Real Aeroplane Club

05/06/2026

Back in the day when Nigel Lamb thrilled the crowds with a stunning Supermarine Spitfire display at Breighton Airfield. We’re delighted to announce that a Spitfire Formation Pair Display will return to the skies over Breighton Airfield on the evening of Saturday 15th August 2026 as part of our 1940s Weekend - G for George.
Have you secured your tickets yet? Don’t miss this unforgettable opportunity to experience the magic and sound of these iconic aircraft in flight! 🇬🇧

Tickets - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/g-for-george-1940s-weekend-2026-tickets-1966879179573?aff=ebdsshios

📸 Paul Burnett

05/06/2026

Important Information for Pilots and Members - The Real STOL Fest 2026

The Real Aeroplane Club is delighted to welcome pilots and members to The Real STOL Fest 2026. We cannot wait to see the STOL competition pilots in action.

Our organising team has been working hard to create a truly grassroots aviation event that is accessible, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone.

Please note: Access to the airfield from Friday 19th June to Sunday 21st June 2026 is restricted to Real Aeroplane Club members only.
Membership

Not yet a member? You can join The Real Aeroplane Club for just £50 for the remainder of 2026. Membership includes:
Entry to The Real STOL Fest 2026
Entry to Breighton’s Best of British Day
Entry to the 1940s Event – G for George
Admission for you and your household to all included events

Friday 19th June 2026
09:00 – 12:00 – Scheduled Arrivals (PPR Required)
12:00 – STOL Competitor Briefing
14:00 – 18:00 – STOL Competitor Practice & Qualifying
Visiting pilots are requested, where possible, to avoid arrivals and departures during these times due to the high volume of aircraft movements on the active runway.
19:00 – Class Allocation & Debrief
19:00 – 23:00 – Social Evening at the Gravel Bar and Jeeves Kitchen.

Saturday 20th June 2026
09:00 – 12:00 – Scheduled Arrivals (PPR Required)
12:00 – Competition Briefing
14:00 – 18:00 – STOL Competition
The airfield will be closed to arrivals and departures during the competition period. This will be notified by a NOTAM.
From 18:00 onwards – Trophy Presentation Ceremony and STOL Social, with food and drinks available from Jeeves Kitchen.

Sunday 21st June 2026
Aircraft Departures

Camping & Accommodation
Caravans, campervans, and tents are welcome on the airfield throughout the event.
Pitching must be booked in advance by emailing [email protected].
Camping fee: £15 per night payable on the day.

Flying In
Aircraft arrivals are charged at £30 per aircraft, regardless of the number of passengers on board. This includes camping.
Prior Permission Required (PPR) must be obtained via the link below - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iYGU1REw62u-sArdKHEr3HDIyO-FWFARUD3v8vYDjtE/edit 🇬🇧 📸 .av

05/06/2026

This 1964 map was given to Taff in India during his epic journey in 1989 from Australia to the UK in his Bucker Jungmann, G-TAFF. 🇮🇳

India had not originally been part of his planned route. To navigate, Taff had created his own unique map by cutting numerous aviation charts into long strips and sticking them together to form a continuous route.

“When I’d flown a section, I’d just tear it off and chuck it out of the side!” he recalled.
“It was impressive when I laid the whole thing out on the floor before setting off because you could see how the line curved.”

Unfortunately, his homemade strip map didn’t cover parts of India. To solve the problem, Taff bought an atlas at an Indian airport and promptly tore out the page he needed.
Unsurprisingly, he eventually became lost while flying between Calcutta and Nagpur.

“I landed on a road, blowing up a massive cloud of dust. Within seconds, a huge crowd appeared and I was worried they’d tear the aeroplane to bits. Fortunately, a policeman turned up and beat them off with his stick. I asked him for directions to Nagpur and he just pointed up the road and said, ‘That way,’ so that’s the way I went.” 🇦🇺-🇬🇧

05/06/2026

Alongside the previously unseen photographs of Taff flying from Australia to the UK in his Bücker Jungmann, G-TAFF, we’re pleased to share an original weather report he preserved from the journey. The report details the conditions along his route from Nagpur to Ahmedabad, long before the convenience of the Met Office app! 🇮🇳

05/06/2026

A brand-new event is coming to Breighton Airfield on 27th June, and we can’t wait! 🚁
We’re looking forward to welcoming helicopters from across the UK as they fly into Breighton Airfield, Yorkshire, alongside an incredible display of supercars from owners across the region.
The fly-in takes place on the same day as our Forza Italia event, showcasing some of the finest Italian supercars. Flying in is free, with both Avgas and Jet A1 fuel available on site.
Jeeves Kitchen will be open throughout the day, serving food and refreshments for visitors. Open to the public you don’t need a ticket to attend. We look forward to seeing you there! Helicopter pilots please PPR by emailing your details to - [email protected] 🤙

05/06/2026

04/06/2026

A popular aircraft among visitors at Breighton is the immaculate Bücker Jungmann G-TAFF. But did you know that our very own Taff Smith flew this Jungmann from Australia to the UK? 🇦🇺-🇬🇧

We're delighted to share some photographs that Taff took, which have never before been published or shared online.

