Category: UK Aviation Museum News

Flying display honours National Service Veterans

2nd June 2013

Lancaster display 1:00pm (weather permitting)

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster will be taking to the skies over Shropshire in honour of the thousands of National Service RAF veterans. This iconic aircraft will perform for visitors and guests at the National Service (RAF) Association parade, taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Sunday 2nd June.

Starting at 11:00am, this event is expected to see hundreds of ex National Service men and women participate in the parade, led by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force. Following a short 100m march the parade will form up next to the Museum’s Hangar 1 where Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton will be the reviewing officer, accompanied by Group Captain Sansom, Station Commander at RAF Cosford. All veterans who served in the Armed Forces are welcome to participate, providing them with the opportunity to reunite with lost friends and colleagues.

Following the parade, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, will be officially presenting Arctic Star medals and the Bomber Command Clasp to eligible veterans. These prestigious accolades are awarded to members of the British Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy who were involved in action in the Arctic Circle or Bomber Command during World War II. Both awards are retrospective, coming almost seventy years after the end of the war. Veterans from all three services who have been awarded either honour are invited to put their names forward in order to have their medals officially presented to them on the day by the Chief of the Air Staff.

Around 600 veterans are anticipated to take part and hundreds more visitors are expected to turn out to watch. Following the ceremony, visitors and guests will be treated to a flying display from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster scheduled for 1.00pm (weather permitting). Plus, National Veterans Organisations and training camp associations will be represented in Hangar 1. On completion of the formal events, guests will have access to the RAF Museum site where they can catch up with old friends and view the exhibits.

The Museum gates will open at 9am on Sunday 2nd June, although the Museum itself will open at 10am. Entry to the Museum and participation in the parade is FREE. Any veterans wishing to put their names forward for the presentation should contact the event organiser Pat Honey on 01782 516887.

For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.

Bloodhound Missile Acquisition

After several failed attempts the Newark Air Museum has finally been able to secure a long-term acquisition target in the shape of a Bloodhound surface-to-air missile.

This recently acquired missile was transported to the museum’s site on the former RAF Winthorpe airfield in Nottinghamshire; close to the border with Lincolnshire on Tuesday 21st May, 2013.

After refurbishment the Bloodhound missile will be displayed alongside the museum’s Type 86 Radar Cabin, which recently underwent an external repaint. This is a complete cabin that was acquired several years ago from the Royal Radar and Signals Establishment and is believed to have carried the codename ‘Indigo Corkscrew’.

The museum also displays a Thunderbird surface-to-air missile, which was acquired several years ago.

Some key items are missing from the new acquisition and the museum is hopeful of sourcing these items in the coming months.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Outdoor concert to hit the right note

6th July 2013Gates open 5.00pm

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be staging a ‘Proms in the Park’ concert on 6th July to celebrate the 75th anniversary of RAF Cosford. This spectacular outdoor party will not only feature classic and modern music but also two aerobatic displays and a fireworks pageant that will end the night on a climactic note.

Taking place on Saturday 6th July, this captivating evening of music and entertainment will be staged in the Museum’s grounds under the wings of Cosford’s Hercules aircraft. A giant stage will be erected to accommodate a variety of live musical performances that will include a full Orchestra, Soul band, local Military Wives Choir and an Electric Violinist. The Wessex Concert Orchestra with Soprano will perform a two hour concert for guests who are encouraged to join in the spirit of things and sing along to some well-known numbers including the ever popular ‘Land of Hope and Glory’. Present for the whole evening will be a RAF hot air balloon that will loom large over the stage and provide the perfect backdrop to the evening events

One of the many highlights of the evening will be a full flying display from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Spitfire (weather permitting). Visitors will also enjoy a parachute display from the RAF Falcons, which will see the squad’s members jump from an aircraft to parachute in formation to the ground before attending the concert and meeting with the public. .

In addition to the night’s musical performances and entertainment, there will be refreshments available all evening including a fully licensed bar, hot food and snacks. As this is an outdoor event, attendees are welcome to bring along their own picnic and refreshments. Camping chairs and blankets are highly recommended so guests can sit back and enjoy the show including a spectacular fireworks finale which will conclude the evening’s events at 10.00pm.

