7th April 2013
10.00am – 4.00pm
FREE entry

Modelling fans from across the Midlands are invited to attend one of the region’s largest modelling events, taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Sunday 7th April 2013. Nestled amongst a world-class collection of aircraft and military vehicles, thousands of intricately detailed models will be displayed alongside many of the real aircraft for the annual Shropshire Model Show.

This year Airfix will be attending the show and launching their brand new 1:72 Lancaster model kits, which go on sale for the first time worldwide to visitors at the Shropshire Modellers’ Show. A specially commissioned display, including 19 Airfix model Lancaster’s, a Wellington bomber, and Photo Reconnaissance Spitfire, depicting the Dambusters Raid will be a focal point at the show. These have been kindly donated by Airfix and built by members of the Shropshire Modellers’ Club. This bespoke Dambusters diorama will remain on display at the Museum throughout April and May, marking the 70th Anniversary of the Dambusters Raid.

Darrell Burge, Airfix and Humbrol Marketing Manager says:

“We’re very excited to be at this show, especially as it gives us the chance to show off our new Dambuster Lancaster model to the public for the first time. It’s always great to work with the RAF Museum Cosford, and this is no exception. We’ll have other new Airfix products on show, alongside new products from our sister brand Humbrol as well.”

With everything any dedicated modeller could want or need, all in one place, thousands of visitors are expected to attend the one day show. More than 80 modelling clubs from across the UK will be exhibiting their pint sized models which have taken hours of dedication to perfect. Plus, it’s not just models of aircraft that will be on show, there will be hundreds of cars, bikes, trucks and science fiction items including Dr Who and Star Wars.

In excess of 40 traders will be selling a range of modelling materials and kits to suit modellers of all ability’s, from young children who are just discovering their passion for modelling, right through to the avid modellers who have been building kits for many years. There will be everything from plastic kits in various sizes along with glues, paints and other detailed sets available to purchase on the day.

Event organiser, Gary Stevens Secretary of the Shropshire Scale Modellers and The International
Plastic Modellers Society says:

“I am particularly delighted that, for the first time in the history of this show, the world famous kit manufacturer AIRFIX and their sister brand HUMBROL will be in attendance, along with the person who creates their box art.

This year the show will feature a special Dambuster anniversary display featuring 1/72nd scale models of all 19 Lancasters that took part in that famous raid, and I thank Darrell Burge for providing us with the kits. There will also be a model of the Wellington Bomber which carried out the trials for the famous bouncing bomb, the Spitfire which carried out reconnaissance sorties before and after the raid, and some anti-aircraft guns to show what the aircrew were up against.

The show will also feature many other models from exhibitors and traders who travel from all over the country to be with us. With the show getting bigger every year it really is a great family day out.”

To make reaching the Museum even easier, organisers have introduced a free park and ride for the day to cope with the additional visitors. The show will be open to the public from 10am until 4pm and entry to the show is free of charge.

For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.

This summer will see the Royal International Air Tattoo unveil a package of initiatives designed to make the world’s greatest airshow even more enjoyable for the thousands of people who flock to the Cotswolds each year for this unique celebration of aviation.

New Visitor Service Stations, themed areas and a variety of other enhancements in the showground are being introduced to ensure that all the thrilling aerial action is matched by an equally-enjoyable customer experience on the ground.

Visitors to the Air Tattoo, which takes place on July 20-21, will be invited to try out three new Service Stations, which have been designed to bring together everything needed for a great day out including food courts, free wi-fi hubs, information booths, toilets, official merchandise outlets, banking services, street entertainment, seating and a shaded area providing cover.

Organisers believe improved signage on the showground, greater access to aircraft, participating pilots/aircrew and new enclosure opportunities will add further to people’s enjoymentwhilst at RAF Fairford.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Tim Prince said many of the initiatives have been introduced in response to feedback from visitors who said that with so much happening in the air and on the ground during the day it was a challenge to take in all that was happening and where everything was.

