UK Aviation Museum News – Page 36

Yorkshire Air Museum Supports Royal Air Force in London RAF Centenary Celebration!

Avro 504

Following on from the huge success in organising the “100 Years of Co-operation” with the Royal Air Force and French Air Force in Central Paris in late May, attended by the Chiefs of the Air Staff, (see image CAS and Dignitaries) the Yorkshire Air Museum was commissioned to display our newly refurbished example of a WWI Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c aircraft at the National RAF100 Ceremony in Horse Guards Parade, London, taking place between the 6th and 10th July.

Many hundreds of hours of painstaking work have been undertaken by our Aircraft Heritage Team to completely rebuild the B.E2c, which is now looking resplendent in the heart of London ready for public display, along with a host of other aircraft that the Royal Air Force have brought together for this prestigious occasion, culminating with the major flypast over the capital on the 10th July.

Ian Reed, Museum Director, comments: “As the acknowledged Allied Air Forces Memorial of Europe, the Yorkshire Air Museum has been pleased to fully support the Royal Air Force in not one, but two major international events in the capital cities of France and England within the last 3 months.”

www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

HRH The Earl of Wessex opens transformed RAF Museum London

RAF museum London

His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex today attended the opening ceremony of the transformed RAF Museum London as part of the centenary celebrations of the Royal Air Force.

After arriving in a 32 Sqn RAF helicopter, His Royal Highness met members of Museum staff, volunteers and partners who worked on and supported the transformation. Other VIPs at the ceremony included Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier (RAF Chief of Air Staff), HE Mr Khaled Al-Duwaisan (Ambassador of Kuwait) and Viscount Trenchard (grandson of the founding father of the RAF).

Maggie Appleton, RAF Museum CEO said ‘It was a pleasure and an honour to have The Earl of Wessex open our transformed London site in the RAF’s Centenary year. Our new exhibitions not only explore the Royal Air Force’s extraordinary history and people, but also give visitors the opportunity to look ahead into the cutting-edge future of the service. The Museum’s transformation is a celebration of the RAF’s breadth and diversity – and we look forward to welcoming visitors from London and beyond to experience it with us.’

Sir Peter Luff, Chair of Heritage Lottery Fund, one of the Programme’s leading supporters, said ‘As a pioneer and leader of international aviation, and in its Centenary year, the Royal Air Force deserves a world-class museum. Now, thanks to National Lottery players, visitors can explore the powerful, inspiring and often surprising stories of the world’s oldest independent air force in a dynamic new setting.’

Sir Roger Carr – Chairman, BAE Systems, Founding Partner of the RAF Museum’s RAF Centenary Programme said: “The histories of the Royal Air Force and BAE Systems have been inextricably linked since the foundation of the Royal Flying Corps. Since 2014 we are proud to have been a Founding Partner for the regeneration of the RAF Museum. The Museum plays an important role inspiring the next generation of airmen, airwomen and engineers.”

The Museum’s ambitious redevelopment features new immersive galleries, supported by a transformed visitor experience which includes a new learning centre, new landscaping drawing on the heritage of the London Aerodrome and RAF Hendon, a new visitor centre including a café and shop, and a new restaurant housed in a 1930s RAF building at the heart of the site. The transformation makes the RAF Museum the only place where visitors can test their flying skills, explore RAF stories, sit inside an iconic cockpit and enjoy a picnic in a single day.

Programmes have also been designed to deliver small object conservation skills and workshop spaces, additional apprenticeships, increased volunteering and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) formal and informal learning activities.

Historic Hendon projects are engaging the Museum’s local community with the heritage of their neighbourhood.

A digital project, ‘RAF Stories’, has been developed through which the public will be encouraged to create and curate their own online scrapbooks using photographs, memories, film and audio recordings to share their experiences or those of their loved ones within the RAF and the broader RAF family. These stories will be shared internationally online as well as being embedded in the new exhibitions, enhancing the Museum’s storytelling: http://www.rafstories.org

The transformed free-to-enter Museum in Colindale, North-West London includes:

• The Duke of Cambridge’s Sea King helicopter, from his days as a pilot in RAF Valley
• Three new innovative galleries which explore the first 100 years of the RAF, its roles today and invite visitors to imagine its future contribution and technology
• Perfect for picnicking – a new open, grassed landscape reflects the heritage of the site as The London Aerodrome and RAF Hendon
• A new themed outdoor play area for under 11’s
• A new restaurant, Claude’s
• A packed programme of family activities and events for all ages.

