UK Aviation Museum News – Page 39

Chinook arrives at Newark Air Museum

Chinook at Newark Air Museum

In a timeframe of a little over ten (10) days, the Newark Air Museum has purchased and moved the fuselage of BV Chinook HC.1 helicopter, ZA717 from RAF Cranwell Lincs to the museum site in eastern Nottinghamshire. In doing so the museum has become the first independent aviation museum in the UK to acquire and display a Royal Air Force (RAF) registered Chinook helicopter.

The helicopter was transported by local contractor Hutchinson Engineering Services of Weston, Notts, the short distance from RAF Cranwell, Lincs; where, like the recently acquired Puma helicopter it had been used to train Loadmasters in slinging techniques and load securing methods.

Today’s arrivals was witnessed by around seventy (70) school children from two Lincolnshire Schools, who were visiting the museum as part of an Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire arts based education project, entitled ‘Fly Away Day’. This was a particularly apt welcome for Chinook ZA717, as eventually the museum plans to use it as an interactive education space / resource for visiting groups of school children, Scouts, Cubs and Beavers.

ZA717’s arrival was also particularly poignant for the museum’s groundsman Nigel Bean. Not only is Nigel a huge helicopter enthusiast but, as a serving RAF Police Officer he also witnessed the non-fatal incident on 25th July 1989 that saw ZA717 ‘written-off’ at RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands.

The activity today at the museum site saw Puma XW208 slightly repositioned alongside Display Hangar 1 on the museum’s Northfield Site, to create the space for ZA717 to be manoeuvred into position alongside the other former RAF Cranwell training aid helicopter.

“We are honoured and extremely proud to have secured such a unique helicopter for the collection,” commented Dave Hibbert, Museum Trustee & Acquisitions Officer. He continued, “We are especially grateful for the assistance provide by the RAF and personnel at RAF Cranwell who safely moved ZA717 out of its confined location, thereby enabling Hutchinson Engineering Services to undertake, what in the end turned out to be a relatively straight forward loading exercise.”

He concluded, “As with the Puma, we are already actively following up leads across the UK to locate the missing parts, and look forward to turning ZA717 into an important educational resource at the museum.”

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Foundation Day at the RAF Museum

Foundation Day at RAF Museum

Sunday 1 April 2018

Celebrate and commemorate 100 years since the formation of the Royal Air Force at this special event.

On Sunday 1 April the Royal Air Force will turn 100! The RAF Museum will be sharing and celebrating RAF stories throughout the year, but you can join us to commemorate this very special birthday with theatre, family activities and a special appearance from the RAF Baton Relay team.

Our NEW restaurant, Claude’s, will be serving traditional Sunday Fayre so you can enjoy a fantastic day out and a delicious meal with the whole family. There might even be a birthday cake, after all it’s not every day the Royal Air Force turns 100!

1918: Foundation
1pm – 4pm
Free to attend
Hangar 2
On the 1 of April 1918 the Royal Air Force and the Women’s Royal Air Force was formed in the midst of the First World War. Join us to hear the voices of the men and women that are part of our RAF Story. The Front of House Theatre company will be breathing life into these amazing stories set amongst our First World War Exhibition.

RAF 100 Baton Relay
4pm-5pm
Serving RAF personnel will carry the Baton across the country and around the world, visiting 100 locations in 100 days. We are lucky enough to share in the first part of the journey. The team will be running from central London to the RAF Museum in Colindale. Come and cheer them on and show your support and help them commemorate and celebrate a century of the RAF and inspire future generations.

www.rafmuseum.org

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

Brooklands VC10

Saturday 10th March 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 10th March. ‘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.

It is also hoped that the Reg Day Memorial Museum at Dunsfold Park will be open on the 10th March. This houses a remarkable collection of World War Two memorabilia concerned with all that happened during World War Two on the airfield.

Celebrating and Commemorating 100 Years of the RAF

RAF Museum London

2018 marks the centenary of the Royal Air Force and the award-winning RAF Museum will celebrate and commemorate this anniversary through a major transformation of its visitor experience, sharing the RAF story on site and online.