Mr Prince said: “Of course the aircraft are the stars of the show but we also recognise that the showground’s a big area and there’s lots going on over the weekendso it can be a bit daunting. We started bygathering together many of the facilities people useduring the day into three strategically-located Service Stations.

“We’ve also extended the range of catering options in these areas so visitors can now enjoy vegetarian and Asian cuisine – plus deli bars – alongside the traditional burger and fish & chip options.

“We’ve looked at everything we do in terms of delivering customer satisfaction from the journey to the airshow, the event itself and the departure phase. We’re confident visitors will welcome the enhancements we’ve introduced.”

July will also see the Air Tattoo unveil three new entertainment zones on the showground: the Techno Zone, the Toys For Boys Zone and the Vintage Village each offering a range of exciting ground-based attractions and hands’ on activities courtesy of leading brands such as Caterham and Animal.

Mr Prince said: “Most people knowthatour event isone of the greatest aviation spectacles in the world but there is so much more to the Air Tattoo experiencethan just that – and this summer we’re going to prove it!”

The Royal International Air Tattoo takes place at RAF Fairford on July 20-21. Special Earlybird tickets, priced from £35, are available until April 4. All under-16s go free. Free parking.For a full list of all the visitor opportunities and to purchase tickets, visit www.airtattoo.com or call 0800 107 1940.

The RAF Cosford 75th Anniversary Air Show is pleased to confirm the attendance of the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight to the event on Sunday 9th June.

The BBMF preserves the heritage of much loved RAF World War II aircraft and stands as a poignant reminder of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in conflict. The Memorial Flight consist of Spitfire, Hurricane, Dakota and Lancaster aircraft, all of which are scheduled to make their way to RAF Cosford as flying and static displays on the 9th June and will be sure to perform an awe inspiring display.

In addition to the RAF BBMF, Cosford will welcome back an old friend of the Station in the form of civilian owned Spitfire PRXI serial number PL965. Built at the Aldermaston factory in mid-1944 as a photo reconnaissance aircraft, she was designed to operate at high altitudes of over 30,000ft as well as at high speeds in excess of 400 mph. She was allocated to No.9 Maintenance Unit, RAF Cosford on 1st October 1944 for installation of service equipment and the Air Show is delighted to welcome her back this year as part of the packed flying programme.

Air show spokesman Ashley Claber-Aikman said: “We are extremely pleased that the BBMF are joining us for this year’s anniversary event. One of our key themes for the show is celebrating the 75 years since the introduction of the Spitfire and having so many here along with the majority of the BBMF will really be something special and a delight for our visitors.”

Visitors to the event will have the opportunity to marvel at the historic icons, alongside a number of current RAF aircraft including the Typhoon, Tucano and the famous RAF Red Arrows, during the flying display lasting over 5 hours. The organisers this year have also introduced several new hospitality enclosures for the 2013 Air Show aimed to enhance the visitor’s experience. For details of the range of packages on offer to suit all requirements and budgets, please visit the air show website www.cosfordairshow.co.uk.

All profits made from the RAF Cosford Air Show are donated to service and local charities.

Air show tickets can be purchased online at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk or by calling the 24-hour ticket line on 0871 230 1083. Advance tickets are priced from £20, representing a 20 per cent discount on tickets bought on the day (£25). There’s FREE car parking and FREE admission for all under-16s accompanied by an adult.

RAF Cosford’s 75th Anniversary Air Show is pleased to announce the confirmed attendance of the RAF Tucano and Typhoon display teams to the event on Sunday 9th June.

The 2013 RAF Typhoon display team is brought to you this year by 29(R) Squadron based at RAF Coningsby and will continue to wow crowds with their impressive display of force and grace. 29(R) Squadron will undertake the entire 2013 display season throughout the UK and beyond. The squadron is responsible for the training of future RAF Typhoon pilots that began their advanced flying training on the Tucano aircraft.