The new exhibitions are ‘RAF Stories: The First 100 Years’, ‘RAF: First to the Future’ and ‘The RAF in an ‘Age of Uncertainty’.

The Museum will open with a celebration of Armed Forces Day on Saturday 30 June, which includes an outdoor concert, craft activities, talks, tours, storytelling and more activities for all the family.

The RAF Museum’s RAF Centenary Programme is supported by National Lottery Players through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

For more information about the RAF Museum’s RAF Centenary Programme visit www.rafmuseum.org

Cockpit Fest a Resounding Success

Lancaster Cockpit at Newark Air Museum Cockpit Fest

Cockpit-Fest 2018 proved to be another great event at the Newark Air Museum site in eastern Nottinghamshire. For the second year running the museum arranged for the Cockpit-Fest and Aeroboot display areas to be located alongside each other on the Southfield Site. With a better defined layout this year the event ran smoothly and seemed to draw many positive comments.

The museum trustees were particularly thankful to a host of people: all of the Cockpiteers and Exhibitors, their friends and families; the Aeroboot stall holders; the museum staff, aircraft openers and volunteers who helped during the build-up, during and after the event.

Support for this year’s event came from the following people and organisations:

Ken Ellis (‘Wrecks & Relics – Spirit of Cockpit-Fest’ Awards)
The Museum Shop

Once again there was a diverse range of cockpits and supporting displays on show and everyone who displayed at the event was a winner and a credit to this wonderfully diverse hobby. Below are this year’s official results

Grand Champion (Visitors Award) – Jet Provost T.4, XS176, Morayvia

Visitors Award Non-Cockpit – jointly awarded to Mainly Military Models and the Control grips, yokes & panels display by Martyn Steele & Ian Hodgkiss

Cockpiteers Cockpit Award – jointly awarded to Vampire T.11, XE921, Steve Austin and Hunter FGA.9, XE597, Robert Dunn/ Worcestershire Aviation Society

Cockpiteers Award Non-Cockpit – Women At War, Karen Wilson

Wrecks & Relics Spirit of Cockpit-Fest Award (Ken Ellis) – Starduster, G-BNNA, South Yorkshire Air Museum

Wrecks & Relics Spirit of Cockpit-Fest Award (Ken Ellis) – Lancaster S for Sugar project

Newark Air Museum Spirit of Cockpit-Fest Award – Shackleton AEW.2, WL756 ‘Mr Rusty’, Gérard Prudon

We would like to add a special thank you to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for their excellent Spitfire flypasts on both days and to 301 (Bury St Edmunds) Squadron ATC Squadron for their car parking duties.

Cockpit-Fest will be back with a 2019 event, date to be confirmed.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Live Taxi Run and Guided Tours at Open Day for the Brooklands VC10 at Dunsfold Aerodrome

VC10 at Dunsfold

Saturday 7th July 2018

A special open day which will include a demonstration taxi run of one of the most iconic airliners ever to grace the skies takes place at Dunsfold Aerodrome on Saturday 7th July. ‘ZA150’ was the very last VC10 of 54 built at Brooklands in the 1960s and was one of the last two to fly with the RAF from Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. On its retirement in September 2013 it was acquired by Brooklands Museum and flew in to Dunsfold, where a team of dedicated volunteers maintains it in running order.

As well as seeing the low speed taxying demonstration, visitors will be able to tour inside the aircraft including the cockpit, chat to the VC10 volunteers and see for themselves how it was converted from a commercial airliner to an air-to-air refuelling tanker for the RAF. The timetable for the day is as follows:

10.30-12.30 Visits on board the aircraft – morning session ticket holders
12.30 onwards – afternoon session ticket holders may arrive from this time
12.30-13:45 Aircraft closed to prepare for taxi run at approx. 13:00 (subject to serviceability)
13.45-15.30 Visits on board the aircraft – afternoon session ticket holders

Entry to Dunsfold Park is by pre-purchased ticket only with the option of morning or afternoon sessions for access on board, with the demonstration run at around 13.00. Tickets are available from the Brooklands Museum website: www.brooklandsmuseum.com or by visiting the Museum Shop and are priced at £10 for adults, £5 for children.

The VC10’s graceful ‘T-tail’ and four rear-mounted Rolls-Royce Conway engines made it one of the most distinctive and elegant aircraft of its era. Only the supersonic Concorde amongst airliners was quicker, and the VC10 remains the fastest subsonic airliner across the Atlantic. With its quiet, spacious cabin and exceptional performance, the VC10 was a favourite of passengers and crews alike, fully justifying its epithet of Queen of the Skies.

The aircraft is one of three VC10s that form part of the Vickers fleet owned by Brooklands Museum. On the Museum site in Weybridge, Surrey is the Sultan of Oman’s VC10 which His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said most generously donated after the aircraft went into retirement in 1987. It quickly became and remains, one of the most popular exhibits in the Museum’s collection as it retains its luxurious gold-highlighted interior. Also on the Museum site is the fuselage of VC10 G-ARVM “Victor Mike”, which has been restored inside to commercial passenger jet standard, along with a special exhibition and video presentation charting the unique legacy of this aircraft.

Large Model Air Show returns to Cosford next month

Vulcan model aircraft

Date: 7-8 July 2018
Time: Gates open 8.30am
Cost: £8.00 in advance (until 4 July) / £10.00 on the gate

The Large Model Air Show is returning to the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford next month for a weekend of spectacular flying displays. Taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 July, this air show in miniature is set to entertain thousands of aviation and modelling enthusiasts with two full days of flying and family fun.

Aircraft heading to the show have all been designed and built by members of the Large Model Association, who have dedicated years into making them a perfect replica of the real thing. With everything from biplanes to modern day jets, model aircraft at the show can take anything from two weeks up to seven years to assemble and some can even reach speeds of up to 200mph, powered by engines similar to petrol lawn mowers and or miniature jet engines.

This year’s event will have a celebratory RAF100 flying theme with model aircraft representing 100 years of the Royal Air Force. Appearing at the show for the first time this year will be a giant Lockheed Constellation, a propeller-driven, four-engine airliner. Plus, exclusively for the Cosford show will be all three V Bombers, the Vulcan, Victor and Valiant flown together by the show organiser and three generations of the same family. The real V Bombers can of course be seen on display in the Museum’s National Cold War Exhibition.

The Large Model Air Show promises to be a great day out for modellers and families alike with plenty of exhibitors signed up to showcase some of the latest model kits and aviation accessories.

Families are guaranteed to enjoy the fun-filled line up which includes a children’s entertainment area. Plus, keeping visitors fuelled for the day, there will be a fantastic range of food and drink on offer including a beer tent and visitors will have access to the RAF Museum where they can view many of the aircraft flown during the show in full size. A free bus service will take visitors from the event to the Museum throughout the day, making getting around the site even easier.

Anyone wishing to attend the event can save money by purchasing tickets in advance at a discounted rate by visiting www.largemodelassociation.com. Advance tickets are also on sale at the RAF Museum Cosford, priced at just £8 per adult. Tickets purchased on the gate cost £10 per adult and children under the age of 16 are FREE.

Exclusively for the Large Model Aircraft Rally, visitors are able to camp on site, meaning you can make the most of the weekend’s flying and activities by being at the centre of all the action. On site camping, including entrance to the show both days is only £40.00 in advance (until 4 July) or £50.00 on the gate and any visitors interested in camping should email public-camping@largemodelassociation.com or call 07827 675665.

Lancaster flies in for Armed Forces Day celebrations

BBMF Lancaster by Terry Lee

Date: 30 June 2018
Time: 12.00pm invited lunch / 1.45pm concert
Cost: FREE (register at www.rafmuseum.org/cosford)
Flypast: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster 3.35pm (weather permitting)

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will once again celebrate the contributions made by Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, by hosting an orchestra concert and a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster flypast on Saturday 30 June for Armed Forces Day.

The highly decorated Glebe Symphonic Winds Orchestra will be performing for veterans, serving personnel and visitors alike, in a special one hour concert celebrating the RAF’s Centenary. This intimate musical performance will include classical pieces with everything from ‘Their Finest Hour’ by Nigel Clarke, ‘The Dam Busters’ by Eric Coates, to ‘The Royal Air Force March Past’ by Walford Davies and many more.

The concert will take place in the Museum’s National Cold War Exhibition Auditorium with seating for up to 200 guests. Attendance to the concert is free of charge and as places are limited, anyone interested in attending is asked to pre-register now via the Museum’s website in order to guarantee their place. Concert ticket holders will also receive a 10% discount voucher for the RAF Museum Shop, redeemable on the day.

The annual Armed Forces Day is an opportunity to reflect and pay tribute to our heroes past and present, including current serving personnel, service families, veterans and cadets. In addition to performances from one of the UK’s leading orchestras, organisers have lined-up a flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster at 3.35pm (weather permitting). This icon of the Second World War will be flying overhead at Cosford and is sure to be popular with visitors young and old.

Nathan Davies, RAF Museum Cosford Public Events Executive said:
“It’s an extra special Armed Forces Day this year with it being the RAF’s Centenary year. We are thrilled that the Glebe Symphonic Winds Orchestra will be returning for this year’s event, they are always really popular with our visitors, veterans and serving personnel. The day will be supported by two local cadet squadrons who will be welcoming visitors and helping families create their own Armed Forces Day flags. A real highlight of the day will be the BBMF Lancaster flypast which will be a poignant end to the days activities.”

Families can also take part in a free craft activity whereby youngsters can colour in and make their own Armed Forces Day flags ready to show their support as the Lancaster fly’s overhead on the afternoon. All materials will be provided and children get to take their flags home as a memento of their day.

The Museum’s on-site caterers Kudos will be offering Veterans, Serving Personnel and their families a special Armed Forces Day Ploughman’s Lunch. Guests will dine in a reserved area in the Refuel Restaurant overlooking the Museum grounds. Tables must be booked in advance by emailing whatson-cosford@rafmuseum.org.

To guarantee your place at the concert, book your ticket now via the Museum website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford. Tickets on the day will be subject to availability. Guests are asked to arrive 10 minutes before the performance starts in order to be seated.

The ultimate celebration and commemoration of the past 100 years of RAF service is now available in the form of a new RAF Commemorative Anthology, produced by Extraordinary Editions in association with the RAF Museum. The anthology commemorates a hundred years of service and sacrifice, courage and honour, whilst celebrating the spirit and values of the people who have contributed to the RAF story is now available to order.

The RAF Commemorative Anthology consists of over 650 pages of documents, orders, operational reports, maps, air diagrams, diaries, letters and ephemera, recording RAF life over its first 100 years.

The entire edition is limited to just 1500 copies worldwide and books will be allocated on a strictly first come first served basis. Full details can be found at http://extraordinaryeditions.com/our-books/the-raf-commemorative-anthology/ A donation from all sales will be made to the RAF100 Appeal supporting the RAF Association, Charitable Trust, Benevolent Fund, Museum and the Royal Air Force.

Less than a month until Cockpit-Fest at Newark Air Museum

Cockpit Fest at Newark Air Museum

Preparations for the 2018 Cockpit-Fest are well underway at Newark Air Museum’s site in eastern Nottinghamshire; close to the border with Lincolnshire. Newark Air Museum is a registered charity located on part of the former site of RAF Winthorpe; its two day Cockpit-Fest event attracts exhibitors from across the UK and Europe, to sample what one former-aviation magazine editor calls “grass roots aircraft preservation”.

At this year’s event a diverse range of aviation will be represented. This includes a range of military and civilian cockpits including amongst others: Lightning, Canberra, Hunter, Buccaneer, Brigand and Tempest. These cockpits are amongst many other cockpits from across the history of aviation.

From its humble beginnings, when a few like-minded enthusiasts first displayed one or two aircraft cockpit sections at the museum; Cockpit-Fest now regularly attracts, many more visiting cockpits and associated displays. Cockpit-Fest allows the owners the chance to display their prized exhibits to their fellow enthusiast and the general public.

This year’s event takes place on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June; and the event is being staged in last year’s location at the museum, alongside an Aeroboot / Aerojumble aviation and avionics sale. Here enthusiasts and the public can search out those aviation artefacts, books and models.

The event is supported by a range of organisations and individuals; with the visitors being encouraged to have a say in deciding, which is the best cockpit by voting on their favourite display and from these results, prizes are awarded.

Cockpit-Fest also attracts other visiting displays like local history / military vehicle groups; re-enactors; and even more aviation related displays such as clothing and historical artefacts. As an added bonus this year’s event has a flypast on both days by aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Full details about the events can be found on the Museum Events page of the museum website at www.newarkairmuseum.org

100-year-old veteran makes flying visit to Fleet Air Arm Museum

Douglas Rolton visits Fleet Air Arm Museum

100-year-old Mr Douglas Rolton visited Yeovilton’s Fleet Air Arm Museum this week for a special visit to see the Fairey Barracuda aircraft project.

Mr Rolton, who was 100 last month, flew as an observer/navigator in Royal Navy Barracuda aircraft on the bombing mission against the German Battle ship Tirpitz in 1944.

He also survived two crash landings at sea during his career as a Navy pilot, making him a double member of the ‘Goldfish Club’, the name given to aircrew members who have had to make forced landings over water.

