isles route until 1964!

For GRR though, all eyes come back to the Bristol Blenheim, RAF stalwart of the Second World War. Making its comeback flight in 2014 after full restoration to MkI spec, this aircraft won the Spirit of Aviation concours in 2015. Totally magnificent!

Photography by Tom Shaxson