Shuttleworth Collection


The Shuttleworth Collection is a working aviation, automotive and agricultural collection located at Old Warden Aerodrome in Bedfordshire, England.
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History

The collection was founded in 1928 by aviator Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth. While flying a Fairey Battle at night on 2 August 1940, Shuttleworth fatally crashed. His mother, in 1944, formed the Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust "for the teaching of the science and practice of aviation and of afforestation and agriculture."

Collection

Restoration and maintenance work is carried out by a staff of 12 full-time and many volunteer engineers. These volunteers are all members of the 3,000-strong Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society. These dedicated enthusiasts are crucial to the preservation and restoration of the collection.
In addition to the aircraft, the collection houses a number of vintage and veteran cars. Events include model-flying days, flying proms and events dedicated to British engineering.
The Shuttleworth Collection puts an emphasis on restoring as many aircraft as possible to flying condition, in line with the founder's original intention. There are typically about seven air shows per year, including evening displays and an annual Flying Proms event.

The Edwardian flying machines

Some of the most notable aircraft in the collection are the five Edwardian aeroplanes, of which one is the oldest British aeroplane still in flying condition. The oldest, with British civil registration G-AANG, is the Bleriot XI, which dates back to 1909; six years after the Wright brothers' aircraft and the world's oldest airworthy aeroplane, the next oldest being, at only three weeks newer by date of manufacture, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome's own restored original Bleriot XI in the United States.

Aircraft in the collection

TypeDateIdentityNotes-
ANEC II1924G-EBJOBuilt for 1924 Lympne Trials
Avro 504K1918G-ADEVConverted from Avro 504K painted as 'E3273'-
Roe IV Triplane1964G-ARSGReplica for Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines-
Avro Tutor1933G-AHSAPainted as RAF 'K3241'-
Avro 19 Anson1946G-AHKXRestored by BAE Systems and donated to the Collection in 2022 after a period of temporary lease.-
Blackburn Type D1912G-AANIOldest airworthy British aeroplane-
Blackburn B-21936G-AEBJFormerly part of the BAE Systems heritage flight based at Old Warden. Donated to the Collection in 2022.-
Blériot XI1909G-AANGWorld's oldest airworthy aircraft-
Bristol Boxkite1964G-ASPPReplica for Mag Men film-
Bristol F.2b Fighter1918G-AEPHPainted as RAF 'B1162'-
Bristol M.1C2000G-BWJMRepro built by Northern Aeroplane Workshops, completed 2000 painted as RFC 'C4918'-
Comper Swift1932G-ACTF-
de Havilland DH.511924G-EBIR'Miss Kenya'-
de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird1923G-EBHXCrashed on 1 July 2012 killing pilot. Currently awaiting completion of rebuild.-
de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth1925G-EBLVFormerly owned and leased to the Collection by BAE Systems. Donated to the Collection circa 2022.-
de Havilland DH.60X Hermes Moth1928G-EBWDThis Moth was originally Richard Shuttleworth's own private plane and during its career was extensively modified with an original Cirrus Hermes engine but an x-legged undercarriage and different windshields on the front and rear cockpit.-
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth II1942G-ANKTPainted as RAF 'K2585'-
de Havilland DH.88 Comet1934G-ACSS'Grosvenor House' Winner of 1934 England-Australia Race-
De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk 221952G-BNZCPainted as RCAF 671-
Deperdussin Type A monoplane1910G-AANH-
Desoutter I1930G-AAPZ-
English Electric Wren1923G-EBNVFirst equal in 1923 Lympne Trials-
Fauvel AV-361955BGA1999By Wassmer in France, languished in a barn for c.40 years before restoration-
Gloster Gladiator I1937G-AMRKPainted as RAF 'K7985'-
Hawker Cygnet1992G-CAMMReplica built by Don Cashmore-
Hawker Hind1935G-AENPPainted as RAF 'K5414', rebuild completion expected in 2026-
Hawker Hurricane Mk.Ib1939G-BKTHConverted to Sea Hurricane in 1941, painted as RN 'Z7015'-
Hawker Tomtit1931G-AFTAPainted as RAF 'K1786'-
Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet'191454'Fuselage mockup with original engine - not currently on display.-
Mignet HM.14 'Flying Flea'1939G-AEBBUnairworthy, suspended from hangar roof-
Miles Hawk Speed Six1935G-ADGPA prominent 30s racer-
Miles Magister1939G-AJRSPainted as RAF 'P6382'-
Parnall Elf1932G-AAINSole survivor of three built-
Percival Mew Gull1934G-AEXFAlex Henshaw's England - Cape Town racer-
Percival Provost T11955G-KAPWPainted as RAF 'XF603'-
Polikarpov Po-21924G-BSSYPainted as Soviet Air Force '28'-
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a1918G-EBIASerial 'F904' now in its original 84 Squadron colours-
Schneider Eon Primary 1938BGA580Primary glider by Elliots of Newbury, based on German SG38-
Slingsby Kirby Kite 1937BGA310Sport and training glider-
Sopwith Camel2017G-BZSCRepro by Northern Aeroplane Workshops completed in 2017-
Sopwith Pup1920G-EBKYConverted from Dove by Richard Shuttleworth, Painted as RFC '9917'-
Sopwith Triplane1990G-BOCKRepro by Northern Aero Workshops, completed 1990 painted as RNAS 'N6290'-
Southern Martlet1930G-AAYX-
Supermarine Spitfire LF.Mk.Vc1942G-AWIISerial 'AR501'-
Westland Lysander Mk.IIIa1942G-AZWTPainted as RAF 'V9367'-

  • Data from
Also resident, but privately owned:
Aircraft of the BAE Systems heritage collection were formerly resident at Old Warden, however the last three aircraft were donated to Shuttleworth in March 2022, becoming part of the collection proper.

Vehicles in the collection

There is also a collection of tractors.