Just come across this thread, thanks for giving us the opportunity to say what we think about Old Warden.
I only manage to get there maybe once a year- too many fly-ins to go to! When I go its usually for an evening display, as I go to Old Warden to see the old aircraft fly, Im not interested in seeing the modern stuff that I can see at any other airshow during the year. What I really want to see is the Edwardian aircraft and the 2s and 30s aircraft flying. I dont want to see Denny Dobson (good display but not what I want at Shuttleworth) I dont really want to see Chipmunks or Prentices either.
I went to the last evening display end Sept. It was great to see the LVG fly, the Hind and some of the other biplanes, a good effort to get the Blackburn monoplane into the air, but it wasnt its day. But with perfect conditions it was disappointing to see only the Boxkite flying of the pioneer aircraft.
I appreciate that we need good conditions to fly these aircraft and some times none can be flown, but this night was perfect, so surely some re-arranging could have been done. Cancell the Provost, cancel the Spitfire and Hurricane (yes they are great but we can see them any time) and get out more of the pioneer aircraft that can only be flown when condition permit. I would say cancel Denny Dobson too, but as youve paid already, you better have him fly. But I presume it costs nothing to cancel one Shuttleworth aircraft and substitute another.
As for the aquisition policy, Id personally rather not see the Prentice, Provost, Chipmunk etc in the collection, Id rather see the money spent on getting the current aircraft airworthy and purchasing really rare significant pre war aircraft. Having private aircraft at the collection is a great idea when it brings in new aircraft that are of interest like the Polikarpov. But Im not sure the same can be said for the SAL Bulldog.
It was nice to see the Staggerwing being displayed this time. Would be nice to see other similar aircraft as one offs, like the Waco from Gransden, or Curtiss Robin that sometime lives outside at Panshanger. Aircraft that dont usually go to other airshows.
I appreciate that this kind of thing might not be what brings in the general public, but it is what me and a number of people I have spoken to would like to see.
good luck!