UK Aviation Museum News – Page 74

Harrier GR9 arrives at IWM Duxford

Recently, BAE Systems Harrier GR9 ZD461 was transported from RAF Cottesmore to IWM Duxford, where it will undergo conservation work and a rebuild.

The acquisition of a second-generation Harrier with Afghanistan theatre history is hugely important to Imperial War Museums and enables us to communicate and interpret significant aspects of contemporary conflict. No other aircraft in the current IWM collection has Afghanistan service history so Harrier ZD461 presents an important addition to the IWM collection which develops our interpretation of modern warfare.

Harrier GR9 ZD461 was originally built as a GR5 model and was upgraded to a GR7 in 1992. In 1999, the aircraft served with No.4 Army Co-operation (AC) Squadron and moved with the squadron from Germany to RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, Great Britain.

During February and March 2003, the aircraft was deployed with No.4 AC Squadron to Operation Telic in Iraq. In August 2004, No.4 AC Squadron was deployed to Operation Herrick, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, followed by deployment to HMS Invincible in 2005. By May 2006, No.4 AC Squadron was once again serving in Afghanistan. This was followed by a tour of duty at Luqa, Malta before returning to RAF Cottesmore in August 2007. From there the aircraft was transferred to RAF Lossiemouth in September 2007 before being upgraded to a GR9 under the Joint Maintenance and Upgrade programme in 2008.

In January 2010, Harrier ZD461 was grounded at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, having suffered CAT.3 damage from brake fire during exercise Red Flag 2010-2. In March 2010, it was returned to RAF Cottesmore for repairs, where it remained following the withdrawal of the Harrier fleet from RAF service in December 2010.

IWM London is about to undertake a large-scale redevelopment, creating brand new First World War galleries as part of our plans to mark the First World War Centenary in 2014 as well as a transformed central atrium space. It is hoped that the Harrier GR9 will be able to be included in the reconfigured atrium, which will re-interpret and redisplay our iconic large objects, but we are still in the process of finalising our exhibits for this space.

www.iwm.org.uk

IWM Duxford shows newly conserved aircraft for the first time

IWM Duxford’s newly-conserved de Havilland Vampire WZ590 was presented to the media this Tuesday 13 March. Also part of a large gathered audience were members of Friends of Duxford and Duxford Aviation Society.

Steve Woolford, Head of Interpretation and Collections, made a welcoming speech, thanking IWM Duxford staff and volunteers for their dedication and commitment to the conservation of the aircraft, which has taken four years to complete.

Conservation team staff and volunteers were in attendance for photographs, including Dr Rohan Nelson, who travelled all the way from Canberra in Australia to assist with the conservation of the Vampire and who was in attendance at the aircraft presentation.

The aircraft was then rolled out of the Conservation Hall in AirSpace and onto the airfield jet pan for further photographs.

The Vampire will be transferred to the Battle of Britain exhibition this week, where it will go on permanent display to the public.

Chris Knapp, Conservation Manager, said “This is another successful project completed to our high conservation standards. It demonstrates the dedication of our staff and volunteers and helps us to uphold our reputation for excellence. We are particularly proud of the Vampire as it has involved more detailed conservation than we are usually able to undertake. Many components within the aircraft are still in the original paint and condition that they were during the aircraft’s time in service.”

Basil Gowring, who flew Vampires during the 1950s, recently reminisced on his experiences, “I flew a lot from Duxford, having joined 65 Squadron in December 1953, flying Meteors from there until mid 1956. I was posted away, to 233 Operational Conversion Unit at Pembrey, as a staff instructor and it was there where I flew most of my Vampire time – mostly in the single-seat Marks 5 and 9, and also the two-seat trainer version, the T11 – initially without ejector seats but later with the ejector seat equipped version. I did keep flying the T11s on subsequent tours, usually on gunnery instruction or occasionally when conducting instrument rating tests on other pilots. I returned to No 65 Squadron at Duxford for a further tour of flying, this time in the Hunter Mark 6 version. My subsequent fighter tours were all on various versions of the Hunter.