In late 1988 G-TAFF was dismantled and put in a container on a ship bound for Australia.

In April 1989 the aircraft was back in one piece and ready for adventure at Darwin airport. First task: the 600 mile crossing of the Timor Sea.

“The great advantage of doing the most challenging, and scary, bit first [as opposed to starting out from the UK and crossing a familiar and safe European land mass first] is that you know it’s behind you and that you’ve met the greatest challenge already.”

Taff Smith’s crossing of the Timor Sea certainly proved his ability.

With no navigation instruments other than a compass and a stopwatch, he arrived in Indonesia only fifteen miles off track. Over water that’s seriously accurate flying, as I’m sure that many of Smith’s heroes would have agreed.

On flew Smith and his yellow Jungmann, navigating using a long strip of 100,000:1 map that he’d created by chopping numerous aviation charts into strips and sticking them together.

“When I’d flown a section I’d just tear it off and chuck it out the side!”

“It was impressive when I laid the whole thing on the floor before setting off because you could see how the line curved.”

Unfortunately the self-made strip map didn’t include India, so Smith bought an atlas from an Indian airport and tore the relevant page out of it! Not surprisingly he eventually got lost en route from Calcutta to Nagpur.

“I landed on a road, blowing up a massive cloud of dust. Within seconds a huge crowd appeared and I was worried that they’d tear the aeroplane to bits. Fortunately a policeman turned up and beat them off with his stick. I asked him for directions to Nagpur and he just pointed up the road and said ‘That way’, so that’s the way I went.”

Naturally, Taff had to have a look in the record books on his return and, sure enough, he’s beaten the record from Darwin to Southampton for class C1b aircraft.

But a name in the record books doesn’t tell the whole story. Smith planned the whole trip himself without the help of the Internet.

“The highlight of the trip was flying along the Nile from Luxor up to Alexandria. Such a feeling of freedom and that has never left me. I’d feel it now if I went for a short flight today.”

04/06/2026

🇬🇧

03/06/2026

The engineering team at The Real Aeroplane Company have spent many years developing an exceptional level of skill and expertise in the maintenance and restoration of vintage aircraft.

Over the years, numerous magnificent machines have been restored at Breighton Airfield, one of which is G-AWHK, a Hispano HA-1112-M1L Buchón-a Spanish-built version of the German Messerschmitt Bf 109, powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine instead of the original Daimler-Benz.

Here are some photographs taken when the aircraft first flew following its restoration on the 19th May 2006. The flight was test-flown by Nigel Lamb, and includes a fantastic air-to-air image captured from the RAC’s North American P-51 Mustang.

Originally built in 1959 in Seville, it served with the Spanish Air Force before being used in the 1968 film Battle of Britain, where it appeared as “Yellow 10.” After filming, it was shipped to Texas by warbird collector Connie Edwards, where it remained in storage for decades. In the 1990s, the aircraft returned to the UK, briefly changing hands and locations before arriving at Breighton Airfield. There, the Real Aeroplane Company restored it back to flying condition.

Since its restoration, it has featured in films such as Valkyrie, Dunkirk, and SAS: Rogue Heroes, often changing its appearance for each role. Its current paint scheme is a faithful recreation of its 1968 Battle of Britain livery. Today, it continues to fly in airshows and warbird experiences, often acting as a Luftwaffe “enemy” in simulated dogfights. A restored work of art produced here at Breighton Airfield in Yorkshire! 🇬🇧

#109

03/06/2026

Due to the weather forecast for Saturday, the VAC Visit has been postponed until Sunday, 7th June 2026. While the outlook for the coming days remains uncertain, we are hopeful for better conditions on the Sunday.
Jeeves Kitchen will be open as usual:
Thursday: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Friday: 9:30am – 4:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 6:30pm
Sunday: 9:00am – 4:00pm
We also look forward to welcoming the De Lacy Club’s Seven Dales Heritage Run this Sunday. 🇬🇧