Archive for January, 2012

Head of the French Air Force to be Vice President of Yorkshire Air Museum

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

It was announced today that General Jean-Paul Paloméros, Chief of the French Air Force has become a Vice President of the Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial.The General joins Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of the Royal Air Force in this role, as well as the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu; RAF historian, author and Daily Telegraph columnist Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork and TV celebrity Jan Leeming, who recently accepted the same invitation, in this ‘ambassadorial’ role in support of the work of the Memorial to preserve the memory of allied servicemen and women. This is the first time that the Heads of two Air Forces have ever come together as Vice Presidents for a Museum.

Born in Paris in 1953, General Paloméros became the 49th Chief of Staff of the French Air Force on 25 August 2009. He gained his flying wings in 1976 and holds the Grand Officer de la Legion d’Honneur, Officer de l’Orde National Mérite and Médaille de l’Aeronautique. His Battle Honours include Operation Crécerelle and Operation Deny Flight. He was involved “on the ground” in Libya in support of the highly effective Anglo-French air operations.

In his letter, General Paloméros expressed his enjoyment of his recent visit to York for the Inauguration of the French Memorial at York Minster on 20th October last year, and that it was his great pleasure to accept this Honorary role for the Allied Air Forces Memorial.

Museum Director, Ian Reed said, “We are delighted that the French Air Force have honoured us in this way, which underlines the close aviation links between our two countries and the important significance of the work of the Allied Air Forces Memorial. The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial is one of the largest museum memorials of its type in Europe. It is located at Elvington near York and was the former base of the only two French Heavy Bomber squadrons within RAF Bomber Command.”

www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

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IWM Duxford announces air shows for 2012

Monday, January 16th, 2012

We are delighted to announce that tickets for the 2012 IWM Duxford air shows are now on sale.Following another exciting air show season in 2011, we now look ahead to a fabulous year of unforgettable flying displays.

We’ve got a fantastic value Early Bird offer running until the end of February 2012 and we’ve also got a very special ticket offer in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Jubilee Air Show
Sunday 27May

Celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in style, The Jubilee Air Show brings together historic and contemporary aircraft fromthe past 60 years and beyond. Enjoy a fantastic display fit for royalty.

Jubilee Air Show Ticket Offer

To mark 60 years of the Queen’s reign, we are offering Senior visitors (aged 60 plus) a free ticket for the Jubilee Air Show when a full price adult or senior ticket is purchased. This offer is on advance ticket purchases only; it cannot be used on the day of the event. 

Flying Legends

Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July

Flying Legends – two words which instantly evoke the very best of classic aircraft displaying at IWM Duxford in one of the world’s most celebrated air shows. The Fighter Collection and IWM Duxford are proud to present Flying Legends 2012 – another unmissable fusion of power, sounds and nostalgia.

Please note that the Early Bird offer does not apply to Flying Legends (Saturday 30 June and
Sunday 1 July)

The Fighter Collection and IWM Duxford are delighted to offer a range of hospitality offers for this year’s unmissable Flying Legends event. Full details of the packages will be revealed in the Flying Legends press release issued shortly. 

The Duxford Air Show
Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September

The Duxford Air Show is the highlight of IWMDuxford’s calendar of flying events. In an outstanding aerial spectacle, the very best historic andmodern aircraft display in the skies over this famous airfield. Featuring civilian andmilitary aircraft, The Duxford Air Show always presents a fantastically varied programme with some distinctive and popular flying performances.

Autumn Air Show
Sunday 14 October

Closing the air show season for 2012, the Autumn Air Show presents a thrilling aerodynamic show with a relaxed, end-of-season atmosphere. Featuring aircraft past and present, the Autumn Air Show offers a fine selection of aerial demonstrations with something for all aviation interests.

Early Bird Offer

We’re offering a fabulous early bird discount of 15%on IWM Duxford 2012 air show tickets. The Early Bird offer is available untilWednesday 29 February 2012. After this date, the normal advance purchase discount of 10% applies.

Tickets can be purchased online at iwm.org.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01223 499353. The Box Office is open Monday to Friday from9.30amto 4.30pm. There is no booking fee but a postage and packing fee applies per transaction.

Please note that these offers do not apply to Flying Legends (Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July 2012).

Advance tickets will be available until:

The Jubilee Air Show

For overseas postal delivery – 5.00pm on Friday 11 May
For UK postal delivery – 5.00pm on Wednesday 16 May

The Duxford Air Show
For overseas postal delivery – 5.00pm on Friday 24 August
For UK postal delivery – 5.00pm on Wednesday 29 August

Autumn Air Show
For overseas postal delivery – 5.00pm on Friday 28 September

For UK postal delivery – 5.00pm on Wednesday 3 October
Please call the Box Office on 01223 499353 should you require further assistance.

VIP Packages for The Duxford Air Show

Enjoy a very special air show experience with our range of hospitality passes which offer the best seats in the house at The Duxford Air Show (Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September 2012).

Our Platinum Pass offers seats at the heart of the flying action, together with access to a sumptuous hospitality marquee where you can enjoy a delectable two-course lunch before enjoying a thrilling flying display fromthe comfort of a private garden enclosure. PlatinumPass is perfect for corporate entertaining or a special family celebration.

Gold Pass offers relaxed entertaining at its best. Enjoy a fine view of the flying action and access to a fully equipped hospitality marquee.

Choose to dine fromour in-house Gourmet Deli Bar or bring your own picnic lunch and relax in comfort as you watch the flying display fromthe heart of the flight line.