Returning to the Vampire, I always found her to be a pleasure to fly, both in the twin- and single-seat versions. When taxying on the ground, one sat much closer to the tarmac than in , for example, the Meteor or Hunter and , when landing, one had to “get right in” to the observed runway to avoid an over-high round out. Considering the limited power of the single-engined Vampire, compared with the twin -engined Meteor or more potent Hunter, the “Vamp” nonetheless leapt off the ground with fair alacrity and showed a reasonable rate of climb. We used to do formation training at 30,000 feet and above and, provided you kept the engine power up, the Vampire proved pleasant to fly. It had a good rate of turn, at high and lower levels, provided one kept plenty of power on. When doing simulated combat training some good hassles with the simulated enemy could be had – provided again that you retained plenty of power on. Needless to say, continued use of higher power settings had an effect on the fuel state, particularly at the lower levels, so sometimes training sorties were relatively brief!

The Vampire was a good gunnery platform, when firing at a towed banner target over a firing range. The aircraft’s general agility allowed you to safely get into the optimum range from the target to get good results. For air to ground firing, similarly the aircraft could be flown into an optimum firing position before the need to pull out, to clear the ground and avoid loose shrapnel from one’s own firing!

Although my experience on the Vampire was much less than on my “main” aircraft – the Meteor, Hunter, and Vulcan bomber, I still look back to those pleasurable days flying the mighty Vampire.”

www.iwm.org.uk

Gigantic Delivery for RAF Museum Cosford

The RAF Museum today took delivery of a Nimrod fuselage, which arrived in style on a low loader lorry. The fuselage of Nimrod R.1 XV249 was escorted from Kemble, Gloucestershire with the load measuring some 38 metres in length.

The wings and some remaining components of the aircraft will be delivered in the near future and the Nimrod will then be re-assembled on site, before going on static display at the museum later on this year.

RAF Museum Curator, Al McLean says:

“It was amazing to see such a large aircraft transported by road to Cosford and we are pleased to be receiving a Nimrod aircraft into the RAF Museum collection. The aircraft has flown over 11,000 hours during its service with the RAF and we anticipate it being very popular with our visitors. The Nimrod will be re-assembled on site and will go on display later this year.”

Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R.1 XV249 was one of 46 aircraft used by the RAF for maritime reconnaissance and signals intelligence work, and was in service for nearly 40 years. It has a wing span of 35 metres and could reach speeds of up to 416mph. It was withdrawn from service in 2011.

The Nimrod is the latest addition to the aircraft collection along with a Hercules C-130K and Harrier GR.9A. The Museum is open from 10am – 6pm (last admission 5pm). For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.

Shropshire Model Show Set To Attract Thousands

1st April 2012

10.00am – 4.00pm

FREE entry

The popular Shropshire Model Show is returning to the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Sunday 1st April 2012. Open to the public from 10am, the show is expected to attract thousands of visitors from across the country. The event will bring together members of Shropshire Scale Modellers and its associated body, the Telford branch of the International Plastic Modellers Society, whose members provide many of the exhibits on display.

More than 80 clubs will be exhibiting intricately detailed models including aircraft, cars, bikes, trucks, Dr Who and Star Wars figures and many other science fiction related items. In addition to this the show will boast over 40 traders, in all of the Museum’s hangars, selling a range of materials and kits associated with the world of modelling including plastic kits in various sizes along with glues, paints and detail sets. There will also be a stall for the ladies, selling hand made cards, handbags and jewellery.

A tombola will run all day offering a range of excellent prizes. The show will also be hosting an open competition where modellers of all ages and abilities can enter their creations to win a much coveted award.

Organiser Gary Stevens of Ellesmere says:

“I am very excited and honoured this year as we have a trader coming all the way from Belgium, making this an international show now. One of our many attractions to attend this year is called project Iraq 2003 depicting a typical scene Somewhere near Basra shortly after battle. The model is 1/35 scale with working train, and the whole scene measures 3m wide and 1m deep.

The popularity of this show increases every year and there is something for all the family no matter what age.”

This show provides dedicated model enthusiasts the opportunity to display and show off the skills involved in making elaborate models, ranging from aircraft to boats and trains. Following the popularity and success of the Museum’s recent Model Making Half Term event, organisers are confident a new generation of modellers will attended.

Visitors will also be able to view the Museum’s three hangars and the National Cold War Exhibition during their visit. There is ample car parking available along with free park and ride, a restaurant, café and souvenir shop on site.

The Museum is open from 10am – 6pm (last admission 5pm). For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.

Through the Eyes of A Service Child

Free to Enter Photography Competition for U.K. Service Children.

