Cockpits open for Museums at Night
19th May 2012
6.00pm – 8.30pm
£10.00 per person
(Open cockpits and aircraft may be subject to change)
Tickets are now on sale for the ever popular ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. The evening will commence at 6pm on Saturday 19th May. A total of 16 aircraft will be available for close viewing on the night: including transport aircraft, jet fighters plus unique research airframes. Exclusively for this evening the Museum will be opening up one of its latest arrivals, weather permitting, the Hercules – a military transport aircraft.
The evening in May will be the third time the Museum has held this event which allows rare access to the interiors of some of the world’s most historic and iconic aircraft. Visitors will be able to get a feel for what it was like to fly these much loved machines: aircraft such as the unique Bristol 188, a twin engined stainless steel supersonic research monoplane designed to investigate the effects of heat on aircraft structures at very high speeds. Or the F-111 an American twin engine, two seat, multi-purpose attack aircraft which not only became the first variable-geometry combat aircraft to enter service but also saw action during the Vietnam War.
Other major highlights for aviation enthusiasts include the opportunity to see inside the Museum’s Tornado P02, one of the prototypes of the RAF’s twin-engined, two-seat ground attack jet fighter that saw extensive action during the first Gulf War. Visitors will also be able to examine the interior of the Museum’s Sikorsky MH-53 long range combat search and rescue helicopter, a helicopter that saw conflict in various arenas of war from Vietnam to Afghanistan as part of the United States of America Air Force.
Other aircraft accessible to visitors on this evening will include the Pembroke, JU52, Jaguar and the Phantom. In addition to this, visitors will have exclusive after hours access to the Museum which displays over 70 aircraft.
RAF Museum Cosford Assistant Curator, Clare Carr says:
“This Open Cockpits Evening allows visitors to have close up access to Cold War warriors such as the F-111 and MiG21 as well as work horses such as the Hercules and Belfast. The evening is a must for any aviation fan.”
Cosford’s ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ is part of the Museums at Night, an annual international event where hundreds of museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites across Europe open their doors to the public for special after hours events. This evening will commence from 6.00pm and finish at 8.30pm. Numbers onto the Museum site will be strictly limited to only 300 people, to enable enthusiasts to spend as much time as possible examining these wondrous aircraft. Admission is by advance ticket only. Organisers are advising, given the popularity of previous ‘Open Cockpit Evenings’ to purchase your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Tickets cost £10.00 per person and are now on sale at the Museum. Minimum height restrictions of 1.07 metres will apply. Parking charges are included in the ticket price.
For further information on the ‘Open Cockpit Evening’ or to purchase tickets over the phone, please contact the Museum on 01902 376200. Visit www.rafmuseum.org for information on the Museum and other events. Please note: Open cockpits and aircraft available for close viewing may be subject to change.
