Archive for March, 2015

Local Rotary Club acknowledges Museum Apprentice

Thursday, March 12th, 2015

Cosford Apprentice Ella Middleton

As events and businesses across the country celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (9-13 March 2015), an Apprentice at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford has been acknowledged by a local Rotary Club for their work conserving some of the nation’s most historic aircraft.

The award was presented by the Rotary Club of Wolverhampton at the fourth annual awards evening held at Perton Park Golf Club on Thursday 5th March. Museum Apprentice Ella Middleton aged 21 from Walsall, was named ‘Rotary Club of Wolverhampton – Apprentice of the Year’ and was presented with the George Sidebotham Memorial Award.

The awards evening was attended by the RAF Museum’s Apprentices, accompanied by their Training Manager as well as the Museum’s Conservation Centre Manager. During the evening, Apprentices gave a presentation to Rotary Club members and their guests, about their recent visit to the National Air & Space Museum, a division of the Smithsonian Institute, based in and around Washington DC, USA. During their trip the apprentices worked on a number of unique aviation based machines such as the Breitling Orbiter 3 which completed the first non-stop flight around the world with a free balloon in 1999 and a massive propeller fan shroud from NASA’s hypersonic wind tunnels. Ella was then presented with her ‘Apprentice of the Year’ trophy and an additional prize and cheque.

Ella was nominated by RAF Museum Training & Development Manager, Mick Shepherd for her hard work and dedication over the last twelve months. Her main training has involved working in sheet metal but Ella has proved to be a diverse and capable individual who has worked on a variety of projects. Ella was part of the team based at Ramsgate, Kent during the salvage operation of the Dornier Do 17 and played an integral part in the first phase of its conservation. She has worked with colleagues across the Museum assisting with Museum events, educational workshops for schools and has even coordinated a work experience programme with students interested in engineering.

RAF Museum Apprentice Ella Middleton said:

“During my apprenticeship with the Museum I have been given some fantastic opportunities to develop my skills, working on projects including; the Handley Page Hampden, Dornier Do 17, Vickers Wellington and the First World War in the Air exhibition. A highlight of my apprenticeship was an exchange to America in 2014 where I worked for three weeks at the Smithsonian Institute at the Udvar Hazy Conservation Centre in Virginia.”

National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration of Apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. This annual Apprenticeship Week aims to increase the awareness, understanding and demand for Apprenticeships, as well as celebrate the wealth of talent, skills, achievements and successes.

The RAF Museum’s Apprenticeship scheme began in 2005, due to a shortage of people with the hand skills required to look after its historic aircraft collection. The Museum began running apprenticeships for heritage aircraft engineers who soon proved to be a source of enthusiastic, reliable, trustworthy, capable and safe pairs of extra hands. Nurtured by the Museum’s Aircraft Technicians, master craftsman in their trade, the Apprentices rapidly developed their hand-skills and their work is now enthusiastically incorporated into Museum exhibits for future generations to admire. The Apprentices are a vital asset in the Museum’s team and have enabled the Museum to be less reliant on outside contractors and to keep more work in house under its direct control.

www.rafmuseum.org

Air Show Debut For Life Saving Helicopter

Wednesday, March 11th, 2015

 

Cosford Air Ambulance

Visitors to the RAF Cosford Air Show will have the rare opportunity to get up close and personal with the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s newest Eurocopter EC135 helicopter, which was today confirmed for static display on Sunday 14th June.

The iconic red helicopter, which is one of three used by the charity, is taking part in the Midland’s largest aviation event for the first time in 2015, as part of the show’s Search and Rescue theme. The aircraft, registration ‘G-OMAA’ is the first to be wholly owned by the charity and is one of the newest air ambulance helicopters in the UK, with the ability to carry a paramedic and flight doctor plus full life-support medical equipment at a top speed of 155 knots.