1st of March 2012

Following the success of the 2011 ‘Through the eyes of a Service Child’ Art competition, the Service Children Support Network in association with the Royal Air Force Museum is proud to launch their 2012 ‘Through the eyes of a Service Child’ photographic competition; the winning entries of which will be displayed in an exhibition at the Museum’s London site later this year.

The children of all personnel currently serving in any of the United Kingdom’s three Armed Services (Navy, RAF or Army) and their Reserve Units are invited to submit a photograph that reflects their experience as a Service Child. Entries are by age category: Aged 5 and Under; Age 6 to 9 years; Age 10 to 13 years; and age 14 to 18 years – with each child able to submit a maximum of 3 photographs per entry.

The Royal Air Force Museum will be awarding a generous selection of prizes from its shop to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed winners in all four categories with all 12 winners invited to a Prize Giving Ceremony at the Royal Air Force Museum London, to take place this summer, where they will be able to view their photographs on display to the public. These winning images will then be published in the Service Children Support Network’s calendar for 2013 raising valuable funds for the charity.

Keith Ifould, Director of Commercial Services at the Royal Air Force Museum comments:

‘For some service children it can be very unsettling when either their mother or father is away from the family home on active service. This can, in some instances, lead to children of Service Personnel facing added challenges in terms of their educational attainment or fitting in with their classroom peers who may have difficulty understanding the worries that Service Children have. The Service Children Support Network provides valuable support to educational professionals who work with Service Children, enabling such children to reach their full potential in the classroom whilst at the same time providing practical help and advice to the partners of active serving personnel.

Accordingly, I am very happy for the Royal Air Force Museum to lend its support to the Service Children Support Network in the promotion of its annual photography competition, and the subsequent creation of its 2013 calendar, in support of the charity’s work.’

For full details of how to enter the competition and its rules please go to: www.servicechildrensupportnetwork.com.

The competition itself will run from 1st March 2012 until 15th May 2012, with judging of the competition taking place in June.

The Royal Air Force Museum operates at two sites. One London and Cosford, Shropshire. It is open daily from 10am to 6pm and admission is free of charge. For further details about the Museum and to find out when the Service Children Support Network’s Photography Exhibition will be shown at the Museum’s London site, please visit www.rafmuseum.org.

Colonel Richard Graham discusses the SR-71 Blackbird

Former SR-71 Blackbird pilot Colonel Richard Graham (USAF Retired) will be making a welcome return to IWM Duxford on Sunday 11 March 2012.

Always a very popular speaker at IWM Duxford, Colonel Graham will be giving an overview of the SR-71 Blackbird programme at 11am in the Marshall Auditorium in AirSpace.

This talk will be followed by an extended question and answer session, where Colonel Graham will chat with his audience.

At 2pm, Colonel Graham will be hosting walk-around tours of the SR-71 Blackbird that he previously flew at RAF Mildenhall, which now sits in pride of place on display in the American Air Museum.

Following the tour, there will be an opportunity for book signings and to ask more questions.

The SR-71 Blackbird is regarded as one of the United States Air Force’s most important Cold War-era aircraft. It was classified as top secret for most of its operational life, flying covert missions from RAF Mildenhall from the mid-1970s onwards. The aircraft played an important role in military conflicts for nearly thirty years, being superceded only when spy satellites came into operation.

Colonel Richard Graham’s involvement with the Blackbird continued until his retirement from the United States Air Force in 1989 as a highly-decorated pilot with more than 4,000 hours of military flying experience.

Colonel Graham’s talks are always incredibly popular. Both events on Sunday 11 March are included in standard admission to the museum and, as usual, children aged 15 and under go free.

The Marshall Auditorium has a maximum capacity of 200. Entry to Colonel Graham’s talk is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The walk-around tour can also be joined on a first-come, first-served basis.

Join us to hear about the thrill and excitement of flying the SR-71 Blackbird as Colonel Richard Graham enthralls his audience with tales about this iconic and enigmatic aircraft.

www.iwm.org.uk

Harrier GR9A now on display at Cosford

The New Year has got off to a flying start at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford with the arrival of a Harrier GR.9A serial number ZG477. This revolutionary vertical take-off, multi-role combat aircraft is now on display to visitors within the Museum’s Warplanes collection.

The Harrier GR.9A is a single seat, multi-role combat aircraft, capable of operating in extreme environments, at night, low level and from a variety of locations including deployed air bases and aircraft carriers. One of its more unique and well known features is the ability to take-off and land vertically. Fitted with a Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine, the aircraft is over 46ft in length, has a wingspan of 30ft and could reach a top speed of 661mph.

The first Harriers entered RAF service in 1969. This made Royal Air Force the first air force in the world to use this revolutionary aircraft and allowed the Service to access areas normally off limits to other aircraft. Before being withdrawn from RAF service in December 2010, Harriers were used by the RAF in close air support roles and were usually employed in direct support of ground troops. Also used for low or medium-level attacks using precision-guided, freefall or retarded bombs, Harriers were equipped with a variety of weapons including laser and GPS-guided bombs, infa-red missiles, cluster munitions and general-purpose bombs.

The Harrier GR.9A ZG477 now on display at the RAF Museum entered RAF service in August 1990 as a Harrier GR.7. It was initially stationed in Germany with No. 4 Squadron before being based in Turkey following the Kurdish uprising against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. In 1993 the Harrier force, including ZG477 took over policing the Northern Exclusion Zone in Iraq from Jaguar aircraft. The three Harrier Squadrons (No. 1, 3 and 4) were rotated on a regular basis until 1995.

In 1999 Harrier ZG477 was based in Italy with No. 3 Squadron during Operation Allied Force. The objective was to degrade and damage the military and security structure that Serbian President Milosevic used to depopulate and destroy the Albanian majority in the province of Kosovo. Upgraded to a Harrier GR.9A in 2004, ZG477 was fitted with a more powerful Pegasus engine and a terrain referenced navigation system as part of an Integrated Weapons Programme (IWP).

Between 2008 and 2009 it saw active service in Afghanistan along with seven other Harriers that were continuously available, with Missions flown in pairs, two pairs on day tasks and one pair at night. The main area of operations was over Helmand Valley, supporting UK Army and Royal Marines as well as other coalition troops.

On the 15th December 2010 all Harriers were grounded after a farewell formation flight, following defence budget cuts. In twenty years of RAF service, Harrier ZG477 ended its career with No.1 Squadron after completing 4,191.25 flying hours and 3,969 landings.

Al McLean, RAF Museum Cosford Curator says:

“We are delighted to be selected as one of only two museums to receive this final example of a uniquely innovative aircraft with a distinguished history. It enhances our display of Warplanes.”

Other aircraft due to arrive at the Museum later this year include the EAP and the Dornier Do-17. The Museum is open daily from 10am and admission is free of charge. For more information on the Museum, visit www.rafmuseum.org or call 01902 376200.

Head of the French Air Force to be Vice President of Yorkshire Air Museum

It was announced today that General Jean-Paul Paloméros, Chief of the French Air Force has become a Vice President of the Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial.The General joins Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of the Royal Air Force in this role, as well as the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu; RAF historian, author and Daily Telegraph columnist Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork and TV celebrity Jan Leeming, who recently accepted the same invitation, in this ‘ambassadorial’ role in support of the work of the Memorial to preserve the memory of allied servicemen and women. This is the first time that the Heads of two Air Forces have ever come together as Vice Presidents for a Museum.

Born in Paris in 1953, General Paloméros became the 49th Chief of Staff of the French Air Force on 25 August 2009. He gained his flying wings in 1976 and holds the Grand Officer de la Legion d’Honneur, Officer de l’Orde National Mérite and Médaille de l’Aeronautique. His Battle Honours include Operation Crécerelle and Operation Deny Flight. He was involved “on the ground” in Libya in support of the highly effective Anglo-French air operations.

In his letter, General Paloméros expressed his enjoyment of his recent visit to York for the Inauguration of the French Memorial at York Minster on 20th October last year, and that it was his great pleasure to accept this Honorary role for the Allied Air Forces Memorial.

Museum Director, Ian Reed said, “We are delighted that the French Air Force have honoured us in this way, which underlines the close aviation links between our two countries and the important significance of the work of the Allied Air Forces Memorial. The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial is one of the largest museum memorials of its type in Europe. It is located at Elvington near York and was the former base of the only two French Heavy Bomber squadrons within RAF Bomber Command.”

www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

The Glove Fits for RAF Photo Competition Winners

The winning images from the annual Royal Air Force Photographic Competition will be on view to members of the public at the RAF Museum London from 15th January 2012.

The Royal Air Force is celebrating the superb achievements of its photographers following the judging of the annual RAF Photographic Competition. The winning entries are to be displayed at a unique exhibition at the RAF Museum in North London which opens on 15th January.