William Gibbs, museum restoration engineer, who is heading the Barracuda rebuild, was able to show Mr Rolton many familiar parts of the aircraft that are being worked on to recreate the last surviving example of a Barracuda dive bomber, using components from Barracuda crash sites, recovered to aid the project. Of particular interest was the window section from the Observers position in a Barracuda, a view Mr Rolton would have been very familiar with during his flying career.

www.fleetairarm.com

Inspiring The Next Generation: RAF Science Challenge For Bristol Schools

RAF STEN at Aerospace Bristol

OVER 300 school children have taken part in a Royal Air Force event to encourage interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) today (Tuesday 22 May).

Students from schools in Bristol and surrounding areas took part in a range of activities including coding and building rocket cars. The event was held at Aerospace Bristol on the historic Filton Airfield with many of the STEM challenges themselves located underneath the wings of the Concorde. The aerospace museum is also home to the Sea Harrier which last year was successfully airlifted to its new home by an RAF Chinook.

The students were guided by the RAF Youth and STEM Team and their partners from Hands on Science. The students were also assisted by local RAF Engineers from Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) based at MOD Abbey Wood.

The event was part of the RAF’s national youth engagement programme which has been expanded for the Air Force’s 100th year and is expected to reach up to 2 million students aged between 9-15 years old. The aim of the programme is to build interest in STEM careers and inspire a new generation to help write the next chapters in the RAF’s story.

Amber Nyakunu, 11, from Holy Cross Primary School in Bedminster, said:

“My favourite activity was programming the robot. We had to use teamwork to complete the challenge and get the job done. After today, I would say I’m much mor interested in science and engineering.”

Air Marshal Julian Young, Chief of Material (Air) at DE&S and the Defence Engineering Champion, said:

“In 2018, both the year of the RAF’s Centenary and the Year of Engineering, DE&S is proud to join with our RAF colleagues to encourage our local young people from Bristol to take an interest in the exciting and rewarding field of Engineering. Through Engineering you can shape the future of the world we live in: my hero Brunel demonstrated this some 160 years ago, and the Concorde at Aerospace Bristol is a fantastic more recent example.

“Creative thinking and problem solving in technical matters are key to our country’s future, and as a responsible employer we have a duty to help address the skills shortfall in engineering across the UK.”

Amy Seadon, Learning & Community Engagement Manager at Aerospace Bristol, said:

“It was fantastic to see so many children taking part in hands-on STEM activities alongside Aerospace Bristol’s real-world examples of aerospace engineering. Through our exhibition and National Curriculum-linked learning programme, the museum aims to inspire young people to pursue careers in science and technology and we wer delighted to work with the RAF and Bristol schools on this special event.”

www.aerospacebristol.org

First UK Museum to be allowed to exhibit in France’s most prestigious location

Avro 504

On behalf of the RAF and French Air Force (Armée de l’Air), the Yorkshire Air Museum has been commissioned to undertake an exhibition with full sized aircraft celebrating over 100 years of close co-operation between the two air forces at Les Invalides in the centre of Paris from 24th until 28th May 2018.

(The Royal Air Force was formed on the battlefields of the France during WWI, 100 years ago this year).

Les Invalides is the famous 17th century hospital, courtyard and cathedral built by Louis XIV, and home to the tomb of Napoleon and some of France’s top museums.

The Yorkshire Air Museum based at Elvington near York is also the European accredited Allied Air Forces Memorial and is situated on an original RAF Bomber Command base near York, which was the home of the only two French Heavy Bomber Squadrons of WW2 with over 2300 French airmen based there.

Particularly because of this unique French connection, the Museum has extensive experience in organising exhibitions and transporting historic aircraft both across France and Great Britain. It will be transporting a restored British biplane of the type which was first used in WW1 in 1912, an AVRO 504, to be displayed along with the Museum’s Anglo / French exhibition and a 1916 French SPAD VII fighter on loan from the Conservatoire d’Aquitaine in Bordeaux. They will create an evocative display reflecting the earliest days of British and French military cooperation in air defence.

Museum Director, Ian Reed ONM FRAeS, comments: “This will be the first time that a UK museum, indeed any Museum, has undertaken a display of this kind in perhaps the most prestigious location in France, where many occasions of State take place.

We are very privileged to be asked by the Royal Air Force and French Air Force to assist in bringing to fruition this unique celebration of over 100 years of co-operation between the two country’s air forces, especially in this year of RAF100

The ties which bind our two countries remain strong, even as ‘Brexit’ looms and I am sure will remain so into the future”.

Mr. Reed particularly praised the French authorities: “They have gone out of their way to be helpful and I am very grateful to them for their support to us, especially a foreign museum in one of the most renowned buildings in France.”