A multi-million-pound transformation of the RAF Museum’s London home will welcome visitors to discover a new green heart of the community in Colindale, North West London, reflecting the historic RAF Hendon airfield. The newly landscaped site includes outdoor picnic areas, children’s playground, restaurant, visitor car parking, and fully accessible pathways.

Two new, innovative galleries will explore the first 100 years of the RAF, its roles today and invite visitors to imagine its future contribution and technology. A third new exhibition will focus on the story of the RAF from the Falklands Conflict of the early 80’s to current operations.

Each exhibition will represent the diversity and inclusivity of the Royal Air Force and focus on the people behind the blue uniforms. Over 500 previously unseen artefacts relating to RAF history will be on display including logbooks, uniforms, lucky charms and technical equipment. These items have been carefully selected by our Museum curators for their ability to engage visitors with a fresh perspective on the RAF story.

The Museum is also launching RAF Stories – an online digital project which will inspire participants to share accounts of the Royal Air Force. RAF Stories will include stories, not just from former and serving personnel, but also from their friends and family as well as partners who work closely with the RAF. RAF Stories is a global effort to uncover tales ranging from humour to heroism.

The newly developed exhibitions will open at the end of June 2018 as part of the wider calendar of RAF 100 events celebrating and commemorating the RAF’s Centenary across the country.

The Museum is also running a series of special public events to mark the RAF Centenary across both its sites including a Spitfire 10k run; Open Cockpit evenings and family events such as the Hendon Pageant and the Family Festival of Flight.

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 and our calendar of events visit www.rafmuseum.org

Puma arrives at Newark Air Museum

Earlier today (Wednesday 7th February 2018) the latest addition to Newark Air Museum’s collection of airframes arrived at the museum site in eastern Nottinghamshire, close to the county border with Lincolnshire. Today’s arrival was an incomplete Aerospatiale Puma HC Mk 1 helicopter registration XW208.

The helicopter was transported by local contractor Gillivers Haulage, the short distance from RAF Cranwell, Lincs.; where it had been used to train Loadmasters in slinging techniques and load securing methods.

“This particular acquisition comes some seven years after the museum first made an attempt to secure a Puma for its collection, back in 2011,” commented Dave Hibbert, Museum Trustee & Acquisitions Officer. He continued, “RAF Pumas have been regular visitors to our Southfield Site and they have always been quite popular at the museum.”

He concluded, “We are already actively following up leads across the UK to locate the missing parts, and while it is viewed as a long-term project we are really proud to secure this early example of an under represented type of helicopter.”

Puma XW208 was off-loaded alongside Display Hangar 1 on the museum’s Northfield Site, while in this location it will be worked on as and when additional parts are secured for the project.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

RAF Musem CEO Appointed President of the Museums Association

Maggie Appleton of RAF Museum

The Royal Air Force Museum is proud to announce that our CEO – Maggie Appleton has been appointed as president of the Museums Association.

Previously a board member of the MA, Maggie will begin her presidency on 1 April 2018.

Maggie has over twenty-five years’ experience in the sector, focusing on the difference that museums and culture can make to people’s lives. After starting her career at the Royal Armouries, she worked in community museums in Stevenage and Luton, going on to be the chief executive of Luton Culture before moving to her current role at the RAF Museum in January 2015.

She led the development of Stockwood Discovery Centre, which opened in July 2008, and was behind a campaign to save the medieval Wenlok Jug for Luton and the nation after its export was stopped in 2006.

In 2012 she received an MBE for services to museums and heritage.

Her presidency begins on the centenary of the Royal Air Force’s foundation, which heralds a £26m transformation at the RAF Museum’s London site, with a focus on storytelling.

New MA President Maggie Appleton says:
“I’m absolutely delighted to be elected as MA president,” says Appleton. Having been a member of the MA for about 25 years, it’s an utter privilege, and I am very much looking forward to working with Sharon, the fabulous MA team, my colleagues on the board and all our members, to build on David Fleming’s immense contribution to museums. We continue to face unprecedented challenges and it’s more important than ever that the MA works with our partners to lead, listen and advocate with clarity, bravery and positivity.”

