Aviation history made in the UK as unique challenge brings together Red Bull Air Race with 1920s Schneider Trophy air racing
To celebrate the return of the Red Bull Air Race World Series to London on 2 & 3 August this year, current World Series leader Paul Bonhomme took the controls of a 1940’s Spitfire to try his hand at ‘air racing’ of a different kind. Bonhomme’s aim was to test the speed and agility of the Spitfire, against a modern day plane designed specifically for the Red Bull Air Race, the MX2, piloted by his World Series opponent Nigel Lamb.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first production line Spitfire and the 85th anniversary of the first Schneider Trophy race in the UK which was a speed race over 200km contested by the Spitfire’s predecessor, the Supermarine S.6b.
In a nod to the UK Schneider Trophy course which was situated around the Solent over Calshot and Cowes, Bonhomme and Lamb flew their planes on a lap around the Isle of Wight, using the stunning Needles as a natural start and finish gate. The time trial and agility test brought together two of the world’s most impressive flying machines of their respective eras in a celebration of air racing though the ages.
The Spitfire’s superior speed meant that it made light work of the 40 mile lap of the island, timed at just 9m 35s, while the MX2 was slower, coming in at 11m 29s. But the MX’s impressive cornering was displayed as it turned quicker through The Needles, showing how the development of racing machines has progressed over the decades.
Red Bull Air Race World Series leader Paul Bonhomme, said, “The aircraft that I’m flying today is a real feat of engineering given that it was built in the 1940s. It’s an absolute pleasure and privilege to fly. The planes that were built for the original form of air racing, The Schneider Trophy, taught engineers at the Supermarine factory a great deal when they were developing the Spitfire and these learnings have also contributed to the development of the planes that we race in the Red Bull Air Race World Series. It was great fun for me to be able to pay tribute to the air racing that took place back in the 1920s and compare it with racing of today.”
Fellow pilot Nigel Lamb said “A Spitfire will fly a lot faster than an MX2 but the advantage the MX has is its phenomenal turning ability, thanks to its carbon fibre wing and strength. In the Red Bull Air Race World Series, our aircraft need to be suitable for the precision moves required to navigate the low-level slalom gates. On paper a Spitfire will clean up on the straights and the MX will gain in the turns, so the lap of the Isle of Wight was more suited to Paul’s plane than mine.”
Following the phenomenal success of last year’s event, the world’s fastest and most exciting motor sport will be touching down in London for the second time this summer. The Red Bull Air Race World Series will see the world’s best pilots back in the UK and racing just metres above the River Thames on 2 & 3 August 2008.
Over 50,000 spectators witnessed the breath-taking 2007 race, which took place on the river between Canary Wharf and The O2 and was won by American pilot Mike Mangold. London is welcoming the event back to the same location in 2008 as the 5th race in this year’s Red Bull Air Race World Series. Once again, ticketed spectators will be able to view the action from the banks of the Thames as the pilots fly at speeds reaching close to 230mph, coping with forces of up to 10g. Tickets are available at www.redbullairrace.com.