Subject categories range from ‘The Operational Experience’, an image that reflects the Royal Air Force conducting vital work on operations or training in support of operations, through to the ‘Equipment’ category which gives photographers the exciting opportunity to display their skill photographing the Service’s world-class equipment. The 2011 RAF Public Relations Photograph of the year was taken by Sgt Pete Mobbs of RAF Coningsby. His photograph ‘If the Glove Fits’ captured a 3 Squadron Pilot climbing into the cock-pit of a Royal Air Force Typhoon operating from Gioia del Colle in Italy in support of Operation Unified Protector, as part of the NATO-led, UN-mandated coalition to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 calling upon coalition forces to successfully protect the people of Libya from attacks made upon them by the regime of the late Colonel Gadaffi.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton presented the winners with their awards. He said ‘The competition entries this year are once again of the highest quality and showcase not only the professional abilities of our Royal Air Force Photographers but also the tremendous diversity and adaptability of our people and equipment. These dynamic images reflect the extensive breadth of Service life and the critical contribution that our personnel have made to global operations, in particular our support to operations in both Libya and Afghanistan.’

For 22 years, the Royal Air Force has held a photographic competition in recognition of the skills and high standard of work of their trained photographers and to highlight that the Royal Air Force remains a global force and is on operations around the world. The Royal Air Force’s successful mission in Libya alongside its continued commitments to operations in Afghanistan, the Falkland Islands, and the continued protection of UK air-space provided significant subject matter for RAF photographers during 2011.

Consequently, a large number of the entries in this year’s competition reflect the broad range of operational and pre-deployment training activities that are undertaken by the Service: such as Chinook and Merlin helicopters that provide essential mobility, moving personnel and equipment and undertaking medical evacuations crewed by Royal Air Force medical teams; those aircraft necessary for the successful supply of UK forces abroad; and the mission critical protection provided by the RAF Regiment.

Warrant Officer Mick Gladwin, who is responsible for the Photographic Trade Group said:” Royal Air Force Photographers have superb technical ability and take great pride in their work. As reflected in the entries this year, they strive to achieve the highest standards in areas as diverse as aerial reconnaissance, portraiture and video as well as completing tasks in support of the police, post crash management, engineering, medical and dental branches in their day-to-day duties.”

In excess of 900 images were entered in the competition which made the selection of winners extremely difficult. Judging this year was conducted by Air Cdre (Ret’d) Barry Doggett, Mr Andy Whittle (Retired Warrant Officer Photographer), Mr Colin Inglis Commercial Business Manager for Jacobs Digital.

All were unanimous in their appreciation of the very high standard, quality and diversity of work produced by both Service and civilian photographers.

The photographs will be on display in the RAF Museum, electronically beamed onto glass screens located in the ‘RAF Today’ area of the Milestones of Flight Gallery. The exhibition will be on show at the Museum’s London site until 15th April when it will then transfer to the Museum’s Cosford’s site in Shropshire.

Entry to the Royal Air Force Photographer of the Year Exhibition is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. The exhibition will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until April 15th. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266.

RAF Museum Cosford Events Diary 2012

Forthcoming events taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford during 2012:

· Model Making Half Term – 13th-17th February

· Shropshire Modellers’ Show – 1st April

· Bike 4 Life Easter Egg Run – 1st April

· Cold War Trail – 1st-15th April

· 60th Anniversary of the Comets 1st Passenger Flight – 2nd May

· Open Cockpits Evening – 19th May

· National Service (RAF) Association Parade – 20th May

· Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations – 2nd June

· Half Term Diamond Activities – 2nd-10th June

· RAF Cosford Air Show (Admission Charges Apply) – 17th June

· Armed Forces Day – 30th June

· Bike 4 Life Summer Run – 1st July

· August Activities – 1st-31st August

· Exclusive Gala Ball – 8th September

· Battle of Britain Weekend – 15th – 16th September

· Open Cockpits Evening – 22nd September

· 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis – 15th October

· Search and Rescue Half Term – 22nd-26th October

· Remembrance Service – 11th November

· Conservation Centre Open Week – 12th-17th November

More details on each event will be issued closer to the time. (Provisional list of events, dates maybe subject to change)

For further information on forthcoming events taking place at the RAF Museum Cosford in 2012, please contact the Museum on 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org. The Museum is open daily from 10am. Entry to the Museum is FREE.