Spitfires rule the airwaves at Goodwood Revival
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£164k for a Ferrari Dino. Give or take £300, that was the hammer price for one of the cars named after Enzo's son at Bonhams' auction at Goodwood last weekend.
Our eyebrows arched a little at that one, we have to admit. Okay, it's relatively sought after, but a 250 GTO it ain't. However, like many things on sale at the Revival, you sense prices tend to get hyped because it is Goodwood. A tray of Lord March's own organic chips washed down with a glass of Pimm's (half pint) was an eye-watering £8.40.
On to the main event and the Revival was as enthralling as ever – with sell-out crowds a reflection of its increasing popularity – and given extra frisson this year as the festival celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Spitfire with a number of air displays climaxing with a unique flypast of 10 of the aircraft – thought to be the highest number seen in the skies above Goodwood since its former incarnation as a World War II airfield.
Goodwood Revival 2011
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> Rumours that one of the badges adorning this '50s biker was from Blue Peter couldn't be confirmed.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> The 1972 Ferrari Dino 246Gt that sold for £164,300 at the Bonhams auction at Goodwood.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> Three spitfires fly in formation at the Goodwood Revival as part of the 75th anniversary of the aircraft.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> Spitfires fly over one of the standout exhibits at the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation, a 1944 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> A 1956 AC Ace-Bristol Roadster that was one of the lots at the Bonhams auction. It sold for £141,200.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> The 10 aircraft that made up the anniversary celebration flypast of the Spitfire at the Goodwood Revival.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> This stunning 1958 Jaguar XK150 Roadster failed to sell at Bonhams. As the sign says, it's still available with an estimate of between £70,000 and £80,000.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> The spitfire flypast was one of the highlights of the 2011 Goodwood Revival.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> Tesco opens up yet another branch. The Dandelion & Burdock was worth the queues though.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> Revival-goers brave the elements at the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation as heavy rain on Sunday made for challenging racing and flying conditions.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> The Chichester Cup-winning 1962 Cooper-Ford T59 driven by San Wilson for his second victory of the weekend. His efforts ensured he won the Rolex Driver of the Meeting award.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> Military uniform was once again popular attire at the Revival.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> A 1958 Lister-Chevrolet 'Knobbly' leaves the paddock for the final race of the Revival, the Sussex Trophy.</p>
- Goodwood Revival 2011<p> Spitfires line up on the airfield after their 75th anniversary flypast at the Goodwood Revival.</p>
To be able to get so close to these and many other historically-significant aircraft is a key characteristic of the event, billed as one of the world's biggest historic motor racing meetings.
The Revival is far more than the on-track action although watching the likes Derek Bell, Tom Kristensen and Sir Jackie Stewart in period cars is not to be sniffed at either.
Cars worth millions were to be found either racing or at the Earls Court Motor Show re-creation, as well as alongside the afore-mentioned Dino at Bonhams and out in the surrounding fields where modern machinery rubbed shoulders with hundreds of classic and other exotic vehicles. It's easy to spend hours ambling through the car parks before even setting foot in the circuit itself.
However, it was the spitfire celebration that really caught the spectators' imaginations. Delayed because of heavy downpours that made the racing in Sunday's RAC TT Celebration race particularly interesting for the drivers, the Spitfires scrambled during a break in the clouds and circled the circuit to the wonderfully evocative sound of 10 Merlin engines. Now, that was worth the entry fee on its own.