Air Show Spokesperson Peter Reoch said, “The Air Ambulance EC135 will be part of our unique ‘SAR Zone’ at the show, which will showcase the work of the Emergency Services alongside an array of Search and Rescue aircraft types. Our award winning ground displays are a highlight for many visitors, which make the RAF Cosford Air Show a great day out for all the family.”

Since 1991, the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity has responded to more than 42,000 missions, making it one of the longest established and busiest air ambulance organisations in the UK. Midlands Air Ambulance Charity Air Operations Manager, Becky Tinsley said, “We are extremely proud to be part of the RAF Cosford Air Show. The aircrew will be on hand to give the public a tour of our brand new helicopter, which was purchased purely through the generous donations from the communities we serve. As we have extended our daily operating time into the hours of darkness, it will also give the public an insight into how we fly during darkness.”

To ensure there is no disruption to Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s life saving service while the helicopter attends the show, the charity’s aviation partner, Bond Air Services is providing another aircraft to support the charity’s emergency operations.

For the first time, tickets for the RAF Cosford Air Show 2015 are advance sale only. Adult tickets are priced £22.00 with accompanied under-16s coming free! For more details on the event and to purchase tickets, visit www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

Mapping the Future

Monday, March 9th, 2015

RAF Museum Team

The Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum are pleased to announce the new Senior Management Team who will oversee the day to day running and long term planning for the London, Cosford and Stafford sites.

John Waxman Assistant Director (London):

John has just arrived from the National Trust where for a number of years he was General Manager at Cliveden, one of the Trust’s busiest pay for entry visitor attractions. Prior to that, he worked in external relations, communications and advisory roles within the public environmental management sector. He is a lifelong aviation enthusiast.

Philip Walsh FCA: Chief Financial Officer:

Philip worked previously as Director of Finance and Operations at the Wallace Collection in Central London. During his time there as a member of the Senior Management Team, the Wallace Collection achieved record visitor numbers, improved retail and corporate hire revenues, and held significant high profile exhibitions all whilst managing an extensive programme of capital projects, including the magnificent £5m refurbishment of the Great Gallery.

He is also the current chairman of trustees of the Allen Lane Foundation, a grant making charitable trust. Philip qualified as a chartered accountant after studying Natural Sciences at Durham University, and went on to work at the Victoria and Albert Museum prior to the Wallace Collection.

Maggie Appleton MBE: Chief Executive Officer:

Maggie has twenty-five years’ experience in the heritage sector. She is passionate about the difference that museums can make to people’s lives and, after beginning her heritage career at the Royal Armouries (when it was based in the Tower of London) she focused her work in community museums, at Stevenage (1991-2003) and then and in Luton (2003-2008), following which she was Chief Executive of Luton Culture, the Charity that led museums, libraries, arts and community centres across the town..

She has led significant heritage initiatives and developments, notably the £6.2million development of Stockwood Discovery Centre which opened in July 2008, and securing the medieval Wenlok Jug for Luton and the nation after its export was stopped in 2006.

Maggie is committee member for the Heritage Lottery Fund, Vice President of the Museums Association and co-Chair of the Women Leaders in Museums Network.

Paul Pomfret Assistant Director (Cosford):

Paul has a comprehensive career working in Heritage, Theatre and Tourists attractions. As Manager for the National Trust for Scotland’s flagship property: Culzean Castle and Country Park he oversaw and developed the 500 acre estate which included multiple historic buildings, numerous retail catering and hospitality locations and significant visitor engagement programmes. At Culzean his key projects included developing relations with international funders, restoring original features and artefacts to the castle, introducing new multimedia interpretation and refurbishment of the estates country house hotel.

Paul holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration is a fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing; he has a keen interest in aviation and gained his Private Pilot’s Licence in 1990.

Karen Whitting Director of Public Programmes:

Karen’s career has spanned both the Arts and Heritage sector and she brings with her a wealth of creative and corporate experiences and skills. She was previously Head of Creative Programmes at the Royal Armouries where she was responsible for the creative content, development and delivery of capital programmes across all their sites. She was project manager for the £4 million HLF funded public engagement programme at Fort Nelson as well as the £1.5million White Tower development.