New for 2012, Silver Pass has been created especially with families in mind. Enjoy all the atmosphere and activities that the air show has to offer fromthe convenience of the Silver Passmarquee. There will be special children’s activities to entertain all the family and a refreshment point selling drinks and snacks.

Book your Gold or Silver Pass tickets beforeWednesday 29 February 2012 and enjoy £5 off the standard ticket price.

Tickets can be purchased online at iwm.org.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01223 499353. The Box Office is open Monday to Friday from9.30amto 4.30pm.

Join us for a thrilling season of air shows in 2012 – the sky’s the limit for exciting aerial entertainment!

www.iwm.org.uk

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The Glove Fits for RAF Photo Competition Winners

Sunday, January 15th, 2012

The winning images from the annual Royal Air Force Photographic Competition will be on view to members of the public at the RAF Museum London from 15th January 2012.

The Royal Air Force is celebrating the superb achievements of its photographers following the judging of the annual RAF Photographic Competition. The winning entries are to be displayed at a unique exhibition at the RAF Museum in North London which opens on 15th January.

Subject categories range from ‘The Operational Experience’, an image that reflects the Royal Air Force conducting vital work on operations or training in support of operations, through to the ‘Equipment’ category which gives photographers the exciting opportunity to display their skill photographing the Service’s world-class equipment. The 2011 RAF Public Relations Photograph of the year was taken by Sgt Pete Mobbs of RAF Coningsby. His photograph ‘If the Glove Fits’ captured a 3 Squadron Pilot climbing into the cock-pit of a Royal Air Force Typhoon operating from Gioia del Colle in Italy in support of Operation Unified Protector, as part of the NATO-led, UN-mandated coalition to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 calling upon coalition forces to successfully protect the people of Libya from attacks made upon them by the regime of the late Colonel Gadaffi.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton presented the winners with their awards. He said ‘The competition entries this year are once again of the highest quality and showcase not only the professional abilities of our Royal Air Force Photographers but also the tremendous diversity and adaptability of our people and equipment. These dynamic images reflect the extensive breadth of Service life and the critical contribution that our personnel have made to global operations, in particular our support to operations in both Libya and Afghanistan.’

For 22 years, the Royal Air Force has held a photographic competition in recognition of the skills and high standard of work of their trained photographers and to highlight that the Royal Air Force remains a global force and is on operations around the world. The Royal Air Force’s successful mission in Libya alongside its continued commitments to operations in Afghanistan, the Falkland Islands, and the continued protection of UK air-space provided significant subject matter for RAF photographers during 2011.

Consequently, a large number of the entries in this year’s competition reflect the broad range of operational and pre-deployment training activities that are undertaken by the Service: such as Chinook and Merlin helicopters that provide essential mobility, moving personnel and equipment and undertaking medical evacuations crewed by Royal Air Force medical teams; those aircraft necessary for the successful supply of UK forces abroad; and the mission critical protection provided by the RAF Regiment.

Warrant Officer Mick Gladwin, who is responsible for the Photographic Trade Group said:” Royal Air Force Photographers have superb technical ability and take great pride in their work. As reflected in the entries this year, they strive to achieve the highest standards in areas as diverse as aerial reconnaissance, portraiture and video as well as completing tasks in support of the police, post crash management, engineering, medical and dental branches in their day-to-day duties.”

In excess of 900 images were entered in the competition which made the selection of winners extremely difficult. Judging this year was conducted by Air Cdre (Ret’d) Barry Doggett, Mr Andy Whittle (Retired Warrant Officer Photographer), Mr Colin Inglis Commercial Business Manager for Jacobs Digital.

All were unanimous in their appreciation of the very high standard, quality and diversity of work produced by both Service and civilian photographers.

The photographs will be on display in the RAF Museum, electronically beamed onto glass screens located in the ‘RAF Today’ area of the Milestones of Flight Gallery. The exhibition will be on show at the Museum’s London site until 15th April when it will then transfer to the Museum’s Cosford’s site in Shropshire.

Entry to the Royal Air Force Photographer of the Year Exhibition is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. The exhibition will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until April 15th. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266.

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RAF Museum Cosford Events Diary 2012

Sunday, January 15th, 2012

 Forthcoming events taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford during 2012:

· Model Making Half Term – 13th-17th February

· Shropshire Modellers’ Show – 1st April

· Bike 4 Life Easter Egg Run – 1st April

· Cold War Trail – 1st-15th April

· 60th Anniversary of the Comets 1st Passenger Flight – 2nd May

· Open Cockpits Evening – 19th May

· National Service (RAF) Association Parade – 20th May

· Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations – 2nd June

· Half Term Diamond Activities – 2nd-10th June

· RAF Cosford Air Show (Admission Charges Apply) – 17th June

· Armed Forces Day – 30th June

· Bike 4 Life Summer Run – 1st July

· August Activities – 1st-31st August

· Exclusive Gala Ball – 8th September

· Battle of Britain Weekend – 15th – 16th September

· Open Cockpits Evening – 22nd September

· 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis – 15th October

· Search and Rescue Half Term – 22nd-26th October

· Remembrance Service – 11th November

· Conservation Centre Open Week – 12th-17th November

More details on each event will be issued closer to the time. (Provisional list of events, dates maybe subject to change)

For further information on forthcoming events taking place at the RAF Museum Cosford in 2012, please contact the Museum on 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org. The Museum is open daily from 10am. Entry to the Museum is FREE.

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