UK Aviation Museum News – Page 14

RAF Museum Midlands 2023 Events Diary

Model Mania at RAF Museum Midlands

Forthcoming events taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands in 2023:

RAF Museum Midlands Events diary 2023

This year, visitors to the RAF Museum Midlands can expect to see some brand-new additions to the events calendar including a fun packed STEM week during February half term, an out of this world Jet and Space Week in October, and the chance to enrol in Elf Cadet Training next Christmas.

The busy schedule caters to the Museum’s wide and diverse audience, offering something new for repeat visitors, and for those visiting the Museum for the first time in 2023.

RAF Museum Midlands Public Events Manager, Amy Bertaut said:
‘We’ve refreshed our public events programme this year to ensure we’re offering fun and affordable family activities throughout the school holidays. Each half term has a unique theme, ensuring there is something for everyone. Pilot Training at Easter will see families take part in a series of challenges, and in May we’ll be turning back the clock and exploring life in the 1940s. In October we’ll be exploring space with a huge mobile planetarium and blasting rockets in our STEM zone. We also have some exciting plans for the entire summer holidays which we will be announcing very soon.’

Some of the big outdoor events will be returning this year, including the Spitfire 10K in August where participants will race across the airfield and down the runway. Step into the Danger Zone with a series of action-packed films for all the family when the popular Outdoor Cinema event returns in September. The Cosford Food Festival and Large Model Air Show will be taking a break from the schedule this year, instead, the Museum has big plans for a six week long event during the summer holidays.

Event organisers are confident the exciting events programme, combined with exploring the Museum’s vast collection of aircraft, and the interactive experiences in Flight Zone will make a visit to the Museum one to remember!

For further information on any of the events taking place at the RAF Museum Midlands throughout 2023, visit www.rafmuseum.org/midlands. Admission charges apply for some events and activities, tickets are available online. Events may be subject to change and additional events may be added during the year.

The Museum is open daily from 10.00am and admission is free.

Sywell Aviation Museum Events 2023

Sywell Aviation Museum

15th January 2023 – The Rich Tapestry of Life (Winter Talk)

A talk by David McIntyre.

David always wanted to be a pilot; his father was an RAF instructor at Sywell during 1942/43 on Tiger Moths, and later went on to fly Lancasters with 106 Sqn at the end of WW2. During this time, David’s father met a Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot who in later years became David’s uncle. David flew Canberra PR7.s on Cold War intelligence gathering, then Vulcan (nuclear) bombers. He became an instructor himself, on Jet Provosts at RAF Brawdy; including an emergency ejection!

19th February 2023 – A Tale of Two Lancs (Winter Talk)

Mike Chatterton is a former RAF Shackleton and Nimrod pilot. He was posted to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 1989 and became their Lancaster pilot, skills which he transferred to East Kirkby when he began taxiing their own Lancaster ‘Just Jane’. He retired from the RAF in 2013 after nearly 40 years. He is very proud that his father was also a Lancaster pilot, and they often provided a ‘double act’ at Coningsby and East Kirkby!

19th March 2023 – Operation Exodus & The Fate of Lancaster PD339 (Winter Talk)

A talk by Roger Kirkham & Bill Lockerbie. On 26th April 1945 Lancaster PD339 of 50 Squadron RAF was returning to base following a delivery of repatriated Allied POWs as part of Operation Exodus. The aircraft crashed close to Delapre Home Farm near Hardingstone. Both speakers are experienced tour guides at Delapre Abbey and have extensively researched this incident with a view to erecting a memorial to those involved on the 80th anniversary in 2025.

**Admission to each talk is £5 per person. Groups may book tickets in advance (tel: 07711 363392). All talks are held in the Cirrus Room at the Aviator Hotel.

8th April 2023 – Easter Saturday Grand Opening

1030-1630

One for your new diaries! As ever the Museum reopens on Easter Saturday with its Grand Opening!

For you old hands you’ll know what to expect – though we can’t guarantee the weather this year!

Military vehicles, re-enactors, aircraft cockpits, trade stands and the usual volunteer-run chaos that is our 22nd Grand Opening and it’s all free! We’ve set up an Event Page so you can keep up to date with the latest news…
You never know something sexy and Rolls-Royce powered may turn up!

Military vehicles/classic vehicles must book in in advance please – visiting historic aeroplanes are also very welcome but please do let us know you’re coming so we can have cake ready! To book in please email sywellaviationmuseum@gmail.com

AND REMEMBER IT’S ALL FREE!