The Prom will be raising money for the RAF Benevolent Fund – the RAF’S leading welfare charity and the RAF Museum. The RAF Benevolent Fund has been supporting the RAF family since 1919. The RAF Benevolent Fund is there, through thick and thin, to support RAF personnel and their families, whenever assistance is required no matter whether they are current or ex serving members of the Service. The RAF Benevolent Fund team will also be present on the night and will be happy to answer any questions that guests might have about the great work they do.

Anyone wishing to attend this spectacular evening can purchase tickets online via the Museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org. Tickets are now on sale and are priced at just £20.00 for adults and children under 16 are free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Gates open at 5.00pm with music starting at 5.30pm and the fun continues late into the night.

Westland Lynx Mark 7 helicopter takes up residence in the Battle of Britain exhibition

We’re delighted to announce that we’ve recently taken delivery of an exciting new addition to our collection at IWM Duxford.

Westland Lynx Mark 7 helicopter XZ194, gifted to Imperial War Museums by the Ministry of Defence, now sits within the Battle of Britain exhibition.

It had been in service since 3 January 1979, when it began life as a Mark I Lynx helicopter. It was converted to a Mark 7 in September 1992 after 3,104 flying hours. This Lynx flew with 7 Regiment Army Air Corps, the main helicopter pilot training unit for the Army, at Middle Wallop until May 2012, when it was declared Non-Effective after 6,667 flying hours. The remainder of its serving life was spent with 9 Regiment Army Air Corps at Dishforth and with the School of Aviation at Middle Wallop.

The Westland Lynx was, until recently, the British armed forces’ main multi-role helicopter. The Lynx Mark I entered operational service with the Army and the Royal Navy in 1977 and was later adopted by the armed forces of over a dozen nations. It primarily served in the roles of battlefield utility, anti-armour, search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare.

Lynx helicopters have served in every British Army combat theatre since 1979, bar the Falklands. They have been present in Afghanistan in a variety of roles, including liaison, troop transport, medevac, resupply and light gunmanship, since 2006. They also served with 16 Air Assault Brigade in Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003 and the subsequent occupation of Iraq. Lynx helicopters recently started to leave service, being replaced by the upgraded ‘Super Lynx’ (Wildcat) helicopter.

The addition of the Westland Lynx Mark 7 to the IWM Duxford collection enables us to demonstrate the close ground-to-air co-operation needed on the contemporary battlefield.

IWM Duxford is the first UK museum to display a Westland Lynx Mark 7. This is also the first Army helicopter to be displayed at IWM.

We are delighted that it will now tell the story of helicopter capability in modern warfare at IWM Duxford.

John Delaney, Collections Manager, IWM Duxford said “The Lynx helicopter would have been seen by every soldier serving on operations over the past 35 years. The majority would have benefited by receiving supplies from them, being carried by them or receiving gunfire support from them. This is the first Army helicopter to be displayed at IWM and it helps us to demonstrate the unique role played by helicopters on the modern battlefield.”

 www.iwm.org.uk

Dambusters Commemorations Royal Air Force Museum

With a month to go to the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters Raid, the Royal Air Force Museum London has today unveiled the various activities that it has organised to commemorate this historic campaign and the men of 617 Squadron.

From 13th to 17th of May the Museum will have on display a selection of artefacts from the Dambusters Raid not normally on view to the public. These include photo-reconnaissance of the Dams before and after the Raid, a facsimile of Guy Gibson’s logbook and the original draft of his book ‘Enemy Coast Ahead’, plus letters from various crewmembers to family members on the home-front and part of the Möhne Dam itself. These items will be located in display cases by the Museum’s Lancaster Bomber.

On 17th of May, the Museum’s London site will be open late to the public for ‘Dambusters Night’ as part of this year’s international Museum’s at Night Festival. Members of the public, aged 18 and above, will be able to watch a short film on the preparations and testing of the bouncing bomb as well as seeing test footage (from our film archive) on the big screen. They’ll also be able to see the original testing equipment used in the film ‘The Dam Busters’ and attend a mini-lecture on the subject of the development of bombing from the First World War up to the Dams Raid before taking part in a debate about the effectiveness of the Raid, itself.

