London Luton Airport (LLA) and Cadets from the 10F Luton Squadron Air Training Corps (ATC) have celebrated VE Day by welcoming a classic Miles Magister aircraft to the airport.  

The two-seat Miles Magister, a key training aircraft for the Royal Air Force during the 1930s and 1940s, flew into LLA from nearby Shuttleworth Aerodrome. 

The arrival of the Miles Magister, affectionally known as the ‘Maggie’, provided an opportunity to recreate a memorable photograph from the airport’s past*, depicting local ATC Cadets alongside the aircraft at LLA, a Royal Air Force base during the Second World War.  

Neil Thompson, Chief Operations Officer at London Luton Airport, commented: “The original image of the Miles Magister at LLA captured an important period in the airport’s rich history and it was a pleasure to welcome the Cadets from 10F Luton Squadron to recreate such a magical moment. LLA has been on quite a journey since the photo was taken, from opening as a small airfield in 1938 to its position as a thriving airport, welcoming millions of passengers each year. We are extremely proud of the airport’s past and it was an honour to have this opportunity to pay tribute to the Second World War generation in this way.”  

The plane was flown to the airport by Scott Butler, an easyJet pilot based at LLA, and a volunteer pilot at Shuttleworth.

Scott commented: “The opportunity to fly the Miles Magister from Shuttleworth to London Luton Airport was simply too good to miss. I started my flying as an Air Cadet before serving in the Royal Air Force, so flying the Maggie has many links for me. The Cadets were a pleasure to meet and we were thrilled that they were all as enthusiastic about the aircraft as their predecessors from all those years ago.” 

Charlemagne Kirk, one of the visiting Cadets, added: “We all feel immensely privileged to have been invited to get a close look at a working Miles Magister and for the opportunity to come together with London Luton Airport and Shuttleworth to recreate such an important moment from 10F Luton Squadron history.”

VE Day will also see 1940s vocal harmony trio, The Femmes, entertaining passengers at LLA with their vintage repertoire that includes songs from artists such as Vera Lynn and The Andrews Sisters. 

The Miles Magister will be on display at the Shuttleworth Military Air Show on 31 May 2025. 

-Ends- 

* credit: Culture Trust Luton

About London Luton Airport

London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of the UK’s busiest airports, carrying over 16.7 million passengers in 2024. The airport is operated by a consortium, of which the majority shareholder is AENA, the world’s largest airport operator, and InfraBridge, a leading infrastructure investment manager. Airlines include easyJet, Wizz Air, Jet2 (flights begin from April 2025) Ryanair, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express and El Al.

The Luton Airport Express is a dedicated train service that allows passengers to travel from central London to the LLA terminal in around 30 minutes. The Luton Airport Express runs from St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway station and connects seamlessly with the DART, an electrically powered people mover that connects to the airport terminal in less than four minutes.

Last year, LLA was named European Airport of the Year (10-25 million passengers) by ACI EUROPE. 

In 2023, LLA also became only the third major UK airport to achieve Level 4 of the globally recognised Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme, demonstrating that it is ‘transforming its operations to achieve carbon reductions in line with global climate goals’. With a maximum score of 100 and a five-star rating, LLA has been ranked as a sector leader for three consecutive years in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) benchmark of sustainability governance management and performance of major infrastructure assets worldwide.

To learn about the progress London Luton Airport is making across its sustainability programme please click here.

Further information on London Luton Airport can be found here: https://www.london-luton.co.uk/

About Shuttleworth

Shuttleworth is a year-round visitor attraction in Bedfordshire, comprised of:
The Shuttleworth Collection – a treasure trove of airworthy vintage aircraft from 1909-1950, agricultural and steam exhibits, veteran cars, classic motorcycles, bicycles and vintage buses, and Swiss Garden – a Regency Garden in the ‘Swiss Picturesque’ or ‘Alpine’ style, an RHS partner garden forming part of the Grade II registered park of Old Warden. The site features the Runway Café and a gift shop. Shuttleworth House primarily hosts conferences and business events and is a very popular wedding venue. Shuttleworth hosts a range of events throughout the year from Air Shows to steam fayres, and so much more, as well as regular educational and group visits. The site is also home to the Shuttleworth Veteran Aeroplane Society and The Friends of The Swiss Garden. 

About The Shuttleworth Trust

The Shuttleworth Trust – a registered charity: 307534 – was set up to honour the life and legacy of Richard Ormonde Shuttleworth, a keen aviator, racing driver and horse racer, who was tragically killed in 1940 during a night training exercise for the RAF. 

Contact Details:

London Luton Airport – PR agency:
E: LLA@tinmancomms.com

London Luton Airport Press Office
T: 01582 395333
E: pressoffice@ltn.aero

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/08052025/maggie-returns-lla-restores-history-on-the-tarmac