Heritage aircraft will take to the skies as this year’s ‘Classic’ Clacton Airshow pays a special tribute to the heroes of D-Day.
Organisers at Tendring District Council (TDC) have unveiled a host of historic aircraft for the high-flying spectacle on August 22 and 23, the largest event in Essex, attracting 250,000 people.
The show will include a specially commissioned Heritage War Flight – featuring a Dakota, the Spitfire and P-51 Mustang – to mark this year’s 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day. The line-up will also include the return of the B-17G Flying Fortress, the ‘Sally B’ – the last remaining airworthy B-17 in Europe.
The Navy Wings Heritage Flight will be bringing three aircraft that were members of the Fleet Air Arm, including the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber biplane, the Westland Wasp anti-submarine helicopter and the Reliant.
Heritage aircraft from the First World War will also be on show as part of the Great War Display Team and will include exhibitions by the Hawker Fury biplane, which served as front-line fighter for the Royal Air Force in the 1930s, and barnstorming 1930s and 40s aviation from the Stampe formation display team.
In addition, flights will include air combat fighter the Tempest, the Corsair, which saw service in the Korean War, and the OV-10B Bronco, a counter-insurgency aircraft used throughout the Cold War. The Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron will be returning with its de Havilland Vampire and the fast jet line-up will also include a pair of BAC 167 Strikemasters.
Those who are travelling to the event can make use of the Park and Ride service from Hedingham Buses or the event car park run by the Clacton-on-Sea Rotary Club at West Road, as well as additional rail services provided by Greater Anglia.
For updates and more information visit www.clactonairshow.com, follow @clactonairshow on X, or go to the official Facebook event page.
