The Alvis Owner Club is set to honour World War Two fighter ace Douglas Bader by displaying two of the pilot’s former cars on its stand at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, which takes place at the NEC from 11-13 November.
The club will embrace the show theme of Heroes and Heroines to celebrate one of the marque’s most famous owners. A 1954 TC21/100 Drop Head Coupé Grey Lady will be put on show along with a TE21.
Bader had a lifelong association with Alvis, also owning a brace of TD21s and remaining loyal to the firm until well after the end of production.
As a member of the club, Bader participated at the National Alvis Day in 1972, where he led the cavalcade to Crystal Palace alongside JJ Parkes, then chairman and managing director of the firm.
In addition to the ex-Bader examples, the club will also be showcasing a 1958 Graber TC108G, which was first owned by Madame Ceppi of Leon Fresard from Switzerland, two Speed 20s, a Charlesworth drophead and a Vanden Plas two-door saloon.
Greg MacLeman is a contributor to and former Features Editor of Classic & Sports Car, and drives a restored and uprated 1974 Triumph 2500TC