POLISH
HERITAGE FLIGHT
DUXFORD 2023
A photoshoot with the Polish Heritage Flight at Duxford at the IWM Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow in 2023 felt like stepping into a living chapter of aviation history. The atmosphere of the airfield with its wide runways, historic pre-war hangars, and soft Cambridgeshire light, creates a setting where past and present blend seamlessly. Walking onto the tarmac, there is a sense that every backdrop holds a story, capturing aviation heritage.
The Hurricane in 302 (City of Poznań) Squadron colours becomes the heart of the experience. Its restored wartime markings, the ribs and fabric of the fuselage, and the glint of its canopy feel both authentic and alive. Working through angles and compositions, there is the presence of a living history Air Transport Auxiliary from the USA, her uniform crisp, her demeanour confident. She adds a human dimension to the scene, evoking the international effort that once ferried these very aircraft and offering a graceful sense of motion and narrative to every frame. The warbirds of the fabulous airshow soar over the airfield, culminating in the Big Wing, a sight unseen anywhere else in the world.
The photoshoot focuses on the story, the bravery behind the markings, the legacy kept alive by today’s volunteers, and the living tribute embodied by people like the visiting reenactor who honour the past in their own way. I leave not only with photographs, but with a renewed connection to the history they represent.