The Museum will also have on display, in a newly refurbished permanent exhibition, a replica of Sir Barnes Wallis’ Brooklands office which will feature his actual drawing board and the models, photos and books that inspired him to create the bouncing bomb; whilst members of the Museum’s curatorial team will be on hand to answer any questions that visitors might have about the artefacts on display.

There will be 1940s music and guests are encouraged to dress from the period to make the event a totally immersive experience. Those who are unable to come in 1940s dress will be able to try on an authentic 1940s RAF uniform from the Museum’s Handling Collection and have their photograph taken as a memento of the evening. Admission to this event is free of charge.

Our London commemorations will finish on 19th of May with the fourth annual Hendon Model Show which is dedicated, this year, to the men of 617 Squadron. Over 50 clubs from across the UK will have on display the various models that they have created throughout the last 12 months. The show will also display a series of dioramas specially commissioned for the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters’ Raid, each of which will depict various aspects of this campaign. Admission to the Hendon Model Show is free of charge and doors open to the public at 10 am.

If you are unable to attend any of the above events, but would like to learn more about the Dambusters, the Museum currently has an online exhibition that reveals the hidden stories behind Upkeep, the development of the Bouncing Bomb, and Operation Chastise, the Dams Raid.

This online exhibition can be viewed by visiting www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions.aspx. Contained within it is government correspondence of the day, as well as original drawings and papers from Barnes Wallis’s Office. This exhibition will be further supported by 3 podcasts that talk about the Raid and the men of 617 Squadron.

The first was recorded in 2009 by the late Richard Todd, who played Guy Gibson in the film ‘The Dam Busters’, and who tells the story of the Raid. The second ‘Remembering Guy Gibson’ by renowned historian Richard Morris, examines the character of the Wing Commander who inspired his crews to succeed over insurmountable odds. The third by Robert Owen, Official Historian of 617 Squadron Aircrew Association examines the history of the Squadron post the Dams Raid including the destruction of Hitler’s mountain redoubt at Berchtesgaden. These podcasts will be available to members of the public from 10th May.

The Royal Air Force Museum London is open daily from 10am. Admission to the Museum is free of charge.

Newark Air Museum Cockpit Fest 2013

First cockpits & displays booked in!

The first wave of cockpits participation bookings has now been received in for the 2013 Cockpit-Fest event at the museum. The two day event provides a focal point for cockpit owners from across the UK and takes place each June at Newark Air Museum’s site in eastern Nottinghamshire. This year the event takes place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th June at the museum site off Drove Lane, Winthorpe.

Special thanks go out to Scale Aviation Modeller International and Farlam Airframes who have both generously agreed to support Cockpit-Fest 2013. The museum is currently in discussion with several other individuals and groups and the trustees are hopeful of being able to announce further support in the coming weeks.

Any company or organisation that wishes to support Cockpit-Fest, an annual charitable event, is asked to contact Howard Heeley at:

Newark Air Museum

Drove Lane

Winthorpe

Newark

Notts

NG24 2NY

Or via Email at enquire@newarkairmuseum.org

Cockpits

Lightning F.6 – XS922

Chipmunk T.10 – WZ869

Lightning F.6 – XS932

Hunter FGA.9 – XE597 (Sat Only)

Lightning F.3 – XP757

Canberra B.6 – WT319

Hunter F.1 – WT684

Scimitar F1 – XD235

* These cockpits are totally new to the event.

** A cockpit rig is a term used to describe a cockpit either without its shell, or fitted with an alternative shell. These are used to good effect when original materials are not available.

Instrument Panels & Aircraft Interiors

Assorted Instrument Panels from Victor and Trident

Phantom Instrument Panels

Meteor F.4 Instrument Panel Display

Spitfire Instrument Panels

Special Guest & Displays

Airfield Research Group

Owls from the Raptor Foundation

Crusader 80 BAOR Living History Display

Model Display & vehicle display

Lancaster W4270 Display

Helicopter Simulator Display

Book Launches & Signings

The Phantom in Focus – A Navigator’s Eye on Britain’s Cold War Warrior is a new book by
David Gledhill

Riding In The Shadow Of Death – a new book by Chris Keltie (book launch Sunday only)

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypasts

Saturday 15th June – Spitfire

Sunday 16th June – Lancaster, Hurricane & Spitfire

Photo Opportunities

A number of Exhibitors and Museum Volunteers will spend part of each day wandering around in period military clothing and flying clothing. Visitors wishing to make use of these as possible photo opportunities only have to ask.

