THOUSANDS of families brought their dads for a very special day out at IWM Duxford’s Military Vehicle Show today (Sunday 16 June).

Cambs Times: Military vehicles on display at DuxfordMilitary vehicles on display at Duxford (Image: Archant)

Visitors experienced a wide range of Second World War re-enactment groups in a living history village.

Cambs Times: Military vehicles on display at DuxfordMilitary vehicles on display at Duxford (Image: Archant)

They also chatted to group members about all aspects of Second World War ground warfare.

Cambs Times: Living history groups demonstrate how Second World War British troops would have prepared for deployment.Living history groups demonstrate how Second World War British troops would have prepared for deployment. (Image: Archant)

The living history groups also presented dynamic demonstrations, showing an airborne forces church parade.

Cambs Times: Star of the show, 1918 Vauxhall Motors staff car, as seen in the film War Horse.Star of the show, 1918 Vauxhall Motors staff car, as seen in the film War Horse. (Image: Archant)

They also showed how British and US airborne forces prepared for deployment during the Second World War.

The Normandy vignette took visitors back to Normandy during the Second World War, where British troops were using an abandoned German truck as a staging post for further operations.

Second World War Arnhem veteran Sergeant Edward ‘Johnny’ Peters made his way to the pop-up Wheatsheaf Pub, run by the Glosters (6th Airborne Battlefield Replacements) Living History Group.

He shared a pint of wartime beer with Parachute Regiment veterans.

Johnny served with the Airborne Infantry and was transported into battle by glider as part of the 1st Battalion the Border Regiment.

He is a veteran of Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, and Operation Market Garden, the allied airborne assault at Arnhem in September 1944.

Visitors were able to get up close to hundreds of military vehicles of all shapes and sizes, from motorcycles to jeeps, ambulances to huge trucks and tanks.

These included a 1918 Vauxhall Motors staff car which was used in the film War Horse.

At 2pm, many of the military vehicles sprang into life to take place in the military vehicle cavalcade along the runway.

Visitors were also able to take a peek at military vehicles being restored in the Duxford Aviation Society Military Vehicle Wing workshop and could also take a ride in a tank themselves!

A Duxford spokesman said: “It was a great day out for dad and all the family!”