UK Aviation Museum News – Page 80

Historic RAF Dominie aircraft flies into Cosford

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford took delivery of its latest acquisition, an RAF Dominie T.MK.1 on Friday 11th February. The aircraft was flown in from RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, by Flt Lt Andy Owen and Flt Lt Andy Preece both of 55 squadron. The aircraft will now undergo some preparation work prior to going on display at the museum in the next few weeks.

Al McLean, Curator at the RAF Museum Cosford says:

“We are pleased to have received a Dominie aircraft. It will be a significant addition to the museum collection as it is at present, the longest serving aircraft in the RAF. We hope that the aircraft will be popular with our visitors.”

The Dominie T.MK.1 was built as a navigation training aircraft and has been in RAF service since 1965. A total of twenty Dominies were built in the 1960’s to replace the Meteor NF (T) 14 and it could reach speeds over 320MPH.

Initially it flew in a silver/day-glow colour scheme which later changed to the red, white and grey scheme and finally to today’s black, grey and white. They were used to train Navigators and other air crew members in systems management, air leadership, decision making and teamwork. The retirement date for the Dominie was brought forward by two years due to cancellation of the Nimrod and the planned reduction of the Tornado fleet.

The RAF Museum Cosford is home to over 70 aircraft and the award winning National Cold War Exhibition. The Museum is open daily from 10am, admission is FREE. For more information on the Museum please call 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

Historic RAF aircraft to fly into Cosford

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be taking delivery of its latest acquisition, an RAF Dominie T.MK.1, on Friday 11th February 2011 at 11.30am, when it makes its final flight into RAF Cosford. This particular aircraft is significant because it was the first Dominie to enter RAF Service.

The Dominie T.MK.1 was built as a navigation training aircraft and has been in RAF service since 1965. On arrival at RAF Cosford, the aircraft will undergo a short period of preparation and defueling before going on permanent display as part of the Museum’s extensive collection.

Al McLean, Curator at the RAF Museum Cosford says:

“We are very pleased to be receiving a Dominie. It is at present the longest serving aircraft in the RAF, having been in continuous use for more than 45 years. However, its timeless design means it looks far more modern and it will be an excellent addition to the Museum aircraft collection. ”

A total of twenty Dominies were built in the 1960’s to replace the Meteor NF (T) 14 and initially flew in a silver/day-glow colour scheme which later changed to the red, white and grey scheme and finally to today’s black, grey and white. They were used to train Navigators, Air Engineers and Air Loadmasters in systems management, air leadership, decision making and teamwork and could reach speeds over 320MPH. The retirement date for the Dominie was brought forward by two years due to cancellation of the Nimrod and the planned reduction of the Tornado fleet.

This is the first of a number of new aircraft expected at the RAF Museum Cosford this year. The RAF Museum Cosford is home to over 70 aircraft and the award winning National Cold War Exhibition. The Museum is open daily from 10am, admission is FREE. For more information on the Museum please call 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

RAF Museum to display City Hall Blitz Exhibition

The Blitz, the aerial bombing campaign on London during the Second World War ran from 7th of September to 11th May 1941. During this period 50,000 bombs and millions of incendiary devices fell on the city bringing death and destruction to London’s civilian population. In total 30,000 Londoners were killed, entire communities destroyed and countless thousands left homeless.

To commemorate this turbulent period in the capital’s history the Mayor of London has specially commissioned an exhibition on the 70th anniversary of the London Blitz dedicated to those individuals involved in the emergency, volunteer, transport and specialist services who kept London going during the darkest days of the War. Previously displayed at City Hall, this exhibition will now transfer to the Royal Air Force Museum London where it will be on view to the public, free of charge, from 1st February until the end of May.

Central to this exhibition are the iconic war-time images and histories from the collections of various London organisations, each of which vividly portray the story of London’s people, their Blitz Spirit and determination. These rare and poignant images are provided courtesy of London Transport Museum, the Museum of London, the Metropolitan Police Historical Collection, the Fire Brigade Museum, London Ambulance Service, Barts and London NHS and the Royal Pioneer Corps Association. Each brings alive the story of a capital bowed but not broken and of a people quietly resolved to keep calm and carry on with their daily lives in the face of terrible war-time deprivation.