Aircraft Opening

Museum volunteers will endeavour to open many of our operable aircraft for public visiting and viewing throughout the weekend. A small additional fee may be charge to access the museum aircraft.

Finally don’t forget the Aeroboot / Aerojumble Aviation & Avionics Sale that runs alongside Cockpit-Fest.

Opening Hours both days 1000 – 1700 hours last admission 1600 hours.

Special Notice

It should be noted by visitors that as some of these exhibits travel many miles to be here for the weekend, it must be expected that many will start to leave the site from 2pm on the Sunday. We therefore recommend early viewing to avoid disappointment.

Normal museum admission rates apply: Adults £7.50, Over 60s £6.50, Children £4.00 and Family ticket [2 adults & 3 children] £21.00.

http://www.newarkairmuseum.org

Photography After-Hours at the RAF Museum

5 Aircraft; 1 Curator; No Public; No Barriers – Limitless Photography

The RAF Museum is running its first Photography-After-Hours Event on Friday 19th April 2013.

Photography After-Hours has been designed to give guests a behind-the-scenes experience; combining a talk from our Head Curator with a one-to-one photography opportunity with the public barriers removed. This will become a series of events, where a different set of 5 aircraft will be viewed each time.

The event on the 19th April will focus on the BAC Lightning F6; E.E Canberra PR3; de Havilland Vampire F3; de Havilland Chipmunk and BAC Jet Provost T5A.

The evening will start at 6.30pm with a talk by our Curator, Ian Thirsk. Ian will explain the career history of each aircraft, how it came to be at the Museum and how it is cleaned, checked for damage and repaired as well as the conservation challenges each aircraft presents.

Guests are divided into 5 groups of 10 and assigned their first aircraft. The barriers will have been removed, allowing access to take up close and personal photography that is not usually available to the public. The Curator will move between the 5 aircraft answering any questions that guests have about the collection.

Where possible, each aircraft also has an Ambassador who has a personal knowledge of that type – either as an ex-pilot, ex-engineer or current conservator. Ambassadors can answer specific questions and talk about their particular experiences of the aircraft.

After 20 minutes, the groups will rotate onto the next aircraft, allowing plenty of time with each for photography or questions. Small groups mean that photography is easier and guests do not need to move out of each other’s way.

The Photography After-Hours event comes hot on the heels of the April launch of the Museum’s new membership scheme aimed at those with a passion for aviation history – anyone who signs up for membership on the 19th will be able to take advantage of a concessionary rate. The Museum also launched its new quarterly magazine: RADAR at the beginning of April which will be giving readers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the workings of the Museum as well as the stories behind the exhibits and collection. One of its key articles in the first edition was a profile of the Lightning.

The event will start at 6.30pm and will end at 9.30pm – allowing guests plenty of time to get home. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org. Tickets cost £20 for Lightning Members; £25 Lancaster Members and Non-Members and can be purchased here: www.rafmuseum.org/whatson

70th anniversary of the arrival of the Americans at RAF Duxford

In April 1943, the 78th Fighter Group of the US Eighth Air Force moved into RAF Duxford and helped to change the course of the Second World War.

To commemorate this significant event in RAF Duxford’s history, we are hosting a number of events and activities throughout 2013.

Somewhere in England: Portraits of the Americans in Britain 1942 to 1945 is a new temporary photographic exhibition which opens on Saturday 13 April, the anniversary of the first 78th Fighter Group combat mission from RAF Duxford. These striking images have been selected from the Roger Freeman collection of over 15,000 images of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War, which has recently been acquired by IWM. Some of the images have not been seen in public before.

Our new Americans in Britain tour looks at the US aircraft flown from RAF Duxford and other USAAF stations in East Anglia during the Second World War. You’ll hear true tales of courageous actions by air crew members and find out how British people reacted to the ‘friendly invasion’.

The Spring Air Show on Sunday 26 May is Remembering the Mighty Eighth on the 70th anniversary of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visiting RAF Duxford to welcome the 78th Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces to Great Britain.

The highlight of the Spring Air Show will be the first-ever display by the Eagle Squadron. This historic four-ship display comprises a Mark I Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, P-47 Razorback Thunderbolt and the P-51 Mustang Princess Elizabeth. Princess Elizabeth is being shipped over from the USA specifically for the Spring Air Show.

www.iwm.org.uk

Preparations underway for Tribute to the Lightning

The initial preparations for the Tribute to the Lightning event, which takes place at Newark Air Museum on 18th & 19th May 2013, have recently been completed. This has involved the repositioning of the recently restored Lightning T5, XS417 into the area in front of the museum’s Display Hangar 1, which was formally occupied by the Jaguar T2A airframe.

In this new position the Lightning T5 has gained a fresh prominence on the museum site and it will also allow for the display of a range of temporary Lightning exhibits around the airframe.

In a separate move recently digitised footage of an interview with Roland ‘Bee’ Beamont is now being shown in the cinema area in Display Hangar 2 at the museum. This was filmed at Roland ‘Bee’ Beamont’s home in March 2000 and in the section of film that is being shown he recounts his time test flying the English Electric Lightning.

Regular updates about the Lightning event are still appearing on the news page of the museum website at www.newarkairmuseum.org.

Airfix to unveil new Dambusters kits at Model Show

7th April 2013
10.00am – 4.00pm
FREE entry

Modelling fans from across the Midlands are invited to attend one of the region’s largest modelling events, taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Sunday 7th April 2013. Nestled amongst a world-class collection of aircraft and military vehicles, thousands of intricately detailed models will be displayed alongside many of the real aircraft for the annual Shropshire Model Show.

This year Airfix will be attending the show and launching their brand new 1:72 Lancaster model kits, which go on sale for the first time worldwide to visitors at the Shropshire Modellers’ Show. A specially commissioned display, including 19 Airfix model Lancaster’s, a Wellington bomber, and Photo Reconnaissance Spitfire, depicting the Dambusters Raid will be a focal point at the show. These have been kindly donated by Airfix and built by members of the Shropshire Modellers’ Club. This bespoke Dambusters diorama will remain on display at the Museum throughout April and May, marking the 70th Anniversary of the Dambusters Raid.

Darrell Burge, Airfix and Humbrol Marketing Manager says:

“We’re very excited to be at this show, especially as it gives us the chance to show off our new Dambuster Lancaster model to the public for the first time. It’s always great to work with the RAF Museum Cosford, and this is no exception. We’ll have other new Airfix products on show, alongside new products from our sister brand Humbrol as well.”

With everything any dedicated modeller could want or need, all in one place, thousands of visitors are expected to attend the one day show. More than 80 modelling clubs from across the UK will be exhibiting their pint sized models which have taken hours of dedication to perfect. Plus, it’s not just models of aircraft that will be on show, there will be hundreds of cars, bikes, trucks and science fiction items including Dr Who and Star Wars.

In excess of 40 traders will be selling a range of modelling materials and kits to suit modellers of all ability’s, from young children who are just discovering their passion for modelling, right through to the avid modellers who have been building kits for many years. There will be everything from plastic kits in various sizes along with glues, paints and other detailed sets available to purchase on the day.

Event organiser, Gary Stevens Secretary of the Shropshire Scale Modellers and The International
Plastic Modellers Society says:

“I am particularly delighted that, for the first time in the history of this show, the world famous kit manufacturer AIRFIX and their sister brand HUMBROL will be in attendance, along with the person who creates their box art.

This year the show will feature a special Dambuster anniversary display featuring 1/72nd scale models of all 19 Lancasters that took part in that famous raid, and I thank Darrell Burge for providing us with the kits. There will also be a model of the Wellington Bomber which carried out the trials for the famous bouncing bomb, the Spitfire which carried out reconnaissance sorties before and after the raid, and some anti-aircraft guns to show what the aircrew were up against.

The show will also feature many other models from exhibitors and traders who travel from all over the country to be with us. With the show getting bigger every year it really is a great family day out.”

To make reaching the Museum even easier, organisers have introduced a free park and ride for the day to cope with the additional visitors. The show will be open to the public from 10am until 4pm and entry to the show is free of charge.

For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.