Outgoing MA president David Fleming says:
“It is vital that the MA not only continues to help ensure that it represents the interests of its membership, but that museums continue to modernise, and that the world takes museums seriously. It is a natural next step to elect a moderniser like Maggie Appleton to the job of president of the MA. I am confident that the key relationship Maggie needs – with the director of the MA, Sharon Heal – will enable the MA to continue its upward trajectory, which is so important for the welfare of the nation. The MA is in very good hands.”

Sharon Heal, the MA’s director, says:
“I am delighted that the MA board has elected Maggie Appleton as our new president. She is a champion of museums and the difference that they can make working with their communities. I am looking forward to working closely with her and the rest of the board to advocate the value of museums to society and to support our members and the wider sector to connect to wide and diverse audiences. It has been a pleasure to work with David Fleming over the past few years and he has provided visionary leadership for the MA while we have grown our membership, influence and networks.”

The MA’s trustees are elected by the membership and nominations are currently open for a member to join the board in April.

www.rafmuseum.org

Royal Air Force Bircham Newton Veterans’ Day on 19th May 2018

Bircham Newton Veterans Day

In addition to being the centenary of the birth of the Royal Air Force, 2018 will also be the 100th anniversary of the birth of the former RAF station at Bircham Newton. The first unit to fly from its airfield, No. 3 Fighting School, arrived in May 1918, just one month after the birth of the Royal Air Force. The Fighting School was soon joined by a second unit flying giant Handley Page bombers, designed to bomb Germany from this Norfolk airfield. Flying continued beyond the Armistice and throughout the inter-war years, increasing dramatically during the second World War. The station was finally closed in the early 1960s, during the height of the Cold War, but flying briefly returned in the mid-1960s, when trials of the Kestrel jump jet were conducted on the airfield.

The event will be open to all former servicemen, who served or were trained at Bircham Newton, and their close families. The largest group of visitors is expected to be former RAF administrative apprentices, who trained at Bircham Newton in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but many other veterans are also expected to attend, such as former national servicemen, former members of the Women’s Royal Air Force and officers who were trained at the Officers’ Advanced Training School (OATS) or its successor the Junior Command and Staff School (JCSS).

There will be many attractions for the veterans and their families to enjoy: the RAF Heritage Centre will be open for guided tours; an illustrated talk will be given on the role of Bircham Newton during the Great War; local history groups and service associations have been invited along to exhibit their material; military vehicles and large-scale model aircraft should be on display; local ATC squadrons and the Royal British Legion have also been invited to participate in a brief end-of-day ceremony, when the RAF ensign will be lowered to the sound of the Last Post. Tea, coffee and other refreshments will be available throughout the afternoon. It is also hoped to organise a short flypast, if possible.

Entrance will be free and free car parking will be provided. Disabled access and toilets will also be available, and help will be given to those with mobility problems.

www.rafbnmp.org

Doing Their Bit: Brooklands Women in the Great War

Brooklands Women in the Great War

NEW exhibition explores the many varied and vital roles played by Women at Brooklands

Brooklands Museum 6th February – 8th March 2018

Discover how the women of Brooklands ‘did their bit’ in World War One, in a new temporary exhibition at Brooklands Museum opening Tuesday 6th February.

Exploring war work through the individual experiences of five women, ‘Doing Their Bit: Brooklands Women in the Great War’ highlights a range of roles that women took on in World War One. Brooklands has always attracted people of great determination, many of whom made their mark on history, and Brooklands women were no different. In an innovative, dispersed exhibition, visitors will travel around the Museum to meet Hilda, Muriel, Gertrude, Ethel and Kathleen. From aircraft manufacture and supporting our Armed Forces to caring for the wounded, this exhibition tells the story of these women’s work in World War One.

Hilda Hewlett was the first woman to gain a British pilot’s licence, taking her test at Brooklands on 29th August 1911. During World War One, she ran her own aircraft manufacturing company with her partner Gustav Blondeau and set up a training school for women to teach them the skills they would need in the factory.

Muriel Thompson won the first Ladies’ Race at Brooklands in 1908. From 1915, she put her driving skills to use as an ambulance driver in France and Belgium for the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. She was awarded the Military Medal, Croix de Guerre and Ordre de Léopold II for her actions during the war.

Gertrude Harrison joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps at the age of eighteen and moved from Lancashire down to Brooklands to serve on the Royal Flying Corps base. Transferring to the Women’s Royal Air Force when it was created in 1918, she continued in her role supporting the Royal Air Force until she was demobilised.

Ethel Locke King helped build Brooklands Race Course and led the opening parade around the track on 17th June 1907. By the time the war broke out in 1914, she had turned her attention to her work with the British Red Cross, setting up and running around 14 auxiliary hospitals in Surrey to cater for convalescing soldiers.

Kathleen Beldam joined Vickers Ltd. (Aviation Department) at Brooklands as a welder, building aircraft for the first war in which aerial combat would be important. She joined the Society of Women Welders, one of a number of trade unions that came into being to campaign for equal pay.

There will be an accompanying kids’ trail available from the shop. There is no charge for the trail. Normal museum admission charges apply, there is no additional charge for the exhibition.

The exhibition and accompanying activity is part of the #WomensWork100 nationwide celebrations, as part of the First World War Centenary commemorations.

www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Clock In to Half Term Fun at Brooklands!

Brooklands Museum

12th – 16th February 2018

Hundreds of families will be spending February half term on the factory floor in the recently completed Aircraft Factory and Flight Shed at Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey. Inside the newly restored Bellman hangar, visitors will be able to clock in and don factory workcoats as they begin their ‘Brooklands Apprenticeship’. A series of workshops and interactives explore some of the skills used over the 80-year history of aircraft manufacture at Brooklands. On a new mezzanine level, the story of design at Brooklands is told and visitors can design their own military and civilian aircraft from different eras of aviation including those of the future. Leaving the Factory and entering the new Flight Shed visitors will see some of the Museum’s collection of complete aircraft, including opportunities to sit in the cockpits of the Hawker Hunter and Harrier, as well as displays on radar, ground-to-air radio and pioneering pilots.

The Museum’s collections of pre-war racing cars and motorbikes, the incredible Barnes Wallis ‘Stratosphere Chamber’ and the Brooklands Aircraft Park, featuring post-war aircraft including the Sultan of Oman’s VC-10 will all be open as usual. As well as this, there are racing and flying simulator rides in the 4D Theatre, special Kids Tours on Concorde and for children aged 5-11 years the chance to design your own sky scene in a special aviation-themed Family Workshop with the Brooklands Learning Team. The drop-in workshop is FREE to attend and runs from 11am – 12noon and again from 1pm – 3pm. All materials are provided.

However, if visitors really want to feel the wind through their hair, the Museum’s long-established and hugely popular rides in vintage-style cars* and on London Bus Museum’s iconic double-decker buses* will also be operating during weekdays in Half Term. Car rides take in the challenging summit of Test Hill and the Members’ Banking, the steepest part of the original Race Track, as long as it’s not too wet or slippery, from 11am–1pm and again from 2 – 3.30pm. London Bus Museum’s double-decker bus trips will run every half an hour from 11am until 3.30pm, except for a short break over lunchtime.

The Sunbeam Café is the ideal place for refuelling and add to this a visit to the Museum Shop to pick up a souvenir and you have the recipe for a perfect day out come rain or shine. And don’t forget to look out for the Museum’s larger than life mascot, Bertie Bear, who will be roaming the site looking for fans to have his photograph taken with!

Normal admission prices apply for half term week and are: adults £13.50, seniors £11.50, children (5-16 yrs) £7, family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) £35. The half-hour Concorde Experience is £5 for adults, £3 for children, 4D simulator rides are £4 for adults, £2 for children. *A minimum donation of £1 per passenger is requested for car and bus rides. The main visitor entrance for the Museum is via Mercedes-Benz World, on Brooklands Drive off Wellington Way between Weybridge and Byfleet.

For full details of events, directions and general Museum information, please telephone 01932 857381 or visit www.brooklandsmuseum.com. The Museum is open daily from 10am – 4pm in winter. Last entry is one hour before closing.

Race for the RAF in the Spitfire 100K Challenge

Spitfire 10k run

As a virtual race, the 100K challenge can be completed anywhere in the world and runners from as far as America, Germany and Denmark have already signed up. Online registration is now open and closes on 1 April when the challenge begins. Limited edition Spitfire 100K Challenge t-shirts are also available to purchase when registering online.

RAF Museum Public Events Manager, Abi Betteridge said:
“Throughout 2018 we will be celebrating the RAF’s centenary and we wanted to do something extra special to coincide with this. We came up with the idea of 100K in 100 days which is quite a challenge, but it can be completed anytime, anywhere, so long as the 100K is completed between 1 April and 10 July. We’ve already had lots of interest from abroad and RAF bases across the UK, it’s great to see people getting behind the RAF100 Appeal.”

The annual Spitfire 10K will also be returning to the RAF Museum Cosford this September and will give participants the unique opportunity to race across the airfield and down the runway at RAF Cosford. Registration is now open and this year, up to 1,200 runners can participate in the race which takes place on Sunday 2 September 2018.

Taking-off from the Museum’s Hangar 1, runners will head outside and begin the race with a loop of the Museum site past iconic aircraft including the VC10, Hercules and Nimrod, before heading onto the airfield at RAF Cosford. Participants will run alongside the wartime hangars, the air traffic control tower and of course, the race wouldn’t be complete without a sprint down the runway! The scenic route around the military airfield will take runners past several historic landmarks along the way and then it’s back onto the Museum site to cross the finish line. Upon completion, runners will be rewarded with a bespoke 2018 Spitfire 10K medal, a perfect and well-earned memento of their day.

Any families with younger children who would like to join in the fun on the day can sign up for the Spitfire Family Run, new for 2018. This gentle run will follow a shorter 1km race route around the Museum grounds and each registered runner will receive a special medal upon completion. The race is suitable for all ages, but children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.

Abi Betteridge adds:
“The demand for the Spitfire 10K is huge, last year we had almost 100 people on the waiting list, so this year we’ve increased our capacity to allow even more runners to take part. We already have around 600 people signed up, with lots returning for a second or even a third year. We always have a large number of families turn up to support the 10K runners so we wanted to add a family run so that everyone can join in. It’s such a unique event, there really is no other race like it and the feedback from everyone who took part last year was fantastic, especially about the medal, it’s an absolute must for any runner’s medal collection!”

The Spitfire 10K is a UK Athletics licenced race over an accurately measured course and is suitable for keen runners and novices alike, so if you’re aged 15 and over why not give it a go? Whether you’ve been entering races for years, or you’re just getting into running, the Spitfire 10K is guaranteed to be fun and memorable.

Organisers are also encouraging participants to get into the spirit of the Spitfire 10K by dressing in wartime attire – don your victory curls or flying jacket and run this event in style! Or, why not sport a bespoke 2018 Spitfire 10K t-shirt, available to purchase when you register online. The Spitfire 10K will be a fun family day out and spectators are invited to cheer on their loved ones and show their support on the day at the start and finish line. Plus, following the race, visitors have the added bonus of being able to enjoy time wondering round the free Museum, where they will find over 75 historical aircraft on display.

Runners can arrive from 8.00am onwards on race day. The Spitfire Family Run will commence at 9.15am and it will be ready, steady…..scramble at 10.00am sharp for the Spitfire 10K!

To register for the event visit the Museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford. Entry to the Spitfire 100K Challenge is £20 per person, the Spitfire 10K costs £22.50 per person (Armed Forces Personnel and members of UK Athletics affiliated clubs are eligible for the discounted entry fee of £20.50 per person), and participation in the Spitfire Family Run is £5 per person. All proceeds will go towards the RAF100 Appeal (registered charity number 1167398). For further details about the event can be found online.