12th March 2023 – Model & Book Sale

Yes it’s back by popular demand! Please click on the link below for details! In the meantime we would be extremely grateful for the donation of aviation books, model kits and accessories, diecast models, aeronautica etc to sell on the day to help raise funds to keep us going! Sincere thanks to all those who have helped so far – if you can help please contact us by Facebook Messenger, email to sywellaviationmuseum@gmail.com or call 07968061708.

www.sywellaviationmuseum.org.uk/airfield-events/

Newark Air Museum Events 2023

Vulcan XM594

Here at Newark Air Museum, a registered charity, we’re already starting to make plans for our 2023 special events. 2023 is a significant year in the museum’s long history as it will be celebrating 50 years of being officially open to the public and we hoped that you might be able feature them in your event listing sections.

11th & 12th February 2023 – Vulcan delivery 40th Anniversary

On the weekend of 11th/12th February 2023 it will be forty (40) years since Avro Vulcan XM594 landed (actual landing date 07.02.83) on the former wartime runway at Winthorpe Showground to go on display at the museum; the year 2023 it is also the 60th anniversary of its entry into RAF service.

To mark the anniversary, the museum trustees will allow members of the museum’s Cockpit Opening Team to provide FREE cockpit access to the Vulcan on the weekend – this will be available for visitors who pay to come into the museum and who advise the museum in advance of their plan to participate.

The museum will be open from 1000 to 1600 hours, with last admissions to the site being at 1500 hours. Admission costs to the museum site will be: Adults £10.00, Over 60s £9.00 and Children £5.50.

*NOTE This event was first advertised early in December and there is now a reserve list for cockpit access to the Vulcan.

15 & 16 April 2023 – 50th Anniversary Gala & Aeroboot / Aerojumble

This two-day event is being hosted at the museum, to mark fifty years since the museum was officially opened to the public, on 14th April 1973. The original opening ceremony was led by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane KBE, the former Officer Commanding 5 Group Bomber Command at the time of the famous Dambusters Raid; he was introduced to the gathered enthusiasts by the museum’s then President, Air Cdr David Bonham-Carter.

Since those humble beginnings, with just eight aircraft on display the museum has developed into one of the UK’s largest volunteer managed aviation collections, which now displays around one hundred aircraft and cockpit sections from across the history of aviation. Several of the current exhibits are unique to UK aviation museums and they always attract particular interest and attention.

Various displays will illustrate how the museum has developed across those fifty years, and members of the museum’s open cockpit team will be on hand to give visitors the opportunity to look inside our aircraft; (a small additional charge will be made for aircraft access).

An outdoor Aeroboot/Aerojumble event will run alongside the Anniversary Gala, with sellers from across the UK expected to attend.

24 & 25 June 2013 – Cockpit-Fest 2013 & Aeroboot / Aerojumble aviation and avionics sale; this regular two day event provides the perfect opportunity for the public to view a diverse range of visiting aircraft cockpits. {Normal admission rates apply}

www.newarkairmuseum.org

RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre Opening Schedule for 2023

RAF Bircham Newton

We will open on the following dates in 2023:

First open day – Easter Sunday April 9th

Sunday April 30th

Sunday May 28th

Sunday June 11th

Sunday June 25th

Sunday July 16th

Sunday July 30th

Sunday August 13th

Sunday August 27th

Bank Holiday Monday August 28th

Sunday September 10th

Sunday September 24th

Sunday October 15th

Sunday October 29th

Last open day – Sunday 12th of November Remembrance Sunday

As usual we will be open from 10am until 4pm. Entrance and parking will be free, and disabled access and toilets will be available.

https://rafbnmp.org.uk/

Latest display at RAF Sculthorpe Heritage Centre

RAF Sculthorpe B29 display

We have now finished installing our B-29 display…

“In July 1949, B-29 44-62191, 344th B’s, 92nd BG was en-route back to its home TDY base of RAF Sculthorpe, when no 3 engine caught fire.
The crew of 12 successfully bailed out with only a few injuries.
The aircraft crashed in to a orchard near to the town of Wisbech.

After 74 years, the wreckage of this B-29 as returned to RAF Sculthorpe.

The RAF Sculthorpe Heritage Centre has acquired the substantial wreckage from the now closed Fenland Aviation Museum who excavated the wreckage in the early 90s.

Ian Brown, Curator of the RSHC said, “We are extremely pleased to bring home what we believe is the most substantial B-29 wreckage on display in the UK.
We can now share to a wider audience the story of this rare aircraft and the bring to life the crews in our fantastic new display which has been bespoke built by our volunteers.”

