Sole-surviving Blenheim Bomber to fly in for Bicester Heritage’s Flywheel event
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* Bicester Heritage’s Flywheel event is back for the first time since 2018
*The sole-surviving Bristol Blenheim L6739 to fly into its grass airfield as part of its flagship Flywheel event
*Bicester Heritage is based on a former bomber station site for Bristol Blenheim aircraft
*Sole-surviving Blenheim Bomber to fly in for Bicester Heritage’s Flywheel event 1.JPG
28 February 2023
Exactly 79 years to the day since a Bristol Blenheim last flew out of RAF Bicester in active service, Bicester Heritage can confirm that the sole-surviving airworthy Blenheim will be leading the aviation display at its flagship Flywheel event on the 17th and 18th of June.
The aircraft is the last Mk.I Blenheim known to exist anywhere in the world and it is the only Blenheim of any Mk still in airworthy condition, a suitably spectacular accolade as part of the best-preserved WW2 RAF bomber base’s ten-year anniversary celebrations.
Bicester Heritage is based on the site of RAF Bicester, a former bomber station for Bristol Blenheim aircraft during the second World War. On the 28th February 1944, the final 13 OUT Blenheim flew out of the RAF base for good.
The Blenheim that the nose section belonged to (L6739) rolled out of the factory on the 11th of July 1939. It then entered service on 2nd September 1939, one day after the Second World War officially commenced. The aircraft served as a night fighter with RAF 23 Squadron during the Battle of Britain.
The aircraft was restored by Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo) at Duxford in a restoration spanning 11 years and over 25,000 man hours. It is owned, maintained and operated by Aircraft Restoration Company.
Flywheel will see a host of classic motoring marques join the displays along the tree-lined avenues of the historic site. Fans of vintage flight can expect an equally spectacular showcase, with a broad range of historic aircraft set to grace the site’s grass airfield – winding back the years and commemorating the site’s heritage as an RAF Blenheim Bomber training station.
Bicester Heritage:
Bicester Heritage has created a revolution in historic vehicle ownership. Founded in 2013 Bicester Heritage has gone from a standing start to a home for 50 specialist businesses, and growing, with a collective turnover of over £50m, making it the largest player in the industry and set to grow exponentially with a global reach.
The unique ecosystem of businesses based at the beautiful 444-acre former WW2 RAF Bomber Training Station acts as ‘marina-like’ cluster, promoting skills and expertise, employment, qualified customer footfall, shared business incubation and aggregate growth. The site is all about driving the future of the past.
The former RAF Bicester site on which Bicester Heritage is now based, is of national historic importance. Neglected for the best part of 40 years, it was added to Historic England’s ‘At Risk Register’ in 2008 and designated the most 'at risk' of all Defence Estates in the UK.
Since Bicester Heritage’s tenure, over 95% of the buildings have been delicately restored or re-activated for modern business use, with the site now held as a national exemplar of constructive conservation by Historic England. The time-warp base is truly unmatched in evocative character and an active airfield and test track complete its dynamic operation.
Bicester Heritage is a component part of Bicester Motion, an incomparable visitor attraction which will offer an authentic collection of dynamic and inclusive visitor experiences, less than an hour from London.
For more information about the site and the team behind it, see www.bicesterheritage.co.uk.
