Having been in and around the airshow circuit since the early 1980s, it is always a pleasure to discover something you’ve not tried before. The Victory Show at Cosby in Leicestershire on the 100 acre site of Foxlands Farm provided just that opportunity on the first weekend in September. Glenn Beasley reports.
Held from the 4th to the 6th September, the show combines an airshow with ground based wartime re-enactment scenarios plus the usual hustle and bustle of trade stalls and food vendors providing a little something for all tastes. In this long and very hot summer, the show was held in good weather which was an added blessing for an event with a significant ground based element.
T-6G Texan G-CJWE 'Dazzling Debs' opened the flying display on the Sunday of the Victory Airshow 2026 © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Dakota or Skytrain whichever side of the pond you're from, a true work horse on both sides! - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Aero Legends C-47 Skytrain with a curved approach to land after display - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
D-Day markings resplendent as ever, keeping the memories of the heroism of all those involved in winning WWII - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
From its inception in 2005 the show has now grown to become the largest World War II reenactment event in the UK, and brings together visitors of all ages from the ‘Schools Day’ held on the Friday of the show to war veterans who may now be approaching the magical 100 years old mark! The two-day airshow weekend also incorporates an Evening Victory Dance event on the Saturday and many visitors choose to adorn themselves in the costumes of the day back in the late 30s and 40s to celebrate and keep the memories alive of Britain at war and its subsequent victory in 1945.
Boeing Stearman ‘The Yorkshire Yankee’ getting airborne to display - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
A well looked after example of the Boeing Stearman enjoying the English summer - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Lockheed 12A Electra showing off her plan form along the Victory Show crowdline - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Weaving magical patterns in the sky at the Victory Airshow - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
The airshow site itself feels a compact and welcoming environment with so much to see on the ground and, in turn, this necessitates some very spirited flying with plenty of photogenic opportunities afforded to the photographers. The sun works its way around for the start of the afternoon display at 2.30pm, and kicking things off was a beautifully flown routine by North American T-6 Harvard (or Texan to those in the USA) ‘Dazzling Debs.’
Following straight after to the other end of the size spectrum came the magnificent beast that is the C-47 Skytrain to use the American designation, nicknamed ‘Pegasus’ operated by Aero Legends. The final manoeuvre of the display was the tight turn to land and will long live in the memory of those there to witness it.
The skies couldn't have been any better for this stunning aerial glider ballet sequence - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Of Fighter Aviation Engineering, this is a stunning example of the Spitfire FR Mk XIV - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
You can almost feel the raw power of this Mark XIV Spitfire as it sweeps along the crowdline - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
The rear wheel is already airborne and not long for the rest of this stunning P-51D Mustang - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
A two-ship display followed next involving T-6 Harvard ‘Wacky Rabbit’ and Spitfire LF5C MK912 - both taking advantage of the compact crowdline to provide several sweeping passes in formation and as solos. The Last Dogfight Team were up next, the team depicting in the skies what is stated to be the last aerial battle in the European theatre of World War II.
The 3 L-4 Grasshoppers seemed to enjoy their task of chasing down the Fiesler Storch enemy aircraft.
P-51D Mustang 'Tall in the Saddle' using the best weather window on the Sunday of the Victory Airshow - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Warming up the engines prior to display at the Victory Airshow - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
A Spitfire taxiing out on a grass strip, not many more sights as evocative of wartime Britain - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
The Aircraft Restoration Company Blenheim charging down the grass strip at Foxlands Farm - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
After a spirited display from Boeing Stearman ‘The Yorkshire Yankee’, the poetry and grace of the Airborne Pyrotechnics team followed which is always a beautiful sight to behold against a blue English summer sky. After several graceful passes from the impressive Lockheed Electra G-AFTL, the display began to crank up a gear in tempo with offerings of solo Spitfire FR XIV, P-51D Mustang and the ever stunning looking and sounding Bristol Blenheim.
With the big finish to the flying display provided by P-47 Thunderbolt ‘Nellie’ and Spitfire EE602, the tanks sprang enthusiastically onto the strip to claim victory over the enemy.
Always an impressive sight to behold is the Bristol Blenheim especially in the hands of John Romain - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
A perfect plan view of the only flying Blenheim in the world - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
P-47D Thunderbolt and Spitfire LF5C with a beautiful formation fly-by - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Finding the blue skies on the Sunday of the Victory Airshow was not always an easy task! - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
It is rare to step into a UK airshow these days and become so quickly immersed in its theming, but that is exactly what the Victory Show achieves so well. Much credit has to go to all involved in setting up the plethora of ground displays detailing the various vehicles and equipment that fought the greatest fight back in the 1940s.
It felt as though, rather than paying to attend an airshow, you were paying to step back in time which is something that, for me, only Shuttleworth at Old Warden achieve as successfully as the Victory Airshow.
P-47D Thunderbolt 'Nellie B' makes an impressive pass along the Victory Show crowdline - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Lockheed 12A Electra awaits its turn to display © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
A fine example of the L-5 Grasshopper departs the grass strip at the Victory Airshow - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
Spitfire LF5C showing off the classic Spitfire elliptical wing - © Glenn Beasley - Global Aviation Resource
There is much to like and enjoy about the Victory Airshow and events such as this must be helped to continue to thrive as they are key to preserving the memories and sacrifices that the wartime generation made to sustain our freedom in the face of such aggression. And amongst the crowds and reenactors present, it is clear to see there is no loss of enthusiasm for that task of keeping those memories alive.
Whilst I will willingly admit my focus of the day was the flying display, it was impossible not be caught up in the pageantry and joy of celebrating victory in Europe. The Victory Airshow does what it sets out to do what it says on the tin and may it continue to go from strength to strength.
