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Military Vehicle Open Day - Duxford 2014

Military Vehicle Open Day – Duxford 2014

I look forward to the model show and military vehicle open day at Duxford every year, it is simply a good day out, with lots to see, always something new to look at and photograph and a chance to catch up with friends and associates.

This year the weather was typically English, sunshine and showers, but nothing that interfered with the event. MAFVA hold their UK National Championship at Duxford to coincide with the Military Vehicle Open Day and there is also a large Book Fair held in the USAF hanger, with lots of Provincial Book Sellers present. Added to that the UK Radio Control Tank Club were present in reasonable numbers, tank rides if you choose to have them, military vehicle displays and the cavalcade around the runway, Duxford Radio Society and the opportunity to take a ride with Classic Pleasure Flights and this year fly in and take the controls of a Tiger Moth, there is pretty much something for everyone.

Whilst all the above activities are happening you can if you choose to stroll around the various IWM museum static exhibits, whether it’s the Aero Space hanger, Airborne Assault display, Air and Sea hanger, Battle of Britain hanger, American Air Museum, Land Warfare Museum, Conservation Museum, Flying Aircraft hangar or the History of Duxford display and 1940 Operation Room.

There is in short a massive amount to see and do and it’s unlikely that you could fit it all in unless moving at the speed of light, so you just pick and choose what takes your fancy. I really like their Land Warfare Museum, the light is hopeless for taking pictures but they have some terrific vehicles and pieces of equipment on show.

Whilst the Museum is open all year round, the centre piece of the day is the Military Vehicle Display and the MAFVA show. There was a good selection of soft skinned vehicles that had made the journey to the show, lots of Land Rovers of every type, Jeeps, and Trucks. A few in particular caught my eye, the beautifully restored WW1 trucks (a Dennis 3 ton lorry, and a Hallford chain driven 3 ton lorry), There was a 3rd vehicle but it had gone off to get petrol by the time I arrived at their stand point. A really interesting 6 x 4 Morris Commercial Recovery Truck, the Austin7, a very unusual Fordson RAF Recovery Tractor and the Carden Loyd MG Carrier plus an interesting Willis Jeep Ambulance conversion based on documented photographs from Sicily and Italy. To all the owners, thank you for taking the time and effort to bring these vehicles for display and giving freely to those who photographed and asked questions.

The drive pass this year was particularly well stocked with vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

The other main element for me was the Model Show and Vendors present. It was a good time to meet friends and associates. I got to meet Darren Baker who was up with his family so that was neat. George Moore was there with some excellent future projects, also Graham form Resicast and Stewart form SB Models. Chris and his brother were there representing Inside the Armour and Accurate Armour, Sovereign Models and Great North Roads were all present. Both SB Models and Great North Roads had some new interesting items. SB Models have some 1st World War figure bases and GNR had a decent sized diorama WW1 trench display and 25pdr fire base that I hadn’t seen before.

Needless to say I made a few purchases, the most exciting of which were the new Resicast WW1 8 inch Mk II gun and limber and the WW1 Heavy Artillery Tractor which will be a challenging build. Stewart from SB Models had some camouflage nets that look to have good potential so I got a couple of those and also some Roadside Crosses that look very nicely done. All in all I was surprised that I got home with money still in my wallet.

Some but not all of the vehicles mentioned will be appearing in individual walkarounds and the pictures on page two mainly focus on the model displayed.

If you’re ever down that way IWM Duxford is a fine day out.