Inside Duxford: Flying a D Day Spitfire and the Red Baron's Engine

A rare look inside IWM Duxford, from WWI hangars to a flight in a D-Day Spitfire. Defenders of the Sky visits Duxford Aerodrome, one of Britain’s best-preserved airfields, to uncover how this site shaped aviation history and still keeps it flying. We tour 1917 Belfast truss hangars, First World War workshops like the dope shop, and a reconstructed operations room where RAF controllers scrambled squadrons. Peter explains Duxford’s WWI roots and early DH6 and DH9 trainers, and we examine the rare Royal Aircraft Factory B-2C used for reconnaissance, artillery spotting, and light bombing. Duxford’s WWII story comes alive through Sir Douglas Bader, his Big Wing tactics, and everyday life in the officers’ mess. We learn how Spitfire and Hurricane engagements often lasted minutes as pilots burned through ammunition in seconds. The episode also spotlights the vital work of the WAAF on training bases, including the unforgettable tale of a mechanic who accidentally took off on a Spitfire’s tail. We step into the American chapter: Duxford’s 1943 handover to the USAAF as Station 357, the arrival of the 8th Air Force, and the cultural tide that followed. In the American Air Museum, we meet ace Huey Lamb of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, who flew P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs named Etta Jane, survived a North Sea ditching, and later returned for the unveiling of a Mustang in his wartime markings. In the workshops and with the Aircraft Restoration Company, we see how historic aircraft are kept airworthy: from the oldest flying F-86 Sabre to P-51 Mustangs and scratch-built Spitfire parts. Mo demonstrates “wheeling” the Spitfire’s iconic double-curved leading-edge skin, while apprentices learn skills to sustain flight heritage. Conservation highlights include repainting the colossal B-52 and, astonishingly, handling the engine from the Red Baron’s Fokker triplane. Crowning the visit, the host straps into a genuine two-seat Spitfire that flew on D-Day for a once-in-a-lifetime flight, feeling the grace of the Rolls-Royce Merlin at over 200 knots above Duxford’s storied runway. Primary keyword: Duxford Secondary keywords: Spitfire, Douglas Bader, P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, American Air Museum Search intent: Learn the history of IWM Duxford and see rare restorations plus a flight in a D-Day Spitfire. #Duxford #Spitfire #ImperialWarMuseum #DouglasBader #USAAF #AviationHistory #Restoration #BattleOfBritain