Fishburn Air Race: Tactics & Tight Finishes

Royal Aero Club RRRA
Jul 29
4 min read

Updated: Aug 6

July Update – Grosvenor Cup & Battle of Britain Trophy

The Royal Aero Club, Race Records and Rally Association (RRRA) headed to the undulating grass runway at Fishburn near Sedgefield in County Durham for a weekend of close air racing. Seven determined crews were ready to race for the Grosvenor Cup on Saturday 26th and the Battle of Britain Trophy on Sunday 27th. The stage was set for two days of quick thinking, sharp flying, and some classic sunny British weather.

Weekend's entrants:

Entrants	Pilots	Navigator	Plane
Race 1	Martin Gosling		G-GOSL
Race 9	Bob Johnson		G-CISZ
Race 11	Bill Leary	Ian Scarborough	G-GAXC
Race 22	David Moorman		G-DAVM
Race 82	Gordon Bellerby	David Lee	G-GORD
Race 200	Cliff Hawkins	Gavin Connolly	G-OTRV
Race 777	Ben Polwin	Sophie Polwin	G-RVBP

Course information

Laps: 7

Turns per lap: 5

Lap Distance: 12.4 NM

Total Distance: 87 NM

Saturday: Overcast, warm

Wind: 260/5

Sunday: Overcast, warm, and a slightly stronger breeze

Wind: 260/10

Grosvenor Cup

The Saturday morning kicked off with seven crews taking to the skies for practice. Some opted for a couple of sighting laps, while others squeezed every minute out of the session. Fishburn’s flat surroundings and clear local landmarks made the turning points easy to spot.

Such was the closeness of the speeds, despite racing to handicaps set by the organisers based on practice times, the racers launched for the 7-lap 87 NM race within a tight 10-minute window, promising nose-to-tail action. Robin DR400 tourers, a Robin R2180 trainer and CAP10b aerobatic type were represented, with the Vans kit-built two-seaters being the favourites. They promised nose-to-tail action. With light winds, the stage was set for a classic pursuit.

Bill Leary and Ian Scarborough in Race 11, their Robin R2180, were first off at 14:00, establishing a half lap lead before being caught by Gordon Bellerby and David Lee in Robin DR400 Race 82 and DR400 Race 1 of Martin Gosling. They were in turn caught by Dave Moorman in CAP10b, Race 22. The trio of Vans RV-7s; Race 9, Race 200 & Race 777 (including Bob Johnson in his RV7 debut after racing an Starduster biplane in earlier rounds) faced a 2.5-lap deficit. That meant a serious catch-up and plenty of overtaking dramas as Bob joined Cliff Hawkins and Gavin Connolly, Ben and Sophie Polwin with a 2.5-lap deficit.

From the Ground: Spectators at Fishburn were treated to a spectacular show. With clear visibility, the speed differentials and overtakes were plain to see - a true highlight for anyone watching from the Aviators Bistro.

As the race unfolded at Fishburn, it quickly became clear this would be one for the record books. Bob Race 9, set a blistering pace and was first over the line, but his 30-second gap was not enough to beat the handicappers, nor Martin Gosling, who was flying a smooth and consistent race. Just behind, Dave Moorman Race 22 kept up the pressure, with Ben Polwin in Race 777 closing in - only 15 seconds separating them as the field dived for the finish line.

The field was tightly packed: Gordon Race 82 followed 38 seconds later, with Cliff Race 200 unable to dive as he was at max speed holding his own and Bill Race 11 bringing it home a couple of minutes after the leaders. With the clear Fishburn skies and excellent visibility, spectators could follow every overtake and see the speed differences play out in real time… a fantastic show for everyone at the airfield café.

Lets take a look at the results sheet for the full breakdown:

As always in handicapped air racing, the excitement didn’t end at the chequered flag. Post-race checks revealed that Bob’s Race 9 impressive speed came with a hefty penalty for overshooting his targets, dropping him to fifth. Martin Gosling in Race 1 also picked up a 28-second penalty. That reshuffled the podium: Dave Moorman’s CAP10b, with a clean, penalty-free run earned him the top spot, with Ben’ Polwin in his RV, Race 777 moved him up to second, ahead of Martin Gosling who despite the setback, held onto third in a close, competitive race from start to finish.

The battle of Britain trophy

Race number two for the Fishburn weekend, with the exact same calm weather conditions as Saturday, meant the day could kick off without a morning practice. Race brief was 10am and with no changes to the racers, the same lineup was set for 11am sharp.

While the starting order and lap deficit was the same, the race battle was even closer with even more overtakes than Saturday. Visibility was once again amazing, offering spectators at Fishburn café a great opportunity to see just how tight handicapped air racing can be - right down to the wire. As the laps wound down, the tension on the ground was palpable, with every pair of binoculars fixed on the final approach.

First across the line was Martin Gosling’s Robin Race 1, but barely had the cheers started before Ben Polwin’s RV7, Race 777 RV-7 thundered in - just three seconds behind. Every fraction of a second really does count in this sport. Hot on their heels, Dave Moorman Race 22 made a dramatic dive for the line, squeezing every knot from his CAP10b. (Sadly Dave would be penalised for cutting a turning point. He was one of two competitors thus given penalties; Bill Leary and Ian Scarborough in their Robin were similarly penalised).

The battle for fourth was a spectacle in itself: Cliff Hawkins in RV Race 200 - stayed high as he was at top speed and was unable to dive as he approached the line. Meanwhile Bob Johnson’s RV, Race 9, went for a classic low dive to eke out every knot. To most watching, it looked like a photo finish – check out the photos! It was a race packed with close calls, tactical flying, and plenty of excitement. A finish that’ll be talked about for a long time to come.

Let's take a look at the official results: