UK Aviation Museum News – Page 27

Yellow Sun Tail Cone Project at Newark

Vulcan Yellow Sun

In autumn 2019, Philip Wardell, a volunteer at the Newark Air Museum (NAM) started work on the challenging task of constructing a replica tail cone for a Yellow Sun nuclear weapon casing.

The Yellow Sun was the first British operational high-yield strategic nuclear weapon. This particular casing has been on long term loan at Newark from the RAF Museum Reserve Collection at RAF Stafford since April 2012 and has been displayed on a Yellow Sun weapon trolley that was already part of the NAM collection.

The first sign of work on the project, was when a set of concentric wooden formers were first cut in the museum’s on-site workshop in October 2019. Since then, the replica tail cone has grown steadily in size and detail; often attracting lots of ribald comments from other museum volunteers.

A trial fitting of the replica tail cone to the weapon casing took place in mid-November, using the original fixing points on the casing to secure the tail cone in place. Once this fixing concept and sizing were proven work proceeded over the winter on riveting the metal coverings and tail fins in place.

The final fixing and repainting session for the tail cone took place just before the museum closed for the Covid-19 lockdown, and it now awaits inspection by visitors when the museum is allowed to reopen.

Phil’s original aim was to have the project completed in time for the Cold War Call Up event that was scheduled to take place in mid-May. Whilst this event was sadly cancelled, Phil completed the project ahead of schedule. It is understood that he may be undertaking a similar construction project next winter, to build a replica tail cone for the V-1 Flying Bomb (Doodlebug) remains that are displayed in Hangar 1 at the museum’s site in north eastern Nottinghamshire.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Cockpit-Fest 2020 and Aeroboot Postponed

Newark Cockpit Fest 2020

Yesterday morning (07.04.20) to help some international participants not lose money on travel arrangements; we have taken a decision to postpone the Cockpit-Fest 2020 and Aeroboot event in June.

This two-day event was due to take place on 20 & 21 June, 2020.

One possibility that we are looking at is to re-arrange these combined events for Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August, 2020.

At the moment this is not a firm date and a lot will still depend on when the current lockdown arrangements are lifted. However, we would welcome your thoughts and feedback via the usual communication routes on here or social media

We are sorry for any inconvenience these changes may cause, especially to those people and groups who have been working on preparations on their displays for this event for many months. This includes external participants and our own museum members who have been working tirelessly on many different aircraft and projects like the Yellow Sun rebuild; but we feel that this is the right decision.

We will be communicating directly with everyone who had already made a commitment to the events.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Cold War Call Up Event at Newark Cancelled

Newark Air Museum

We have taken the sad decision to cancel the Cold War Call Up event that was due to take place on 16 & 17 May, 2020.

This decision has been reached following some detailed in-house discussions; and the pessimistic outlook regarding the current coronavirus situation.

Many participants in things like the planned Meet & Greet sessions are in the age group that are now self-isolating and are likely to be doing so for the next 12 weeks.

In order to give people as much notice as possible of our intentions it is felt that this is the best time to make this decision. Our current thinking is to try and run a similar event sometime in 2021. We will be notifying people via email later today and tomorrow.

In the coming weeks we may use our Twitter timeline to continue with some tweets for a Virtual Cold War Call Up feed, using some materials that we were already preparing.

At the moment we are waiting to review the situation with regards to Cockpit-Fest in June and more updates will be released as and when any decision is made.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

North American F-100D Super Sabre Refurbishment

F-100D Super Sabre at Newark Air Museum

Some repainting work has been stared on the North American F-100D Super Sabre airframe, 54-2223 that is displayed at the Newark Air Museum (NAM).

The current de-corrosion and repainting project was planned before the Covid-19 virus outbreak and the work has focused on the upper surfaces of the airframe.

Like other Super Sabre, Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystere IV.A aircraft displayed in the UK; the F-100D is on long term loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force Collection Management Division (NMUSAF/MUC); located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, USA.

What is not as widely known is the pioneering work undertaken by the trustees of NAM back in the mid-1970s to make such loans possible. At that time the original intention was for aircraft to be gifted to the IWM Duxford and Newark. However, tax implications of such a gift meant that NAM would have faced a significant tax bill for each aircraft.

USA VAT Cutting

Key personnel from NAM worked with the appropriate authorities, lobbied through both the House of Commons and the House of Lords to resolve the situation. This pioneering work led to the establishment of the long-term loan programme from the NMUSAF/MUC; something that helped a number of UK aviation museums become established.

NAM’s F-100D was move from RAF Sculthorpe, Norfolk over a period of several months in early 1978.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

SYWELL AVIATION MUSEUM GRAND OPENING CANCELLED

Sywell Aviation Museum

Dear all, sadly as expected the Sywell Aviation Museum Trustees have decided to cancel the Grand Opening on 11th April 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The safety of our visitors and our own trustees and members remains paramount at all times so we’re sure that you will understand our decision.

Further, the Museum will remain closed throughout April and May but we aim to reopen on Saturday 6th June 2020 (without a Grand opening) subject to the situation with coronavirus at that time.

We’re really disappointed too as we have worked really hard over the closed season to get ready to welcome you all and of course the lack of income will have an impact on us as well.

Nonetheless nothing is important as everyone’s health and we’d like to thank you all for your continued support and interest in Sywell Aviation Museum.

We hope to see you later in the year and in the meantime wish you and yours all the best. Stay safe!

The Sywell Aviation Museum Team

www.sywellaviationmuseum.org.uk

Vulcan XM594 Refurbishment Continues

Newark Vulcan restoration

Despite the gradual lock-down of the UK in response to the Covid-19 virus work has restarted at Newark Air Museum on further restoration work on Avro Vulcan XM594.

The distinctive wing shape of this former Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber is clearly visible in the accompanying photograph, which shows museum volunteers undertaking some awkward and tiring work on XM594.

Members of the Vulcan Repainting team have just started work on the underside of the port wing of XM594, which will progress throughout the year as and when the current health crisis allows access to the museum site in eastern Nottinghamshire. Last year the same team undertook similar de-corrosion work, surface preparation and repainting work on the underside of the starboard wing.
Elsewhere a lot of cleaning and renovation work has been undertaken on the aircraft, much of which has been focused in the aircraft’s cavernous bomb-bay. This work has seen the Vulcan Repair Team able to operate the Rover APU to once again start cycling the opening and closing of the bomb bay doors.

Nice to report work is still ongoing on significant parts of the country’s aviation heritage even in these challenging times.

Avro Vulcan XM594 was flown to the former RAF Winthorpe airfield from RAF Waddington on Monday 7th February 1983. At the time XM594 was the only Vulcan aircraft disposed of by the RAF that was flown into a non-licensed airfield.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

RAF Museum Coronavirus Closure

This is to inform you that in the light of Government recommendations regarding the Coronavirus/COVID.19 outbreak, the RAF Museum has closed its public sites at London and Cosford to the public. This includes cancellation of any events in that period.

I have been advised that the closure period will be at least until Friday May 1 2020.

Until then, our Business Continuity Team have put in place systems which will enable the Museum to continue our business operations with staff working from home and accessible by email or mobile.

We will also share updates on plans for re-opening through our website and social media channels.

This will inevitably mean restricted/ no access to archives and exhibits, however please do not hesitate to contact me with regards any Museum matters – always willing to try!

I look forward to inviting you back in to the RAF Museum soon.

Kind Regards

Ajay Srivastava

www.rafmuseum.org

Newark Air Museum 4th April Aeroboot Cancelled

Newark Aeroboot cancelled

We have taken the decision to cancel the Indoor Aeroboot /Aerojumble Sale that was due to take place in Hangar 2 on Saturday 4th March, 2020.

This decision has been reached following some detailed in-house discussions; and the pessimistic outlook regarding the current coronavirus situation. It was not taken lightly and we do appreciate that this could upset some people. However, many sellers and buyers often travel long distances to attend the event and it was felt necessary to give these people as much notice as possible of our intentions.

At the moment we feel unable to set a revised date for this sale, but the eventual choice will aim not to clash with any other known Aerojumble type event, any other museum event, or any major events on the adjacent Showground.

Details about what to do with existing seller locations / passes will be taken at a later date. In the fullness of time if anyone is unable to attend on any revised date we will arrange to for a refund.

Emails will be sent out to our Aeroboot contacts this evening, but if you know of anyone who was planning to attend, either as a seller or as a buyer we would be grateful if you could make them aware of the cancellation and the re-arranged date.

Once again sorry for any inconvenience these changes may cause but we are convinced that it is the right decision.

More updates will be released as and when they are confirmed.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Newark Air Museum win Visit England 2019 Welcome Accolade

Newark Air Museum Welcome Accolade

Newark Air Museum has won a 2019 Visitor Attraction Accolade in the Welcome category, which recognises that the museum is one of the outstanding visitor experiences on offer across the country.

