Exciting new flying displays have just been announced for the Duxford Air Festival at IWM Duxford ( May Bank Holiday weekend Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May ).

Thunderous contemporary jets , powerful military helicopters and dynamic parachute displays offer exhilarating aerial excitement for all the family .

Thrilling entertainment across the museum includes activities with the Parachute Regiment Recruiting Team , the Royal Gurkha Rifles , and living history groups representing First World War aviators and Second World War United States Army Air Forces pilots and ground crew .

Visitors can experience the awardwinning exhibitions at IWM Duxford as entrance to the whole museum – including AirSpace , the newly redeveloped American Air Museum and the Battle of Britain exhibition – is included in the in the price of the air show ticket .

The Duxford Air Festival commemorates the centenary of IWM Duxford this year . Work began to build Duxford ’ s airfield in 1917 during the First World War and it became pivotal to the air defence of Great Britain .

Just announced flying participation for the Duxford Air Festival includes :

• BAE Systems Eurofighter Typhoon , the world ’ s most advanced fighter aircraft .

• Agusta Westland Apache , a state-ofthe-art attack helicopter designed to hunt and destroy tanks .

• The RAF Falcons Parachute Display

Team ( Saturday only ) performing a thrilling freefall display including advance manoeuvres at speeds of up to 120 mph .

• de Havilland DH88 Comet which won the 1934 England to Australia Air Race in 70 hours and 34 minutes . The Comet is accompanied by two Percival Mew Gulls ( one original and one replica ). The Mew Gull held the world record for the fastest return journey in its class from England to Cape Town for over 70 years . Completing the de Havilland collection are a de Havilland DH90 Dragonfly and a de Havilland Dragon Rapide .

• B-17 Flying Fortress Sally B , the last remaining airworthy B-17 bomber in Europe .

• Consolidated PBY Catalina G-PBYA operated by Plane Sailing .

Also flying at the Duxford Air Festival are :

• The Breitling Wingwalkers , the world ’ s only aerobatic formation wing-walking team .

• The Blades , a world-class aerobatic display team of RAF fast jet and former Red Arrows pilots .

• The only flying de Havilland Sea Vixen in the world . An iconic aircraft of the Cold War in the 1960s and 1970s , the Sea Vixen is a formidably powerful aircraft that stimulates all the senses .

• The spectacle of the Great War Display Team with nine replica First World War aircraft including a Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c ; three Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a aircraft ; two Fokker DR1 triplanes and two

Junkers CL1 aircraft , accompanied by flak , bombing and strafing effects .

• The aerial artistry of the Calidus Autogyro , an exhilarating , fun and thrilling close-up flying display .

• The 1960s Rolls Royce Viper jet power of the BAC Strikemaster pair .

• The North American OV-10 Bronco which wowed the crowds at The American Air Show in May 2016 . The Bronco is a light attack observation aircraft . It was developed in the 1960s as a special

Gibson WI are based here in the lovely town of Saffron Walden . We meet on the 1st Thursday of the month at 7.45 in the United Reformed Church Hall , Abbey Lane . We have been in existence since the sixties and are proud to bear the name of one of the founding fathers of the town . We have about 54 members . At present we are trying to raise money to buy a defibrillator for the town and have had a quiz , a cake stall outside Boots ( homemade cakes of course , this is the WI !!) and will be holding a Fashion Show on the 19th May all to raise money for this . We are just over halfway .

In March we had a very busy month starting with our County Annual Meeting when the guest speaker was Anton du Bec . He was a big draw as you can imagine . Some of us then went to see The Girls , tears of sadness and laughter in that . Then it was off to see An American in Paris . 16 of us went on a Suffragette Walk round London with a Blue Badge Guide .

aircraft for counter-insurgency ( COIN ) operations and was used by the American forces during the Vietnam War .

• A Noorduyn Norseman , a 1940s Canadian-built bush plane designed to operate on land , water and ice . It was a Norsemen in which Major Glenn Miller was flying as a passenger when he disappeared over the English Channel on 15 December 1944 .

Website : www . iwm . org . uk

Very interesting and informative . We finished up just outside the Houses of Parliament and saw the floral tributes left to the victims of the Westminster Bridge attack that had recently taken place . Very moving .

Our crafty ladies have knitted twiddle muffs for dementia sufferers , tiny bonnets and made quilts for the Rosie Maternity unit at Addenbrookes amongst other things .

The next few months will be as busy with trips planned to Bradfield Vineyard , a lovely garden just outside Colchester plus our normal monthly meetings .

As you can see we are busy , very friendly bunch and also have time for a cup of coffee and an informal chat whenever we can . Why not come and join us . Visitors always welcome . For more information contact Sue Harris on 01799 513791 . We look forward to seeing YOU .

Many thanks , Sue Harris President Gibson WI