Now a regular in the display season, the RAF Tucano aerobatic display never fails to surprise and impress visitors with its capability and agility given its purpose of training student aircrew. For 2013 the Tucano Display team has decided to commemorate the 70th anniversary of 72 Squadron’s involvement in North Africa in support of the Tunisian campaign during World War II. During this period, 72 Squadron flew a selection of Supermarine Spitfires including Mk VIII and Mk IX variants, which ties into the over-arching theme of this year’s RAF Cosford Air Show.

Air show spokesman, Flight Ops Manager Master Aircrew Chas McHugh said: “We are delighted that the RAF Tucano and Typhoon aircraft are joining us for this year’s anniversary event. Training has always been an important part of RAF Cosford’s history and so having these aircraft as part of the flying display will not only excite the crowds but will be an important reminder of the hugely diverse background of the West Midlands’ RAF Station.”

Visitors to the event will have the opportunity to enjoy the Tucano and Typhoon displays, alongside the famous RAF Red Arrows and many other aircraft during the 5½ hour flying display, from one of the new hospitality enclosures which have been introduced for the 2013 show. For details of the range of packages available to suit all requirements and budgets, please visit the air show website www.cosfordairshow.co.uk.

All profits made from the RAF Cosford Air Show are donated to service and local charities.

Air show tickets can be purchased online at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk or by calling the 24-hour ticket line on 0871 230 1083. Advance tickets are priced from £20, representing a 20 per cent discount on tickets bought on the day (£25). There’s FREE car parking and FREE admission for all under-16s accompanied by an adult.

Our new permanent exhibition and historic trail opens on Thursday 28 March

Historic Duxford is a brand new exhibition and historic site trail which explores Duxford’s time as an RAF airfield from 1918 to 1961.

It is our first new permanent exhibition since the opening of AirSpace in 2007.

This exciting new exhibition has been under development for almost two decades, with the creation and delivery taking three years to complete.

Steve Woolford, Head of Interpretation and Collections, said:

‘IWM Duxford is famously known for its air shows and large-scale exhibitions, such as AirSpace. For the first time, we are giving visitors an insight into the heart of this historic site, telling RAF Duxford’s own story.

Historic Duxford builds on what we’ve created in AirSpace and in the reconstructed 1940 Operations Room. In AirSpace, the historic objects take the lead in the exhibition, with personal stories supporting the interpretation and understanding of those objects. In Historic Duxford, the personal stories of the men and women who lived, worked and fought for their country at RAF Duxford, take centre stage, supported by the personal objects that help to convey those stories.

We’ve been working for many years to research the stories of the men and women who passed through the gates at RAF Duxford. This gives us the incredible depth and intensity of personal stories that we now tell in Historic Duxford. One of our most famous characters is Douglas Bader, and in the exhibition we not only have his dress cap and jacket on display, but we have a film of him talking about his experiences at RAF Duxford, rare 1930s home-shot film of him off-duty, plus the personal memories of his RAF colleagues.

In Historic Duxford, we’re able to show why Duxford is so important historically and also to help visitors to look at our historic site with fresh eyes.’

Historic Duxford is housed in the original 1930s Watch Office building. In the exhibition, we explore Duxford’s fascinating history. As a typical RAF fighter base, Duxford experienced significant historic events, military developments and social change during the first half of the twentieth century.

RAF Duxford was created during the latter stages of the First World War to train pilots for war.

Between the wars, it was part of ‘the best flying club in the world’ and an important arena for showcasing the RAF’s capabilities to royalty, the press and the public.

RAF Duxford’s Second World War history is perhaps the best known, with the dogfights of the Battle of Britain, and, later, the arrival of the American forces.

Finally, we look at the Cold War era, when many men did their National Service at RAF Duxford, and the station’s eventual closure in 1961.

With many things to watch, listen to, have a go at, wear and even smell, Historic Duxford paints a vivid picture of daily life at RAF Duxford.

