Duxford's Golden Hour
Speak to any aviation photographer and they'll all tell you the same thing about Duxford airshows: they're backlit. Fortunately, the Evening Airshow makes the most of the long summer days, providing a wonderful opportunity for photographers to enjoy a Duxford flying display with the sun on their backs.
With around 90 minutes of display flying, this is an event of quality over quantity. The warbird-orientated show utilised, in my opinion, the most interesting of Duxford's based assets, including Blenheim IF, Lysander IIIa and B-17G Flying Fortress Sally B. It wouldn't be a Duxford event without a Spitfire, and two examples of the iconic type performed during the evening. Spitfire IXc opened the display, while Spitfire Ia performed in the most glorious golden evening light.
The undoubted stars of the show, however, were two Polish-based assets that were operating out of Duxford for their respective UK tours. FUBAR Aviation's Lim-5 has been a sensational supporter of the UK airshow scene in 2026, with the Duxford Evening Airshow marking the seventh UK event the jet has participated in over the space of just four months. The licence-built MiG-17F opened with a formation pass alongside A-26C Invader Sweet Eloise II before splitting for a spirited solo routine in the hands of Mateusz Strama. By then, the golden light had faded, but the bare-metal fuselage of the Lim-5 reflected the pinks and purples of the evening sky, standing out beautifully against the darkening backdrop. The A-26C then took centre stage and, although the light had all but disappeared by this point, its spirited display was among the most enjoyable of the evening, featuring several photographer-friendly topside passes throughout an energetic routine.
The small, relaxed and photo-friendly show made for an incredibly enjoyable event. While photographers would have benefited from seeing the Lim-5 and A-26C display slightly earlier, the strong line-up and sensational clear skies meant that visitors left Duxford with smiles on their faces and memory cards full of excellent images. Keep an eye out for the 2027 date!