Ian Thirsk, Head of Collections at the Royal Air Force Museum, stated:

‘I would like to thank the Mayor’s Office and City Hall for granting the Royal Air Force Museum the opportunity of showcasing this exhibition during this 70th anniversary year of the London Blitz. We are particularly honoured to display this collaborative effort, from so many of the capital’s organisations, which narrates the story of how they were central to the on-going delivery of vital public services during late 1940 and early 1941.’

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson welcomed the exhibition being shown at the RAF Museum: ‘We must never forget the bravery and dogged determination of the men and women who battled to keep London going in the face of a terrifying and unremitting bombardment which sought to destroy our great city during the Blitz. This tremendous spirit and resilience remain at the very heart of the capital and we owe a huge debt of gratitude and respect to all those who helped secure London’s future.’

Entry to the ‘London Blitz 70th Anniversary Exhibition’ is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. It will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until Tuesday 31st May in the Museum’s Bomber Hall. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266. If you would like to learn more about the Blitz, the Museum has produced a podcast on this topic which may be accessed at www.rafmuseum.org/podcasts.

Tin Hats and Football Boots

On January 22nd the Royal Air Force Museum London will be unveiling its latest temporary display ‘Tin Hats and Football Boots’. This display explores the contribution made by various members of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal Football Clubs to the Royal Air Force and Air Raid Precautions during the Second World War whilst examining how important regular competitive football was to the upkeep of the capital’s morale.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, the world of football changed. Hostilities affected clubs in every league all over the country. The Football League was suspended and then re-instated in a new guise with many professional players joining the armed services and being called upon as ‘guest’ players by clubs near their billets.

North London rivals, and RAF Hendon’s major local clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur found themselves sharing Spur’s ground at White Hart Lane; Arsenal’s Highbury ground having been requisitioned by the government as an ARP centre.

Not only did these two neighbouring giants have to work together to ensure that both teams catered for their fans but also that they did so through the provision of nail-biting and stimulating games, quite often without the key players or support staff who had been so central to each team’s success before the War.

Ellen Soall, football fan and Curator of the display said:

‘ It was only whilst conducting research into local history for a Museum project that I realized how integral both Clubs were to London’s war effort. For 90 minutes both players and spectators could escape the horror of war and life would, for a brief period, assume an air of normality – all important for maintaining morale and a reminder of more peaceful times.

The aim of this display is to highlight the hidden history of both clubs. Success should not only be measured by the amount of silverware in trophy cabinets but also by the contribution made by football to the war effort.

My thanks go to the following people for their assistance: Samir Singh (Arsenal Football Club), Andy Porter (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club), Peter Cooper and the RAF FA and finally the Abelheim family for use of family photographs. ‘

Entry to ‘Tin Hats and Football Boots’ is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. It will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until Monday 4th July in the Museum’s Historic Hangars. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266.

St George Handover Historic Watchtower to RAF Museum

St George, London’s leading mixed-use developer, has refurbished and relocated the historic Grahame-White Watchtower building to the adjacent RAF Museum site.

The redundant Watchtower building built in 1911 was once the centre piece of aviation pioneer Claude Grahame-White’s aircraft factory in Hendon, home to the British aircraft industry and the birthplace of British aviation. Flying from Hendon ceased in the late 1960’s and since then the Watchtower had fallen into disrepair.

To celebrate completion of the relocation and renovation, St George and the RAF Museum are commemorated this further milestone in the buildings history by handing over the watchtower to Air Marshal R F Garwood on Monday
13 December.

Now relocated and renovated, the building sits next to the Grahame-White Factory on the main Museum site. The Watchtower will exhibit displays on the life of Claude-Grahame White, the history of the Hendon Aerodrome and the pioneering years of flights. The upper floor will also feature a recreation of Claude Grahame-White’s original office.

Ross Faragher, Managing Director, St George Central London: “We are delighted to celebrate completion of the works to relocate the redundant Grahame-White Watchtower. The historic building which was once the central part of the former Claude Grahame-White aircraft factory in Hendon, has been rejoined to the Grahame-White factory here at the Royal Air Force Museum and is set to become an important learning resource reflecting the achievements of this early aviation pioneer and the history of the local area, for the benefit of the nation.

Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day, Chairman of Trustees, Royal Air Force Museum: “This building provides a fitting tribute to Claude Grahame-White and the history of aviation in the local area. We hope the building will provide a new focal point for the local community and reinforce its importance in the history of British aviation.”

IWM Duxford Enjoys Soaring Summer Air Show Success

Imperial War Museum Duxford is delighted to announce that a record number of visitors – over 96,000 – attended the museum’s air shows in 2010. This compares favourably with total air show visitors of 76,444 in 2009.

In a superb year that commemorated not only the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain but also the 65th anniversary of B-17 Flying Fortress Sally B, visitors flocked to IWM Duxford to celebrate the iconic aircraft of the Second World War and to honour the bravery of the men that flew them.

Over 11,000 visitors saw IWM Duxford’s Battle of Britain commemorations get off to a flying start at the Spring Air Show on Sunday 16 May. Demonstrating the breadth and range of aircraft flown
by the Royal Air Force, the Spring Air Show presented aircraft from the RAF’s inception to the present day.

On a hot and sunny Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 July, Flying Legends welcomed over 27,000 visitors who experienced the glorious sight of more than 50 classic warbirds, from across the globe, performing a number of stunning displays.

The Battle of Britain Air Show on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September was the highlight of a remarkable year of 70th anniversary commemorative events. 44,000 visitors attended to pay their respects to the ‘few’ and the aircraft they flew.

In an unforgettable flying display that included appearances by the Red Arrows and the Patrouille de France, the highlight was undoubtedly the rare sight of 16 Spitfires in formation over their spiritual home.

This recreation of the summer of 1940 at RAF Duxford, combined with a minute’s silence to honour those who gave their lives in combat, produced an awe-inspiring moment which will remain a talking point of the Duxford air show season for years to come.

IWM Duxford’s 2010 air show season concluded with the Autumn Air Show, which saw 12,668 visitors celebrate the 65th birthday of B-17 Flying Fortress Sally B. A celebratory programme of American aviation saw visitors enjoy the sight of a number of iconic US aircraft.

Richard Ashton, Director, Imperial War Museum Duxford, said, “I am delighted that this year’s air show season enticed so many visitors to IWM Duxford. I’m particularly proud of this year’s programme of events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and I’m delighted that so many visitors joined with us in those commemorations. We now look forward to next year’s air show season and hope that visitors will return to enjoy another fantastic programme of events in 2011.”

While the air show season has now concluded for 2010, plans are already in place for the 2011 events programme.

Imperial War Museum Duxford is pleased to announce dates for the 2011
air show season:

* Spring Air Show – Sunday 22 May 2011
* Flying Legends – Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 July 2011
* The Duxford Air Show – Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2011
* Autumn Air Show – Sunday 16 October 2011

Further information regarding themes and content for each air show
will be released in due course.

http://duxford.iwm.org.uk

IWM Duxford National Aviation Skills Initiative Honoured

The National Aviation Heritage Skills Initiative (NAHSI), based at Imperial War Museum Duxford, has been honoured with a prestigious National Training Award in recognition of its outstanding contribution and commitment to training, learning and development in the workplace. NAHSI was presented with a Regional National Training Award and a UK National Training Award at the East of England Regional Ceremony held at Chilford Hall on 7 October 2010.

NAHSI was recognised in the Providers of Learning and Training category for its programme of training for volunteers in the aviation heritage sector.

Representatives of NAHSI will now be invited to the national ceremony of the National Training Awards 2010, held in London on 1 December 2010, where the organisation will compete for the Winner of the Year Award in its category.

The National Heritage Skills Initiative, working for the British Aviation Preservation Council, aims to provide training which will help and encourage volunteers to learn new skills and in so doing enhance the
standards of conservation, preservation and restoration with the UK aviation heritage sector.

Run on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) by UK Skills, the National Training Awards inspire and encourage UK industry to invest in training and development as a route to achieving outstanding organisational and individual success. Winning an award is recognition of best practice and provides a benchmark for standards of excellence in training in the UK. City and Guilds is the premier sponsor of the National Training Awards 2010.