Karen has also worked extensively on live events and interpretation with previous roles at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Millennium Dome and Glyndebourne Opera House.

www.rafmuseum.org

New air power lecture series launched

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015

Official squeamishness and the Bomber Offensive of the Second World War will be the focus of a prestigious lecture hosted by the University of Wolverhampton. 

The Trenchard Lectures in Air Power Studies is a new programme of lectures organised by the Royal Air Force Museum in conjunction with the University and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

The first lecture at the University of Wolverhampton will be presented by Air Commodore (ret’d) Dr Peter Gray on Thursday, 19 March 2015 on the subject of ‘‘Official squeamishness’ and the Bomber Offensive of the Second World War.’ Dr Gray’s lecture will take place in MC001 at the University’s City Campus Wulfruna at 6pm.

Dr Peter Gray retired from the Royal Air Force in June 2008, having reached the rank of Air Commodore. He took up the position of Senior Research Fellow in Air Power Studies at the University of Birmingham on 1st September 2008. Dr Gray is also a member of the RAF Museum’s Research Board and his latest book, Leadership, Direction and Legitimacy of the RAF Bomber Offence from Inception to 1945, was published by Continuum in 2012.

Dr Gray’s lecture will examine the attitudes prevalent in the Air Ministry during the Second World War towards the Strategic Air offensive Against Germany. Using the Bomber Command Campaign Medal saga and the publicity the campaign received at the time as case studies, the talk will look at the thinking at all levels and seek to establish just how ‘squeamish’ they were.

Ross Mahoney, Aviation Historian from the RAF Museum, said:

“This lecture series marks an important step in the development of the RAF Museum’s academic aspirations. The series seeks to explore historical and contemporary issues related to the employment of air power. The series also seeks to bridge the gap between academic and public history by providing a forum for recognised experts to share and disseminate their research to a wider audience. We are pleased to be holding the series in conjunction with the University of Wolverhampton which has a world renowned reputation in the field of War Studies.”

Dr Peter Preston-Hough, from the University’s Department of History, Politics and War Studies, said:

“We’re delighted to be hosting this prestigious series of lectures, which promise to provide an interesting insight into this fascinating area of history. The University has a strong relationship with the RAF Museum and we look forward to working closely with them on the lectures.”

Six lectures will be held as part of the Trenchard Lectures in Air Power Studies. The University of Wolverhampton’s Department of History, Politics and War Studies will host three, while the others will take place at the Headquarters of the Royal Aeronautical Society in London.

This lecture is free of charge but people do need to pre-book a free ticket, as seats are limited. For more information email ross.mahoney@rafmuseum.org or to book a ticket please visit the RAF Museum website www.rafmuseum.org.

Upcoming events at the RAF museum London

Monday, March 2nd, 2015

Event: Open Cockpits Evening
Date: 3 March
Time: 18:15 to 21:15
Location: Bomber Hall / Historic Hangars
Cost: £15.50 per person

Event: Access the Avro Vulcan
Dates: 25 March
Times: 10:00 to 13:00
Location: Bomber Hall
Cost: £25.50 per person

Event: First World War Airfix Make and Take
Dates: 28 March – 3 April
Times: 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm
Location: Bomber Hall
Cost: £3 per kit

Event: Knit for Britain from Above
Dates: 4 – 8 April
Times: 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm
Location: TBC
Cost: Free

Event: Storytelling: Sir Alan Cobhams Flying Circus
Dates: 9 – 10 April
Time: TBC
Location: Art Gallery
Cost: Free

Event: Storytelling: RAF Humanitarian Work
Date: 11 – 12 April
Times: TBC
Location: Art Gallery
Cost: Free

Event: Archive Viewing: RAF Humanitarian Work
Date: 11 – 12 April
Times: 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm
Location: Boardroom
Cost: Free

For further details check out www.rafmuseum.org