Archive for January, 2011

Airscene 2012 Calendar Competition

Sunday, January 30th, 2011

This years Calendar Competition is now officially open!

Discussions are now taking place with prospective sponsors, and I am hoping to begin making announcements with regard to prize allocation within the next few weeks. The competition is open each year before the prizes start rolling in as early bird interest helps with sponsorship. So if you have a photograph taken at an airshow last season you may of course enter it into this years competition as one of your two permitted entries. You second entry however MUST be taken during the 2011 Airshow season.

There is a single small change to the rules for this year; all entries submitted must be in the 2 * 1 landscape format – vertical or square formats will be rejected. This change is brought about by the need to ensure all entries are judged on the same basis, and not to expect judges to decide if there is a suitable crop within an entry.

Prize allocation is expected to be the same as last year e.g. 1st, 2nd and 3rd, with 3 runner up places. Please ensure to read all rules before submission.

Good Luck, and I look forward to receiving your entries.

 
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RAF Museum to display City Hall Blitz Exhibition

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

The Blitz, the aerial bombing campaign on London during the Second World War ran from 7th of September to 11th May 1941. During this period 50,000 bombs and millions of incendiary devices fell on the city bringing death and destruction to London’s civilian population. In total 30,000 Londoners were killed, entire communities destroyed and countless thousands left homeless.

To commemorate this turbulent period in the capital’s history the Mayor of London has specially commissioned an exhibition on the 70th anniversary of the London Blitz dedicated to those individuals involved in the emergency, volunteer, transport and specialist services who kept London going during the darkest days of the War. Previously displayed at City Hall, this exhibition will now transfer to the Royal Air Force Museum London where it will be on view to the public, free of charge, from 1st February until the end of May.

Central to this exhibition are the iconic war-time images and histories from the collections of various London organisations, each of which vividly portray the story of London’s people, their Blitz Spirit and determination. These rare and poignant images are provided courtesy of London Transport Museum, the Museum of London, the Metropolitan Police Historical Collection, the Fire Brigade Museum, London Ambulance Service, Barts and London NHS and the Royal Pioneer Corps Association. Each brings alive the story of a capital bowed but not broken and of a people quietly resolved to keep calm and carry on with their daily lives in the face of terrible war-time deprivation.

Ian Thirsk, Head of Collections at the Royal Air Force Museum, stated:

‘I would like to thank the Mayor’s Office and City Hall for granting the Royal Air Force Museum the opportunity of showcasing this exhibition during this 70th anniversary year of the London Blitz. We are particularly honoured to display this collaborative effort, from so many of the capital’s organisations, which narrates the story of how they were central to the on-going delivery of vital public services during late 1940 and early 1941.’ 

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson welcomed the exhibition being shown at the RAF Museum: ‘We must never forget the bravery and dogged determination of the men and women who battled to keep London going in the face of a terrifying and unremitting bombardment which sought to destroy our great city during the Blitz. This tremendous spirit and resilience remain at the very heart of the capital and we owe a huge debt of gratitude and respect to all those who helped secure London’s future.’

Entry to the ‘London Blitz 70th Anniversary Exhibition’ is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. It will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until Tuesday 31st May in the Museum’s Bomber Hall. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266. If you would like to learn more about the Blitz, the Museum has produced a podcast on this topic which may be accessed at www.rafmuseum.org/podcasts.


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Airscene Photobook Discount

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

From now until the 31st January the Airscene Photobook has been discounted to just £20.95 (down from £24.95) for the softback and £27.95 for the hardback version.

With 80 full colour pages and premium matte paper this book makes a great addition to your coffee table.

Also take advantage of Blurb’s FREE flat-rate shipping (until the end of January) and delivery times of around 1 week.

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1819566

Air Displays 2010 Photobook

Saturday, January 15th, 2011

Airscene airshow reviewer Dave Briers has released a new 40 page volume entitled Air Displays 2010.

The full colour, vibrant images were captured with Nikon cameras and lenses and the author has used the high-res originals, throughout, for sharpness and clarity.

The book can be ordered in 1 of 3 different covers – and if you want something really special, you can specify the new Premium Paper with a lustre finish – ideally suited to showing the high quality images at their very best.

The softcover version is priced at just £12.95 and with free flat-rate shipping until the end of January I feel the value speaks for itself.

 

Tin Hats and Football Boots

Saturday, January 15th, 2011

On January 22nd the Royal Air Force Museum London will be unveiling its latest temporary display ‘Tin Hats and Football Boots’. This display explores the contribution made by various members of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal Football Clubs to the Royal Air Force and Air Raid Precautions during the Second World War whilst examining how important regular competitive football was to the upkeep of the capital’s morale.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, the world of football changed. Hostilities affected clubs in every league all over the country. The Football League was suspended and then re-instated in a new guise with many professional players joining the armed services and being called upon as ‘guest’ players by clubs near their billets.

North London rivals, and RAF Hendon’s major local clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur found themselves sharing Spur’s ground at White Hart Lane; Arsenal’s Highbury ground having been requisitioned by the government as an ARP centre.

Not only did these two neighbouring giants have to work together to ensure that both teams catered for their fans but also that they did so through the provision of nail-biting and stimulating games, quite often without the key players or support staff who had been so central to each team’s success before the War.

Ellen Soall, football fan and Curator of the display said:

‘ It was only whilst conducting research into local history for a Museum project that I realized how integral both Clubs were to London’s war effort. For 90 minutes both players and spectators could escape the horror of war and life would, for a brief period, assume an air of normality – all important for maintaining morale and a reminder of more peaceful times.

The aim of this display is to highlight the hidden history of both clubs. Success should not only be measured by the amount of silverware in trophy cabinets but also by the contribution made by football to the war effort.

My thanks go to the following people for their assistance: Samir Singh (Arsenal Football Club), Andy Porter (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club), Peter Cooper and the RAF FA and finally the Abelheim family for use of family photographs. ‘

Entry to ‘Tin Hats and Football Boots’ is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. It will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until Monday 4th July in the Museum’s Historic Hangars. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266.