The museum’s Award follows a VAQAS (Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme) assessment last autumn and was based on the score the museum gained during a secret visit by the VisitEngland assessor.

This Award was one of only six (6) made this year in the East Midlands and of seventy three (73) across the country

The following statement was issued by VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes:
“England’s attractions provide visitors with amazing experiences and these accolades recognise the outstanding customer service and quality on offer across the country.”

He continued, “From Best Told Story interpretation to Hidden Gem and overall Gold, these accolades show that there is an attraction capable of capturing everyone’s imagination creating lasting memories and spreading the economic benefits from tourism.”

In conclusion, “The 73 attractions are being recognised as a result of the exceptional experience they provide visitors from story-telling to food and drink and from customer service to overall winners.”

Howard Heeley responded on behalf of the museum trustees: “We are honoured to have been recognised in this way by VisitEngland. This Accolade is a tribute to all of the hard work put in by the museum members and our staff, each and every day the we are open to the public; well done to all of them!”

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Young artists’ display is ready for take-off

art by Jo Wilson

Date: 27 March 2020 – 28 March 2021
Location: Mezzanine Gallery, Hangars 3-5
Cost: Free

A collection of works by BA and MA Fine Art and Printmaking students from Middlesex University London will go on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London later this month. This vibrant new display is the result of the Museum’s community co-production and co-curation initiative in which local communities develop their understanding of collections though outreach.

Students were invited to respond creatively to a selection of drawings and watercolours chosen for the Museum’s forthcoming exhibition, ‘In Air and Fire: War Artists, the Battle of Britain and the Blitz’, opening to the public on 27 March. As well as closely engaging with the works behind the scenes, attending a drawing workshop, students engaged with displays around the Museum to consider wider visual and historical contexts for their subject-matter.

Middlesex University Associate Professor of Painting and Printmaking, Steve Mumberson said:
“The opportunity for students from the MA Printmaking, MA Fine Art and BA Fine Art to see and draw from works by original war artists – both well-known and unknown figures – proved to be a formative experience. Seeing works by little-known women war artists, either purchased by the War Artists’ Advisory Committee or produced independently, resonated with the students in different ways. It stirred them to reflect on the major events of the war and how these affected their grandparents across the world, both in terms of military involvement and socio-culturally. As for those of us who are older, the project has more immediately sparked thoughts about our parents’ involvement during those difficult months from the summer of 1940 and throughout the Blitz. This exhibition of our work represents those researches and engagements, personal to us all.”

The student’s art outreach project will showcase a wide range of works, featuring different approaches to printmaking – linocut, woodcut, etching, screenprint, and digital – as well as painting and installation.

Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries at Middlesex, Mark Hunter said:
“Middlesex University has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the RAF Museum. Students from across Dance, Photography, Illustration, Fine Art and Printmaking have collaborated with the Museum on a range of projects: the most recent of which saw our Fine Art and Printmaking students engage in a piece of outreach work by creatively responding to items from the collection. This was a wonderful opportunity to further our links in with the RAF Museum, the local community and the borough of Barnet more broadly”

The artwork will be displayed in the Mezzanine Gallery, adjacent to the ‘In Air and Fire’ exhibition in the Museum’s Art Gallery from 27 March 2020 until 28 March 2021, entry is free. For more information visit rafmuseum.org/london.

Furthering engagement with the local community, the Museum’s Heritage Outreach Officer led consultations with local community groups to garner their thoughts and opinions about some of the war artists’ works. These comments will be reflected in select community captions within two of the exhibition sections ‘Shelter and Civil Defence’ and ‘The Blitz’.

Five community groups; Age UK Barnet, Grange Big Local, Grahame Park Drop-in Group, ESOL (English as a Second or Foreign Language) learners, and the Museum’s ‘Art for Wellbeing’ cohort, actively participated in the consultation process, each group bringing a unique perspective to the works. Exhibition visitors will get to see which artworks were the most popular with each group and to join in the dialogue.

RAF Museum Heritage Outreach Officer, Rhiannon Watkinson said:
“With our local area having such strong links to The Battle of Britain and The Blitz – from the bombing of Colindale underground station to Fighter Command pilots flying out of RAF Hendon, I knew I had to invite discussion from our local community, to enrich participation with another layer of interpretation. The community captions also allow exhibition audiences to hear very different perspectives on the artworks – different voices.”