Hear and see fascinating personal stories told by the men and women who worked and lived at RAF Duxford, in sound and film. We look at their jobs, living conditions and how they spent their leisure time.

Our interactives will immerse you in the lives of RAF Duxford’s service men and women, as you learn how they spent their working day and the skills they needed to do their jobs to exacting RAF standards.

Personal objects tell the stories of some of the remarkable individuals who served at RAF Duxford.

For the first time in almost a decade, items owned by Douglas Bader will be on display alongside scenes from a rare 1930s home film which shows Bader, alongside his RAF friends and colleagues, having fun off-duty.

See the Watch Office, the forerunner to the Control Tower, as it might have been during the late 1930s. Period details and interactive elements give the impression that the Duty Pilot has only just left the room.

Complementing the Historic Duxford exhibition is a heritage trail around the historic site with eight interactive posts. Each post features audio memories from veterans who worked at RAF Duxford. Pick up a family activity sheet from the exhibition to complete as you follow the trail.

Discover Duxford’s own story – its eventful past and fascinating people.

Historic Duxford opens to visitors on Thursday 28 March. Historic Duxford is included in general admission to IWM Duxford. Visitors aged 15 and under enjoy free admission to IWM Duxford.

www.iwm.org.uk

The unmissable, sensational summer event for the whole family, Wings & Wheels, is thrilled to announce the Red Arrows will be headlining both Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th August 2013 when the Show returns to Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey (home to BBC’s Top Gear).

Currently undertaking winter training in Greece the iconic diamond 9 formation is back for their 49th display season with three new team members Flt Lt Mark Lawson, Flt Lt Steve Morris and Flt Lt Oliver Parr.

Jamie McAllister, Event Director comments: “We are delighted to confirm the Red Arrows are joining us at Wings & Wheels on both days. The aerodrome has a special relationship with the team, not least because this is where their aircraft were built and tested, but also we are one of the few airshows on the circuit where they can land and take-off as part of their display. We’ve also secured some other fantastic air and motoring demonstrations and look forward to announcing more of the line-up over the coming weeks.”

The ‘Wings’ of the event treats visitors to outstanding and diverse 4 hour air displays accompanied by witty and knowledgeable commentary from aviation experts and display pilots, a close-up inspection of all the weekends visiting aircraft and a tour of Dunsfold’s resident Boeing 747 in the ‘Wings Park’.

Supercars and classic and vintage icons put on an awe inspiring display of power and speed on the Top Gear track in a 2 hour auto spectacular from Brooklands Museum.

We’ve also revamped our Wheels Zone which features interactive displays from clubs and a *NEW* crowd line parade. The Stunt Zone not only returns with fast action figure of eights, entwined donuts, a battle competition and rally driving drift display, but hosts gravity defying demonstrations of balance, back flips and somersaults in some hair raising pyrotechnic stunt performances proving two wheels are just as dramatic as four!

The *NEW* improved Military Zone & Paddock adds some classic nostalgia to the ‘Wheel’s, as the regal Military Vehicles complete a cavalcade for spectators before taking their place in our living history and re-enactment displays.

The excitement and anticipation doesn’t stop at the main displays as the 32 acre public arena is bursting with a huge variety of interactive attractions containing all you need for a great family day out. The 1940s Zone will swing to the beat of jive dancing master-classes, while the Hot Rod Zone hosts live rockabilly music, themed retail outlets and a stunning display of nostalgic and ‘kustom’ Hot Rod vehicles. The show arena also boasts laser quest, kids driving, paintballing, kit-plane demonstrations, aviation and motoring simulators, military outlets and displays, static aircraft, a Wall of Death, fairground, emergency services demonstration and over 80 retail outlets selling a wide variety of products and gifts.

