Rich Howlett was at Pistons & Props at Sywell Airfield and brings us this report.

Glorious late September weather saw thousands pour through the gates for the annual two day all-action Sywell Pistons & Props weekend of high octane displays.

Whatever your preference, whether two-wheel or four, on the ground or in the air, the action kept coming thick and fast. On display saw my own 2017 triple award winning Lotus Seven-inspired Hardtop Coupé development with Patrick Morgan’s race-winning Penske PC23 Indy 500 racecar as driven by former F1 World Champion and Indy 500 race winner Emerson Fittipaldi.

Trophy winners – Rich Howlett’s Lotus Seven-inspired Hardtop Coupé (right) with Patrick Morgan’s Penske PC 23 Indy Racecar, as driven in period by Emerson Fittipaldi, took home the pot-ware.

Fielding a three-car team of Fittipaldi, Tracy and Al Unser Jr, the secretly developed and groundbreaking Penske PC23 / Ilmor Indy Car in its familiar Marlboro livery is possibly the most legendary and iconic racecar (nicknamed ‘The Beast’) to ever enter and win the Indy 500.

Alongside, stood a trio of race bikes raced in period by Kevin Schwantz, Troy Bayliss and Casey Stoner.

Karting legends exhibiting at the event saw an impressive line-up of 250 Superkarts liveried up to represent and recreate Roger Goff’s, Tim Parrott’s and Martin Hines’ championship winning outfits. These karts would reach top speeds of 165mph. Impressive stuff when you realise that a fifty pence piece stood on its edge on the circuit would touch the bottom of the seat.

Earth-shattering Lola T70 takes to the Sywell Airfield runway.  

The Breitling Wingwalkers performed two breathtaking displays on both days of absolute nerve and precision flying in their Boeing Stearman biplanes. Chatting with the wing walking girls before the display both Gina and Katie are new to this and in their first year with the Breitling team, having both fancied a career change from working as an estate agent and a florist. Before their display, both girls and pilots walk through their manoeuvres on the ground before taking to the biplanes when the girls strap themselves into their main harnesses for take off already on the wing. To finish the display both girls release their main harnesses to sit on the front of the wing before moving to the back to perform a signature Eros pose.

Crikey, you’ll never get me up in that! – Big respect to the Breitling Wingwalkers