Brian Barker, Project Manager, National Aviation Heritage Skills Initiative, said “The team are delighted to have received a UK National Training Award. To have been independently judged, against some very daunting competition and come out top, is fantastic.”

Simon Bartley, Chief Executive of UK Skills, said “I would like to offer congratulations to all regional and UK winners for the National Training Awards 2010. Achieving an award is a fantastic achievement and one that all winners should be really proud of.

Now more than ever, it is essential for organisations to continue to invest in the development of their staff. The UK’s future, after all, can only be strengthened and sustained by people who have the skills needed to meet the demands of today’s globalised economy.”

http://duxford.iwm.org.uk

Visitors to view Wellington Restoration

The award winning Michael Beetham Conservation Centre (MBCC) at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be opening its doors to visitors in November for one special week. From Monday 15th to Saturday 20th November 2010 a range of aircraft and other artefacts in various states of restoration will be on display, including the Centre’s latest arrival, the Wellington Bomber.

The Vickers Wellington was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of WWII. It is famous for its geodetic fuselage structure designed by Barnes Wallis. The fabric covering to this structure is in desperate need of replacement and following extensive conservation work on the structure, this will take place at the Museum’s Conservation Centre over the next four to five years.

Other conservation projects on view will include on-going refurbishments such as the Handley Page Hampden TB1, Farman F.141 and Range Safety Launch. This may also be the last opportunity to view the conservation efforts on the Mk1 Sopwith Dolphin which is progressing well.

Manager of the Conservation Centre, Tim Wallis says:

“The Open Weeks have become a mutually beneficial event for aircraft enthusiasts and interested members of the public alike and we are always delighted at the interest shown. Most are surprised by our work when they enter the hangar and hopefully all are delighted by the experience. We look forward to the exchange of information and hope that many accept our invitation to this brief, but rare insight into the preservation of aviation heritage. We are also ready to show-off the new MBCC Training Centre to our supportive public”.

Opened in May 2002 by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham, the MBCC is regarded as one of the world’s foremost centres of excellence in aircraft conservation and restoration. Its skilled technicians undertake careful, extensive work to prepare aircraft and other projects for display at both of the Museum’s sites in Cosford and London with the MBCC team responsible for the conservation and routine maintenance of some 300 aircraft. Earlier this year the Museum won ‘Small Employer of the Year Award 2010′ at The National Apprenticeship Awards 2010, which recognised the success of the forward thinking apprentice initiative and wider conservation training programme offered by the Museum’s Conservation Centre, which now successfully employs seven apprentices.

Admission to the Conservation Centre is FREE and from 10.15am to 1.00pm each day during Open Week. Cosford’s main Museum will open daily from 10am – 6pm (last admission 5pm). Admission is FREE of charge. For further information, please contact the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

Podcast To Honour Polish Airmen

On Monday 11th of October the Royal Air Force Museum will honour those members of the Polish Air Force who fought as part of the RAF in the Battle of Britain with the launch of its latest podcast : ‘ “Repeat Please!”: Poles in the Battle of Britain’.

This date has been specifically selected to commemorate 70th anniversary of the withdrawal of 303 (Polish) Squadron from the front line after a successful tour of duty which recorded the destruction of 126 enemy aircraft in 42 days. This made ‘303′, the most successful of all the RAF Squadrons that defended Great Britain and its peoples during the Battle of Britain.

To enable a wider audience to understand the contribution that Polish airmen made to the RAF during this aerial campaign, a Polish language version of the podcast will also be available from the Museum’s website enabling those Poles who do not have English as a second language to learn about the debt that the British people owe to Poland and its brave airmen.

Peter Dye, Director General of the Royal Air Force Museum, states:

‘The freedoms that we enjoy today were fought for in the skies above Britain during the summer of 1940. The largest of the overseas contingents serving in Fighter Command came from Poland. These airmen had seen their country over-run but were determined to fight on. Some served with the French Air Force only to experience defeat again. Some reached England after a long and perilous journey. All had a burning passion to defeat the enemy. They offered their lives for an ideal, for a land from which they were exiled and for a country that was not their own. Their sacrifice and willingness to defend our nation provides an enduring example of selflessness that resonates down the years. In this podcast we describe a time when the peoples of Europe came to our aid at the time of our greatest peril. We express our gratitude for the bravery and dedication of those many Polish Veterans who served in the Royal Air Force to defend our freedom and to secure the future that we now all enjoy.’

