MAGNIFICENT men in their flying machines took to the air over the weekend to entertain aeroplane fanatics.

The Real Aeroplane Museum, at Breighton Aerodrome, near Bubwith, hosted a two-day aeroplane spectacular, enjoyed by guests of all ages.

About 4,000 visitors marvelled at wing walkers and displays of aerobatic flying, while pilots re-enacted the early barnstorming days of flying, with tests of skill involving flour bombing, spot landings, streamer cutting and balloon bursting.

Among more than 40 full-size vintage aircrafts, was one of the UKs four 1944 Hawker Hurricane aircraft.

Also spreading its wings was the Flying Flea, a 1932 French plane, previously banned from flying because so many pilots were killed while trying to fly it, and the 1936 Aeronca, dubbed the "flying bathtub" because of its shape.

Show organiser Tony Smith, said the weather had been kind and everything had been able to fly.

Mr Smith said: "The event has been fantastic and extraordinarily busy. It's a nice, lazy sort of day, with people sitting around having picnics and enjoying the ambience of old aeroplanes."

Updated: 10:16 Monday, July 28, 2003