Duxford 2004,
MAFVA Nationals and Military Vehicle Day

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  No matter how many times I visit, I always enjoy a visit to the Imperial War Museums' excellent site at Duxford in Cambridgeshire. August 8 2004 saw them host not only their annual Military Vehicle day, and a celebration of Rolls Royce Engines but it was also host to this years annual "National" competition for, the Model Armoured Fighting Vehicle Association (MAFVA). This means a large marquee holding the competition area along with club displays and model traders. Outside were a few more trade stalls, along with the enthusiastic owners of many privately owned military vehicles who visit for the day, and this year the largest number of Rolls Roce cars I have ever seen, gathered together and parked side by side across a field. There must have been a couple of hundred of them.
  With additional displays from a Hurricane and Spitfire XVIII being flown as well, this really was a good day out. Actually I would say one of the best Military Vehicle days we have seen at Duxford for a few years now. Not only were there more visitors with their privately owned MVs, but the driving dispplay in the arena was much greater than has been the cse for the last couple of years, as it went on for much of the day.
Once again the IWM played host the the National competitions for MAFVA, who had a large marquee located close to the museums Land Warfare Hall. I'm not going to say much more here as there will be coverage in the magazine and just make room here for some photos.
Just one additional point to make is to draw your attention to a large new model diorama at the museum. Made over the last couple of years by the London Branch of MAFVA, a large Normandy diorama was formally handed over, and is now on permanent display within the Land Warfare Hall. Depicting British Army units advancing through the Normandy countryside it really does look superb. In a large perspex case the lighting makes it awkward to photograph but I would urge you to go along and look ut for it while you visit Duxford, it should give yu pleanty of inspiration. Well done to all those involved in the construction project.
Specifically for modellers, thanks go to Paul Middleton and the others of Cambridge MAFVA who organised all the details for traders, visiting clubs and all the other things that go into putting on this show at such an ideal venue. With many well known traders having stands, including Accurate Armour, BW Models, CMSC, Convoy, Blitzkrieg Models, LSA Models, and many others too numerous to mention, along with club displays from the different MAFVA areas, and these seem to get better and better each year. Somewhere in the middle of all this are the competition tables. Outside, a few other traders were on hand.
 
   
   
©Robin Buckland, 2004