CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF THE SPITFIRE AT GOODWOOD
The revered Supermarine Spitfire was an intrinsic part of Goodwood when the Aerodrome was an active Battle of Britain air base as RAF Westhampnett during the Second World War. Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes were regularly scrambled at the historic Goodwood site, and these fine aircraft have gone on to become frequent attractions at the popular Revival event, with regular displays over the past 12 years. The dozen Spitfires assembled for the 2011 Goodwood Revival will be the most to take to the skies over Goodwood since World War Two.
The Supermarine Spitfire took its maiden flight in March 1936, and went on to become the backbone of the RAF Fighter Command as the key front line fighter during the war. Mostly assembled less than 30 miles away from Goodwood in Southampton, the Spitfire was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft, with over 20,000 examples being built.
A Goodwood Touch
During the War, carpenters working for the Goodwood Estate helped to make the Spitfire’s wooden propellers, using trees felled in the extensive Goodwood forests. The grandfather of the Goodwood Revival’s founder Lord March – Freddie March, the 9th Duke of Richmond – was a keen aviator and aircraft engineer, and established a partnership with test pilot friend Edmund Hordern (Hordern-Richmond Limited) to manufacture high-density wood laminate propellers using a pioneering new process known as ‘Hydulignum’.
During the Revival weekend Spitfires will undertake a series of air displays, culminating in a special Goodwood tribute on Sunday 18 September with a dozen examples being scrambled for take-off. Once airborne, the Spitfires will do an en masse fly-past as Goodwood honours these important aircraft on the ground with suitable recognition and fanfare.
Goodwood Revival tickets are on sale now. Entry is by advance ticket only. It is not possible to buy ticket(s) on the day, and there will be no admission without a ticket.
About the author: Janet Bradley works in the Motor Sport press office at Goodwood Estate.
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