“This year is an extremely important year in which we are attempting to renovate our new home which was the former Chapel building. This building has been gifted to us by the local business owner in which we at extremely grateful to.”

The first time to view our new displays which also include a TR-1 cockpit quarter window is the 5th of February, which also coincides with the RSHC’s Scale Model show.

https://www.rafsculthorpeheritagecentre.org/

Get moving for the Chinook Challenge

RAF Museum Chinook

Date: Registration now open
Cost: £20 per person / £15.00 Armed Forces entry

New year, new challenge, wokka you waiting for? Sign up to the Chinook Challenge this January and get active while raising funds for charity!

Kick start your new year with the Royal Air Force Museum’s Chinook Challenge, and walk, run, or cycle your way to reach the 100km, 200km or even 400km distance! Complete the Challenge and be rewarded with a bespoke wooden medal featuring the iconic helicopter.

This virtual Challenge will run throughout 2023 and can be completed anywhere in the world in a time to suit everyone, whether that’s in a day, week, month or even a year! Turn your daily walks with the dog, cycling commute to work, and time on the treadmill in the gym, into part of your Chinook Challenge distance. Once you’ve hit your target distance, you’ll receive your medal in the post within two weeks.

Register now at www.rafmuseum.org. Entry costs £20 per person and all proceeds will go towards supporting the RAF Museum (registered charity number 1197541) to continue sharing the story of the RAF and the thousands of service men and women who served in it. Members of the Armed Forces Community (Cadets, serving personnel, veterans, and reservists) can register for the discounted rate of £15.00.

RAF Museum Individual Giving Manager, Ella Hewitt said:
‘Support from Chinook challengers will enable the Museum to preserve remarkable aircraft, and share amazing RAF stories of courage and bravery, like those who have flown on the legendary Chinook ‘Bravo November’. This sole surviving Chinook flown by the RAF during the Falklands campaign is displayed at RAF Museum Midlands and has seen four of its pilots awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Participants of the Chinook Challenge will each receive a bespoke wooden medal for their efforts when they achieve their chosen distance. For anyone who would like to support us further by fundraising, you’ll receive a limited-edition Chinook Challenge fundraising t-shirt when you raise £50, and if you raise £100 and you’ll receive a one-of-a-kind water bottle as well.’

Join the RAF Museum Virtual Running Group on Facebook where you can share your progress and meet other Challengers. If you’re posting updates on your social media, don’t forget to tag @rafmuseum or #ChinookChallenge.

For more information and to register for the Chinook Challenge visit www.rafmuseum.org. Entry costs £20 per person (£15.00 Armed Forces entry), additional booking and postage charges apply for overseas participants. The Challenge is open to participants of all ages, but we recommend under 16’s are accompanied by an adult.

Army Flying Museum Events 2023

Army Flying Museum

30th January – Chinook Crew ‘Chick’ Lecture – Join Liz McConaghy at 7pm on Monday 30th January, to hear her insightful and personal perspective on war. Her career saw her amass 2 deployments to Iraq and 10 deployments to Helmand Afghanistan in support of Operation HERRICK.

4th – 5th February – The Brick Event – Flying machines made out of lego.

11th February – Living History Saturday – Ham & Jam (a Living History Group depicting various units of the British 6th Airborne Division in World War Two) will be visiting the Museum. Come along and learn about the troops of World War Two.

13th – 17th February – Operation Codecracker – activities with a focus on secret agents, code breaking and great escapes.

18th February – Trainmaster – We are delighted to be hosting Trainmaster in the Museum for a special Half Term event when they will be filling our conference room with a giant hands-on train track, electric trains, and lots of train themed fun.

20th February – D-Day, Arnhem & The Rhine – Join Michael Ashby and Jonathan Walker, either in the Museum or online, at 7pm on Monday 20th February 2023, for a fascinating insight into the experiences of Michael Ashby’s father, Robert, as a Glider Pilot.

27th March – Bomb Group – Hear Mike Peters tell the story of just one ‘Bomb Group’ – the 381st, which crossed the Atlantic in May 1943. Arriving at RAF Ridgewell on the Essex-Suffolk border, its airmen quickly found themselves thrown into the hazardous and attritional air battle raging in the skies over Europe.

25th & 27th May – Model Making – Come and learn how to make and paint plastic models and start a model making hobby. Explore your passion and interest in vehicles, history, fantasy and story-telling. With guidance and resources from Models for Heroes you will take home a model to be proud of to remind you of your visit.