‘”Repeat Please!”: Poles in the Battle of Britain’ forms part of a year long series of podcasts which examines the forgotten history of the Battle of Britain from the contribution that women made to the campaign to the strategic importance of Bomber and Coastal Commands to the RAF’s success; and addresses many of the myths and misconceptions that have grown around The Few, Churchill and the Spitfire. Future highlights in this series will include Sunday Times best selling historians Patrick Moorhouse and Roger Bishop examining ‘The Battle of Britain from Both Sides’, plus a podcast on the Blitz whilst past highlights include Sir Richard Branson narrating the biography of disabled Battle of Britain Veteran Douglas Bader and the BBC providing a selection of interviews from its archives from pilots who fought in the Battle.

To listen to this podcast series, please go to http://www.rafmuseum.org/podcasts.

For further details about the Museum’s Battle of Britain Hall and its collection of aircraft please visit http://www.battleofbritainbeacon.org or ring 020 8205 2266. The Royal Air Force Museum London is open daily from 10am to 6pm. Admission to the Museum is free of charge.

Autum Airshow Celebrating Birthday of Sally B

The Autumn Air Show celebrates both the 65th birthday of B-17 Fortress G-BEDF Sally B, and 75 years of the B-17 Fortress. The only B-17 currently flying in Europe, Sally B delights air show crowds with her majestic display and is a favourite with IWM Duxford visitors.She has been based at the Museum, operated by B-17 Preservation, for 35 years.

Closing the air show season for 2010, the Autumn Air Show will feature superb modern and historic aircraft, with an American theme to complement the Sally B anniversary.

The line-up of iconic US aircraft includes the Douglas DC-3 Dakota, Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina, Grumman F8F Bearcat, Piper L4 Cub, leVier Cosmic Wind and USAF McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle from RAF Lakenheath.

The B17’s Boeing lineage is also represented by the Stearman biplane trainer and Apache AH Mk1 from the Army Air Corps Attack Helicopter Force at Wattisham.

Aircraft from the highly productive North American stable include the F-86 Sabre jet, P-51 Mustangs, T-28s and Harvards.

For the first time in more than two decades in UK skies, four American Pitts Special biplanes will be brought together in a flypast salute to the famous Rothmans Aerobatic Team, before performing their two separate paired routines.

A special flypast is being mounted in honour of Sally B, which flies as a memorial to the 79,000 US airmen who lost their lives in Europe during the Second World War. In acknowledgement of the United States Air Force’s historic relationship with the airfields of Eastern England, she will be escorted by three P-51 Mustangs. She will then be overflown by two F-15C Eagles of the 493rd Fighter Squadron to signify the region’s ongoing contemporary relationship with the United States Air Force.

Additional flying participation includes the BAE Systems Hawk, Embraer EMB-312 Tucano, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Supermarine Spitfire, Red Hawks Fournier Duo, Hawker Sea Fury and The Black Cats, the Royal Navy’s Lynx helicopter display team.

RAF Duxford was handed over to the United States 8th Air Force in April 1943, becoming Base 357, the headquarters of the 78th Fighter Group. The Group flew P-47 Thunderbolts and, from December 1944, P-51 Mustangs. It provided fighter escort to the large US bomber raids against occupied Europe and Germany itself.

B-17 Fortresses were flown by the 91st Bombardment Group from nearby RAF Bassingbourn from 14 October 1942 through to June 1945. The Group operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organisation during the Second World War.

On the ground, living history groups recreate the role of the B-17 Bomber crew. There will be activities for all ages, including childrens rides, tank rides and demonstrations. The Parachute Regiment will be offering aerial bungee jumps from its jump tower, alongside performances from the Parachute Regiment band and guest appearance from the Parachute Regiment mascot.

The relaxed atmosphere at the Autumn Air Show is equally appreciated by pilots and crowds and makes for a perfect Sunday outing.

Tickets for all events can be purchased online at www.iwm.org.uk/duxford or by calling the box office on 01223 499 353.

All flying is subject to weather, serviceability and operational commitments.