Dotty about Duxford

There’s something about the sight of a pert Italian rear skipping along the undulating roads of Hertfordshire with the windscreen framed vista of England’s green and pleasant land laid out before it - that fills every fibre of my very being with the delight and self-gratitude that I had the sense to learn to drive.

Add to this image the soundtrack, consisting the melodic purr of two 105 series Alfa Romeo twin cam engines breaking through the stillness of the early morning spring sunlight, you really couldn’t ask for a more perfect scene. I was headed to deepest Cambridgeshire to yet another airfield to my first single marque motoring event of the year; Spring Alfa Day at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford

Filled with enthusiasm of the promise of Italian automobile exotica ahead, I accepted the invitation from a fellow owner to take part in a classic A-road convoy. It would be a crime not to accept; surely this is just the type of activity these cars were bred for?

There was however, a minor technicality. There were in fact, just two cars in the convoy. My own, and Mario's 1972, 2000 GTV ahead.

So do two cars qualify as a convoy? I think evidence would confirm that we suitably fulfilled the criteria. We were both headed to same event and (most importantly) both myself and Mario were conversing with one another through walkie talkies, they're not CB radios but then where would we have put the ariels? Precisely, ten-four Rubber Duckie, we got ourselves a convoy.

Several questionable overtaking manoeuvres later we reached our destination.

I had offered myself as a sacrificial parking marshall for an hour or so, and took up my post. This was a stroke of cunning genius on my part to get a good eyeful of the cars as they arrived, thus saving my precious driving feet from pounding the car park as a voyeur. Set aside my questionable fashion accessory, and the fact most of the drivers thought I was waving to say "hello" and soon like Chinese terracotta soldiers at Xian, the Alfisti were on parade.

Parking marshall Muppet...um...nice jacket

Muppet's parking handiwork

My aforementioned flirtation with a BMW 1602 was cast aside as I leered over the candy coloured Berlina’s and Alfa’s aspiring 70’s V8 super car, the Montreal, complete with its louvre-a-rama headlight cowls, and who could resist the B17 bomber.

ciao bella

A yellow Guilia Super...what BMW???

"would you like me to seduce you?"

Chocs away boys....

What? A B17 Bomber? Oh yes, Spring Alfa Day encompassed not one but two of Muppets passions, cars and old planes. Duxford was a veritable engine wielding, propeller turning wing-fest for the likes of me.

The opportunity to get up close and marvel at aviation masterpieces such as the collosal Lockheed SR-71 aka Blackbird, the elegance of the 101 prototype Concorde (a machine especially close to my heart) and the spine tingling awe of the massively destructive B52-D bomber all in the home of possibly the most beautiful aeroplane of all time, the Spitfire, just sublime. Duxford is such a splendid venue.

A heady cocktail of high octane voyeurism, high flying action and clear azure skies a gurantee for a very contented Muppet. My only regret? I forgot to take my pilot’s licence.

"yes, yes leave me alone I'm very busy and important"

your very happy author takes her favourite position

http://duxford.iwm.org.uk/