1st July – Wallop Wings & Wheels (not an airshow)

https://armyflying.com/what-s-on/events/

Airscene Awards 2022 – The Results

RIAT crowd seating

Close to 1,000 votes were received this year, however with 50+ disregarded and deleted, the final tally of valid votes was 918. While most who voted did vote in every category, there were around 70 or so that voted in only one or two categories only.

Best Airshow

1st) RIAT (344)

2nd) RAF Cosford Air Show (239)

3rd) Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow (212)

As Airscene reviewer Lee Chapman said ‘A welcome return for the World’s biggest Military Air Show’, a couple of years without an Airshow to visit could very well be the reason for the enthusiasm shown for RIAT this year, and most definitely a well deserved 1st place.

Best Free Airshow

1st) Rhyl (198)

2nd) Eastbourne (163)

3rd) Bournemouth (149)

This is the first of 2 categories where voters seemed to be out in force for a venue that has barely featured in Airscene Awards in the past, and despite issues on day 2, the first day of the 2022 Rhyl Airshows seems to have made a big impression on those that attended.

Best Display Team

1st) ROKAF Black Eagles (330)

2nd) Red Arrows (311)

3rd) Frecce Tricolori (194)

I missed seeing ROKAF perform this year, and I am even more gutted now as you have put them in 1st place above the Red Arrows who are nearly always on top of this category. Well done ROKAF!

Best Solo Display

1st) Belgian F16 (288)

2nd) Czech AF Mi-24 Hind (235)

3rd) RAF Chinook (203)

Two heli’s in this years top 3, with the Czech Hind just pushing the Chinook down to 3rd place. The Belgian F16 did have the best colour scheme and many of you feel the solo display matched this. I need to give a mention to the Austrian QRA demo, which received votes in both the Display Team and Solo Display Category for some reason – if the votes were all added together, they would be a very close 4th in each category…

And finally Best Aviation Museum

1st) RAF Museum Midlands (279)

2nd) Duxford Imperial War Museum (258)

3rd) RAF Sculthorpe Heritage Centre (84)

RAF Museum Midlands (Cosford) are placed 1st again in the Airscene Awards, which I think is testament to the hard work that they put in the keep it relevant, with a packed calendar of events throughout the year – well done to the team at Cosford. RAF Sculthorpe have never received this many votes before and a last minute rally around kept both Newark Air Museum and RAF Museum London out of 3rd place (they tied on 81 points each by the way).

I’d like to close by sharing a quote from one of those who voted for RAF Sculthorpe Heritage Centre:

“My father was stationed there from 1958-61. I was twelve years old when we arrived. It was a wonderful assignment and we made some lifelong friends while there. Ian Brown and Family and Friends have worked very hard and have done a great job. A visit from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth was an amazing event in and of itself.” – John Witzell

Hurricane; Unsung Hero Exhibition – IWM Duxford

IWM Duxford - Hurricane; Unsung Hero Exhibition

On 22 December 2022 Airscene had the chance to preview the new exhibition at the Cambridgeshire branch of the Imperial War Museum. Following on from the success of last year’s popular display of 12 Supermarine Spitfires, this year, the famous Duxford Aerodrome is playing host to a unique collection of Hawker Hurricanes, the unsung hero of the Battle of Britain. The exhibition brings together seven unique and airworthy examples of the Hurricane alongside examples of the Hawker Fury, Nimrod and Hart biplanes – all of which provided the blueprint for the monoplane Hurricane.

During the Battle of Britain, Hurricanes outnumbered Spitfires consistently by two to one. Designed by Sydney Camm, the chief designer at Hawker Aircraft Ltd, the Hurricane would prove to be the workhorse of Fighter Command. With the dawn of the 1930s, the Air Ministry decided to issue a specification for a new high-speed monoplane fighter. These new fighters would require the capability to fly at 250mph while armed with four machine guns. Camm initially presented two designs to the Air Ministry, but both were rejected due to their cautious approach. Undeterred, and without any government backing, he decided to pursue his designs further. The result was the ‘Fury’ monoplane, a development of Camm’s earlier Fury biplane.

The Fury monoplane was ready for flight when the Air Ministry released a revised specification for the new fighters. They would now need to carry eight machine guns instead of four. Rather than allow for a complete overhaul, Camm simply fitted a new pair of wings capable of carrying the extra weight. The Hurricane was born. Despite the hundreds of hours invested in its design, the Hurricane retained many features of its biplane forefathers. It had a wooden frame constructed around a wire-based framework of metal tubes. Over this was stretched fabric, painted thickly with lacquer to stiffen, and protect it.

