A BRISTOL Blenheim light bomber is returning to its former home for the first time in more than 70 years as part of the Flywheel Festival at Bicester Heritage.

The Bristol Blenheim was based at RAF Bicester – now Bicester Heritage – during the Second World War and was believed to have been the first British aircraft to cross the German coast in 1939.

The Flywheel Festival, on June 20 and 21, will let visitors view the Bristol Blenheim alongside other original aircraft, including a WW2 Spitfire fighter.

Flying group The Great War Display Team is planning a display to recreate a First World War dogfight using a Sopwith Triplane, two Fokker DR-1 Triplanes – as flown by the Red Baron Manfred von Richthofen – and a de Havilland DH.2.

Flywheel spokesman Stephen Slater said: “It’s a chance to literally see, hear and, to some extent, touch some historic motoring machinery on the airfield, which was the centre of operations for the type during World War Two.”

At the start of the Second World War, the RAF had more than 1,000 Blenheims.

The last one flew from Bicester in 1944.

Duncan Wiltshire, managing director of event organisers Historic Promotions, said: “The Flywheel Festival celebrates the three parallel themes of motoring, aviation and military endeavour, with attractions covering the Great War, inter-war and WW2, and the early post-war eras.”

Alongside the aircraft, the event will feature vintage motor-racing cars, including classics from Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin and the Jaguar C-Type.

Mr Slater said: “The event won’t have any crash barriers like there are at a race now; it’ll be like watching a motoring event at Silverstone in the old days.”

The motor-racing vehicles have been chosen to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the legendary Mille Miglia motor race in Italy.

Bicester Heritage took on the former RAF base in April 2013 to help preserve the First World War and Second World War site and create the UK’s only business park for historic motoring and aviation. Contractor Beard is in the process of restoring the old buildings at the site and last month revealed nearly a quarter of the base’s 60 buildings had been completed.

* Tickets on the gate for the Flywheel Festival are £30 for adults, £10 for children, with under 5s going free and free parking. For more information, visit flywheelfestival.com