Shuttleworth Collection

Coordinates: 52°05′22″N 00°19′21″W / 52.08944°N 0.32250°W / 52.08944; -0.32250
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Shuttleworth Collection
The Shuttleworth Collection's Discovery Hub in December 2021, with its Southern Martlet outside.
Shuttleworth Collection is located in Bedfordshire
Shuttleworth Collection
Location within Bedfordshire
Established1928 (1928)
LocationOld Warden, Bedfordshire
Coordinates52°05′22″N 00°19′21″W / 52.08944°N 0.32250°W / 52.08944; -0.32250
TypeAviation museum
Websitewww.shuttleworth.org
G-EBWD, flies regularly during displays at the Shuttleworth Collection

The Shuttleworth Collection is a working aviation, automotive and agricultural collection located at the Old Warden Aerodrome, Old Warden in Bedfordshire, England.

History[edit]

The collection was founded in 1928 by aviator Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth. While flying a Fairey Battle at night on 2 August 1940, Shuttleworth fatally crashed. His mother, in 1944, formed the Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust "for the teaching of the science and practice of aviation and of afforestation and agriculture."[1]

Collection[edit]

Spitfire Vc, AR501, during extensive renovation by the Collection in September 2008.

Restoration and maintenance work is carried out by a staff of 12 full-time and many volunteer engineers. These volunteers are all members of the 3,000-strong Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society (SVAS).[2] 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.

The Shuttleworth Collection puts an emphasis on restoring as many aircraft as possible to flying condition, in line with the founder's original intention.[3] There are typically about ten air shows per year, including evening displays and an annual Flying Proms event.

The Edwardian flying machines[edit]

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. The oldest, with British civil registration G-AANG, is the Bleriot XI (still with original engine), which dates back to 1909; six years after the Wright brothers' aircraft and the world's oldest airworthy aeroplane, the next oldest being, at only three weeks newer by date of manufacture, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome's own restored original Bleriot XI (Bleriot factory serial number 56, with civil registration N60094) in the United States.

Aircraft in the collection[edit]

The Shuttleworth Collection's Bristol F.2B Fighter
DH88 Comet Racer 'Grosvenor House' at Shuttleworth Collection 2010
Type Date Identity Notes
ANEC II 1924 G-EBJO
Avro 504K 1918 G-ADEV Painted as E3273
Roe IV Triplane 1964 G-ARSG Replica
Avro Tutor 1933 G-AHSA Painted as RAF K3241
Avro Anson 1946 G-AHKX Restored by BAE Systems, and formally donated to the Collection in 2022 after a period of temporary lease.[4]
Blackburn Type D 1912 G-AANI Oldest airworthy British aeroplane
Blackburn B-2 1936 G-AEBJ Formerly part of the BAE Systems heritage flight based at Old Warden. Donated to the Collection in 2022.
Blériot XI 1909 G-AANG World's oldest airworthy aircraft
Bristol Boxkite 1964 G-ASPP Replica
Bristol F.2b Fighter 1918 G-AEPH Painted as RAF B1162
Bristol M.1C 1981 G-BWJM Replica painted as RFC C4918
Comper Swift 1932 G-ACTF
de Havilland DH.51 1924 G-EBIR Miss Kenya
de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird 1923 G-EBHX Crashed on 1 July 2012 killing pilot.[5] Currently being repaired off site.
de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth 1925 G-EBLV Formerly owned and leased to the Collection by BAE Systems. Formally donated to the Collection circa 2022.[6]
de Havilland DH.60X Hermes Moth 1928 G-EBWD This Moth was originally Richard Shuttleworth's own private plane and during its career was extensively modified with an original Cirrus Hermes engine but an x-legged undercarriage and different windshields on the front and rear cockpit.
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 Type A monoplane 1910 G-AANH
Desoutter I 1930 G-AAPZ
English Electric Wren 1923 G-EBNV
Gloster Gladiator I 1937 G-AMRK Painted as RAF K7985
Hawker Cygnet 1992 G-CAMM Replica
Hawker Hind 1935 G-AENP Painted as RAF K5414. Under restoration
Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib 1939 G-BKTH Painted as RN Z7015
Hawker Tomtit 1931 G-AFTA Painted as RAF K1786
Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet 191454 Fuselage mockup with original engine
Mignet HM.14 Flying Flea 1939 G-AEBB Not airworthy
Miles Magister 1939 G-AJRS Painted as RAF P6382
Parnall Elf 1932 G-AAIN
Percival Mew Gull 1934 G-AEXF Alex Henshaw's England - Cape Town racer
Percival Provost T1 1955 G-KAPW Painted as RAF XF603
Polikarpov Po-2 1924 G-BSSY Painted as Soviet Air Force 28
RAF SE.5A 1918 G-EBIA Serial F904 now in its original 84 Squadron colours
Sopwith Camel 2001 G-BZSC Reproduction built by Northern Aeroplane Workshop
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.Mk.Vc 1942 G-AWII Serial AR501
Westland Lysander Mk.IIIa 1942 G-AZWT Painted as RAF V9367

Also resident, but privately owned:

Aircraft of the BAE Systems heritage collection were formerly resident at Old Warden, however the last three aircraft were donated to Shuttleworth in March 2022, becoming part of the collection proper.[8]

Vehicles in the collection[edit]

The Hucks starter of 1920.
Richard Shuttleworth's 1937 Railton

There is also a collection of tractors.

See also[edit]

Other large collections of flying historic aircraft

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Ogilvy 1989, Ch.1.
  2. ^ Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society (SVAS) Retrieved: 7 February 2009
  3. ^ Ogilvy 1989, Introduction.
  4. ^ "Avro Anson".
  5. ^ Pilot dies after vintage plane crashes in Bedfordshire BBC News 1 July 2012, accessed 3 July 2012
  6. ^ "De Havilland Cirrus Moth".
  7. ^ Ellis 2004, pp. 12-14.
  8. ^ https://www.shuttleworth.org/2022/03/24/bae-systems-gifts-iconic-heritage-aircraft-to-fly-with-the-shuttleworth-trust/

Bibliography[edit]

  • Ellis, Ken. Wrecks and Relics - 19th Edition, Midland Publishing, Hinckley, Leicestershire. 2004. ISBN 1-85780-183-0.
  • Guttery, T.E. The Shuttleworth Collection. London: Wm. Carling & Co, 1969. ISBN 0-901319-01-5.
  • Ogilvy, David. The Shuttleworth Collection. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1989 (revised edition 1994). ISBN 1-85310-503-1.
  • Ogilvy, David. Shuttleworth - The Historic Aeroplanes. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1989 ISBN 1-85310-106-0.

External links[edit]

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