Taking the hassle out of your day the show includes added extras to make your experience even more enjoyable; over 25 fixed-price catering outlets, 2 bars, hospitality facilities, free on-site parking, public camping, lost children point, disabled access, informative show commentary, opportunities to meet the pilots, a raffle, official show merchandise and grandstand seating.

The 9th annual Wings & Wheels will be held over the August Bank holiday weekend; Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th August 2013, at Dunsfold Park near Guildford, Surrey, and is open to spectators from 09:00 until 18:00.

Tickets start from £20 for adults, £45 for a family (2 adults and 3 children aged 5 – 15yrs), £6 for children aged between 5 and 15yrs and under 5s are free. Hospitality packages start from £65 per person, weekend passes, grandstand tickets and camping are also available. For more information visit www.wingsandwheels.net or to book standard tickets call 08712 305 572.

Wings & Wheels is promoted by Dunsfold Park Limited with proceeds going to nominated charities: Brooklands Museum Trust and Help for Heroes.

As the list of exciting displays and attractions starts to build momentum, RAF Cosford Air Show will begin selling tickets from public outlets on Wednesday (March 6).

Ashley Claber-Aikman, from RAF Cosford Air Show (pictured left), handed over the tickets to Dianne James, manager of Midland Air Museum (Coventry), one of the many outlets that this week will begin selling tickets to the air show on Sunday, June 9.

The announcement follows confirmation that RAF Cosford has been nominated to feature within the 2013 display season for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows. Last year more than 38,000 people attended the air show and organisers are anticipating another bumper turn-out at the West Midlands’ largest aviation event.

Event organisers have tried to make it as easy as possible for the public to purchase their tickets to the Midlands’ premier aviation event. As well as the Midlands Air Museum, tickets can be acquired from the RAF Museum at Cosford, Tourist Information Centres in Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Solihull & Shrewsbury and selected branches of Midcounties Co-operative. Alternatively, people can choose to travel by rail and enjoy combined travel and admission when travelling with Arriva Trains Wales.

Air show tickets can also be purchased online at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk or by calling the 24-hour ticket line on 0871 230 1083. Advance tickets are priced from £20, representing a 20 per cent discount on tickets bought on the day (£25). There’s FREE car parking and FREE admission for all under-16s accompanied by an adult.

All profits made from the RAF Cosford Air Show are donated to local and service charities.

FOLKESTONE AIRSHOW, planned to be ‘bigger and better’ than the event which made a successful come-back after nine years last June, was officially launched on Wednesday, January 23. Brand-named ‘Fly Folkestone – Turn a Memorable Day Out into a Wonderful Weekend’.

Representatives from local authorities, business and community organisations gathered at The Grand Hotel, Folkestone, to hear Project Manager Yvonne Holder outline the proposals for this year’s event and to listen to a keynote speech from Visit Kent Chairman Amanda Cottrell, OBE.

Organised by the Folkestone Town Centre Management Ltd and with support from local public authorities and aviation agencies, launched Fly Folkestone the collective name for the 3 day fun-filled event from Friday 7th June to Sunday 9th June inclusive.

The Flying display on Saturday 8th June will be supported by an action-packed week-end programme of ground events, activities and entertainment on the Leas, in the Harbour area.

This year it is hoped to attract 100,000 visitors (almost double last year’s figure) with significant numbers being expected from the Continent. There is a potential to generate £12.6 million for the local economy.

Fly Folkestone is totally committed to a “Buy Local” ethos, supporting local businesses and contracting local suppliers wherever possible.

Become a Friends of Folkestone Airshow – VIP Package

Why not become a Friend and receive an exclusive VIP package including;

Complimentary Official Souvenir Programme
Reserved seat on the chequer board (roof of Leas Cliff Hall)
Complimentary drink upon arrival
Afternoon tea finger buffet
Meet Keith Wilson (author of “Red Arrows in camera”)
Purchase “Red Arrows in camera” at special discounted price

£55 per person, buy 2 for £100 and save £10.

www.folkestoneairshow.com