Crowds Enjoy Classic Cars and Heritage Aircraft

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Wings and Wheels on Sunday 24 May was a sell-out day of nail-biting excitement and heart-warming nostalgia, as Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome thrilled to vintage aircraft in the skies and classic cars on the ground.

Around 200 vintage and classic cars and bikes gleamed in the sunshine, as visitors wandered the grounds of the historic World War One aerodrome reminiscing about their motoring memories. Vehicles on display ranged from WW1 veterans and vintage stalwarts, through to the classics of the 1970s and 1980s, stunning American muscle cars and sports cars through the ages.

Motoring clubs displaying vehicles included the Corvette Car Club; Anglemog, the local section of the Morgan Sports Car Club; the area's chapter of the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club; Essex Gas Guzzlers; and Kent Sevens who specialise in Caterham and Lotus 7 inspired sports cars.

In the afternoon, the flying excitement started with a new display for the aerodrome. The Last Dogfight Display Team recreated an extraordinary tale of the last dogfight of World War Two which saw the pilot of a USAAF Piper L4 Grasshopper down a Fiesler Storch with his only weapon being his service revolver! The team's 1944 Piper aircraft was piloted by Sam Whatmough, with Andrew Bendkowski taking the controls of the replica Storch.

Next in the air was an exciting duo of a Scottish Aviation Bulldog piloted by Tom Turner and a de Havilland Chipmunk with Phil Hardisty at the controls. Both designed as RAF training planes, the Bulldog was the slightly more powerful successor to the Chipmunk.

Then it was time for the eagerly awaited World War One display featuring replica Great War fighters – visitors were treated to the ominous-looking German Albatros D.Va and Fokker Dr1 triplane (painted in the colours of the infamous Red Baron) patrolling for targets and practicing their attack techniques - piloted by John Gilbert and Richard Vary.

The following aircraft, that zoomed over the aerodrome to gasps from the crowd, was the bright green Cassutt Racer "Kermit" G-BFMF, piloted by Trevor Jarvis. This tiny aircraft, with a 4.57m wingspan and standing just 1.22m high, is capable of speeds up to 248mph and can climb 1,500 ft in a minute.It was closely followed by an Aeronca Chief piloted by Adam Roberts and an Isaacs Fury biplane flown by Jonathan Marten-Hale.

2/… Concluding the thrilling aerial display, three members of the Stampe Formation Team – Richard Ward, Roger Bishop and Richard Berliand – recreated with their colourful open-cockpit biplanes some of the barnstorming action seen in the 1930s and 1940s.

Ian Flint, Chief Executive Officer of Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, comments: "Wings and Wheels is always one of the highlights of our calendar and we had a glorious day of classic cars, fantastic flying and long-awaited sunshine.Tickets sold out early – as they often do – but we have more flying events ahead to look forward to this summer."

The next flying events on the schedule are the informal Summer Fly-In on June 14, when pilots are invited to arrive by air, and The Stow Maries Air Show on 16 August which will have an exciting afternoon programme of flying, including historic aircraft from WW1 and WW2. Tickets are also on sale now for the Family Nature Day on 29 May, Back to WW2 event on Armed Forces Day on 27 June including an Evacuees Experience for primary school children and afternoon cream teas and multi-period Living History Weekend on 4-5 July. The Museum is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

For more information, to book tickets for any event or to sign up to the monthly newsletter, visit www.stowmaries.org.uk.