This marriage of old and new was ingenious. The Hurricane was economic, easy to produce and easy to maintain. Its fabric and wooden frame was less susceptible to enemy cannon fire than all-metal constructions. Shells would simply pass through instead of exploding on impact. Moreover, the Hurricane was easy to repair. RAF mechanics were already well trained in how to service aircraft of its more old-fashioned construction. By contrast, the stressed-metal construction of the Spitfire required skilled training.

The Hurricane was also extremely effective in battle. Its eight guns were fixed as two groups of four as close as possible to the fuselage. This made it perfectly suited to tackling the waves of German bombers it would soon be faced with. The first protype, K5083, flew at Brooklands on 6 November 1935. It was piloted by George Bulman, Hawker’s chief test pilot. Bulman was impressed by how easy the aircraft was to fly. Seven months later, the RAF placed an initial order for 600 Hurricanes. The most numerous RAF fighter during the Battle of Britain, the Hurricane equipped 33 squadrons by September 1940.
During the battle, Hurricanes accounted for 656 German aircraft shot down – more than the Spitfire’s total of 529. Between 30 July and 16 September 1940, 404 Hurricanes were destroyed.

The exhibition features four Mk I Hurricanes (P3717, V497, P2902, R4118), a Mk IIa Hurricane (5711, marked as R4175) and a Mk IIb Hurricane (1374, painted as BE505). The later of which has recently been fitted out as a two-seater and can be booked for passenger flights. The Shuttleworth Collections Sea Hurricane (Z7015) will join the collection in the new year once maintenance is complete. Alongside the Hurricanes you can also see Hawker Fury Mk I (K5674) and the unrestored airframe of a Hawker Hind (L7181). You can also see the Imperial War Museums own Mk Ia Spitfire offering a comparison between the two iconic fighters. Currently, a Hawker Nimrod is filling the space that will eventually be occupied by the Sea Hurricane.

To learn more, visit Hurricane: Unsung Hero, opening 27 December 2022 at IWM Duxford. Also, look out for several celebratory events around the exhibition, including a day with Airfix on 15 January, an evening photoshoot on 4th February and a full day of Hurricane history for the Hurricane Conference on 18 February. Check out the Imperial War museums website for further details;
https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/Hurricane-unsung-hero

RAF Museum unveils Royal Charter as part of 50th Birthday celebrations

RAF Museum Royal Charter

The RAF Museum is delighted to announce that we have been granted the Royal Charter in our 50th birthday year.

On Monday 12th December, the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Barnet, Martin Russell and the RAF Museum Chair, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, formally unveiled our Royal Charter, which is now on public display in our newly refurbished entrance to our Hangar 3 entrance at London.

The Royal Charter was granted by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who also officially opened the Museum in 1972.

Maggie Appleton, Chief Executive Officer, RAF Museum said:
‘It is a great honour to have been granted a Royal Charter by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. All the Museum team – Trustees, staff and volunteers – are incredibly grateful for this recognition. We are inspired even further to fulfil our dual role as a National Museum and community resource and partner, collecting and sharing globally significant stories for and with everyone.’

What is a Royal Charter?
A Royal Charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch which confers an independent legal personality on an organisation and defines its objectives, constitution and powers to govern its own affairs. Incorporation by Charter is a prestigious way of acquiring legal personality and reflects the high status of that body.

Only pre-eminent leaders in their field are granted this honour and Charter status provides an appropriate governance structure for the future and is an affirmation of the national importance of the Museum.
According to the Privy Council there are now over one thousand Royal chartered bodies. The first ever organisation to receive a Royal Charter was the Weavers Company in 1155. This year, the RAF Museum became the 1,038th company to receive their charter. Other famous fellow chartered bodies include the BBC, the British Red Cross and the Honourable Company of Air Pilots.

How did the Museum receive the Royal Charter?
The Royal Charter was granted to the Museum in recognition of its objectives to educate and inform the public and members of the RAF about the history and traditions of the RAF; and
the role of the RAF in relation to the armed forces of the realm, other air forces and aviation.

Applications for a Royal Charter take the form of a formal Petition to The Sovereign in Council. The Museum’s own petition included signatures from five previous RAF Chiefs of Air Staff
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Johns (1997-2000); Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy (2006-2009); Air Chief Marshal Sir Andy Pulford (2013 – 2016); Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier (2016-2019) and Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston – Chief of the Air Staff incumbent.

Original support was given by the Museum’s former Royal Patron, His Late Royal Highness Prince Philip.