Shuttleworth Collection
The Shuttleworth Collection's Discovery Hub in December 2021, with its Southern Martlet outside.
Established1928
LocationOld Warden, Bedfordshire
TypeAviation museum
Websitehttp://www.shuttleworth.org
G-EBWD, flies regularly during displays at the Shuttleworth Collection

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

History

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

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

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

The Shuttleworth Collection's Bristol F.2B Fighter
DH88 Comet Racer 'Grosvenor House' at Shuttleworth Collection 2010
Type Date Identity Notes
ANEC II1924G-EBJO
Avro 504K1918G-ADEVPainted as E3273
Roe IV Triplane1964G-ARSGReplica
Avro Tutor1933G-AHSAPainted as RAF K3241
Avro Anson1946G-AHKXRestored by BAE Systems, and formally donated to the Collection in 2022 after a period of temporary lease.[4]
Blackburn Type D1912G-AANIOldest airworthy British aeroplane
Blackburn B-21936G-AEBJFormerly part of the BAE Systems heritage flight based at Old Warden. Donated to the Collection in 2022.
Blériot XI1909G-AANGWorld's oldest airworthy aircraft
Bristol Boxkite1964G-ASPPReplica
Bristol F.2b Fighter1918G-AEPHPainted as RAF B1162
Bristol M.1C1981G-BWJMReplica painted as RFC C4918
Comper Swift1932G-ACTF
de Havilland DH.511924G-EBIRMiss Kenya
de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird1923G-EBHXCrashed on 1 July 2012 killing pilot.[5] Currently being repaired off site.
de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth1925G-EBLVFormerly owned and leased to the Collection by BAE Systems. Formally donated to the Collection circa 2022.[6]
de Havilland DH.60X Hermes Moth1928G-EBWDThis 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 II1942G-ANKTPainted as RAF K2585
de Havilland DH.88 Comet1934G-ACSSGrosvenor House
De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk 221952G-BNZCPainted as RCAF 671
Deperdussin Type A monoplane1910G-AANH
Desoutter I1930G-AAPZ
English Electric Wren1923G-EBNV
Gloster Gladiator1937G-AMRKPainted as RAF K7985
Hawker Cygnet1992G-CAMMReplica
Hawker Demon1937G-BTVEPainted as RAF K8203
Hawker Hind1935G-AENPPainted as RAF K5414. Under restoration
Hawker Hurricane1940R4118
Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib1939G-BKTHPainted as RN Z7015
Hawker Tomtit1931G-AFTAPainted as RAF K1786
Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet191454Fuselage mockup with original engine
Mignet HM.14 Flying Flea1939G-AEBBNot airworthy
Miles Magister1939G-AJRSPainted as RAF P6382
Parnall Elf1932G-AAIN
Percival Mew Gull1934G-AEXFAlex Henshaw's England - Cape Town racer
Percival Provost T11955G-KAPWPainted as RAF XF603
Polikarpov Po-21924G-BSSYPainted as Soviet Air Force 28
RAF SE.5A1918G-EBIASerial F904 now in its original 84 Squadron colours
Sopwith Camel2001G-BZSCReproduction built by Northern Aeroplane Workshop
Sopwith Pup1920G-EBKYPainted as RFC 9917
Sopwith Triplane1980G-BOCKReplica painted as RNAS N6290
Southern Martlet1930G-AAYX
Supermarine Spitfire LF.Mk.Vc1942G-AWIISerial AR501
Westland Lysander Mk.IIIa1942G-AZWTPainted 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

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

There is also a collection of tractors.

See also

Other large collections of flying historic aircraft

Notes

  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

  • 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.

52°05′22″N 00°19′21″W / 52.08944°N 0.32250°W / 52.08944; -0.32250

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