Flypast times, weather forecast and when to watch Red Arrows

One of the highlights of the aviation calendar has arrived, with the Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show taking place this weekend.

Imperial War Museums, which organises the event, says to expect “vintage aviation that reflects the stories of those who served at RAF Duxford such as Spitfires, Hurricanes and the Lancaster bomber”.

The Red Arrows will be in attendance for their final two shows of the year, filling the skies over the Cambridgeshire air base with their famous trails of red, white and blue smoke.

The show will also mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic by bringing the B-17G “Sally B” and the RAF’s Avro Lancaster together for a “rare formation of the most recognisable allied heavy bombers of the Second World War“.

What’s on at the Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show?

On Saturday, flying is scheduled to begin at 1pm with the Battle of Britain formation and close with the Duxford Spitfire flypast shortly after 5pm. On Sunday the Battle of Britain formation will begin at 12.30pm, with the Duxford Spitfire flypast again closing the show shortly after 5pm.

Imperial War Museums advises: “After enjoying the showground entertainment and museum in the morning, we recommend planning to be in your chosen space by 12.30pm to view up to four hours of historic flying action.

“The flying display will end at approximately 5pm, but the museum and showground will remain open until the last free event shuttle bus leaves the visitor centre.”

Attendees will get to see the final Red Arrows displays of the year, which are scheduled for 5pm on both days.

Here is the full list of confirmed displays for Saturday:

• RAF Red Arrows (Royal Air Force)
• Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Royal Air Force)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia N3200 (IWM)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia X4650 (Comanche Fighters)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia AR213 (Comanche Fighters)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb BM597 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc JG891 (Comanche Fighters)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc EE602 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VIII MV154 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb MH434 (The Old Flying Machine Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX MH415 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Supermarine Spitfire T9 ML407 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Supermarine Spitfire T9 PV202 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire T9 PT462 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire PR Mk.XI PL983 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIVe RN201 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Seafire Mk.XVII (Navy Wings)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.I P3717 (Bygone Aviation)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.I R4118 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.I P2902 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb BE505 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Hispano HA-112 MIL Buchón “Red 11” (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Hispano HA-112 MIL Buchón “Yellow 10” (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• B-17G Flying Fortress ‘Sally B’ (B-17 (Preservation Ltd)
• North American P-51D Mustang 44-72216 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• North American P-51D Mustang 44-74391 ‘The Hun Hunter / Texas’ (Comanche Fighters)
• North American TF-51D Mustang 44-84847 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 45-49192 ‘Nellie’ (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Consolidated Catalina PBY-5A (Plane Sailing)
• Fairey Swordfish Mk.I WS856 (Navy Wings)
• Avro Anson C19 G-AHKX (The Shuttleworth Collection)
• Westland Lysander V9312 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Westland Lysander Mk.III SD V9552 (The Shuttleworth Collection)
• Hawker Fury FB.II, SR661 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Gloster Gladiator Mk.II N5903 (The Fighter Collection)
• Gloster Gladiator Mk.I L8032 (The Shuttleworth Collection)
• Hawker Nimrod Mk.I S1581 (The Fighter Collection)
• Curtiss Hawk 75 (The Fighter Collection)
• Curtiss P-36C 38-210 (The Fighter Collection)
• Lockheed 12 Electra (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Yakovlev Yak-18T, Yakovlev Yak-52 (pair)
• Fokker DR1 and SE5A (Replicas, Paul Ford)
• De Havilland Vampire FB.52 (Norwegian Historic Flight)

Here is the full list of confirmed displays for Sunday:

• RAF Red Arrows (Royal Air Force)
• Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (Royal Air Force)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia N3200 (IWM)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia X4650 (Comanche Fighters)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia AR213 (Comanche Fighters)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb BM597 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc JG891 (Comanche Fighters)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc EE602 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VIII MV154 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb MH434 (The Old Flying Machine Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX MH415 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Supermarine Spitfire T9 ML407 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Supermarine Spitfire T9 PV202 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire T9 PT462 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire PR Mk.XI PL983 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIVe RN201 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Supermarine Seafire Mk.XVII (Navy Wings)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.I P3717 (Bygone Aviation)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.I R4118 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.I P2902 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb BE505 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Hispano HA-112 MIL Buchón “Red 11” (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Hispano HA-112 MIL Buchón “Yellow 10” (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• B-17G Flying Fortress ‘Sally B’ (B-17 (Preservation Ltd)
• North American P-51D Mustang 44-72216 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• North American P-51D Mustang 44-74391 ‘The Hun Hunter / Texas’ (Comanche Fighters)
• North American TF-51D Mustang 44-84847 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Republic P-47D Thunderbolt 45-49192 ‘Nellie’ (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Consolidated Catalina PBY-5A (Plane Sailing)
• Fairey Swordfish Mk.I WS856 (Navy Wings)
• Avro Anson C19 G-AHKX (The Shuttleworth Collection)
• Westland Lysander V9312 (Aircraft Restoration Company)
• Westland Lysander Mk.III SD V9552 (The Shuttleworth Collection)
• Hawker Fury FB.II, SR661 (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Gloster Gladiator Mk.II N5903 (The Fighter Collection)
• Gloster Gladiator Mk.I L8032 (The Shuttleworth Collection)
• Hawker Nimrod Mk.I S1581 (The Fighter Collection)
• Curtiss Hawk 75 (The Fighter Collection)
• Curtiss P-36C 38-210 (The Fighter Collection)
• Lockheed 12 Electra (Fighter Aviation Engineering Ltd)
• Yakovlev Yak-18T, Yakovlev Yak-52 (pair)
• Fokker DR1 and SE5A (Replicas, Paul Ford)
• De Havilland Vampire FB.52 (Norwegian Historic Flight)

How can you get tickets?

You can buy tickets for the show on the Imperial War Museums website here. Tickets are not available to purchase on the day, so must be pre-booked.

Ticket sales to attend on Saturday close at midnight on Friday, and sales to attend on Sunday close at midnight on Saturday.

General admission for the day costs £47.50 for everyone over 16. All under-16s can enter for free but must be accompanied by an adult.

What is the weather forecast?

The forecast is looking good for Saturday, starting bright in the morning before becoming more overcast as the day goes on. Temperatures are expected to reach around 24ºC, with only a very low chance of rain.

On Sunday the Met Office is predicting there may be some showers in the evening, but they should come after the show has wrapped up. During the show itself the weather will be overcast, with temperatures in the low 20s.