UK Aviation Museum News – Page 80

75th Anniversary of the first Wellington Flight

Wednesday 15th June 2011 marked the 75th Anniversary of the first flight of the Vickers Wellington. Part of the Royal Air Forces bomber strength during World War II, the prototype Wellington (K 4049) first took to the skies on the 15th June 1936.The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is home to the world’s only complete example, Vickers Wellington B.X MF628. The Wellington is currently undergoing restoration work in the Museums award winning Michael Beetham Conservation Centre, where it will spend the next four years being carefully restored, before going back on display at the RAF Museum London.

The Wellington went into active RAF service in 1938 and played a significant role in the RAF during World War II. This twin-engined, long-serving, medium-range bomber was utilised heavily within Bomber Command at the outset of World War II, and was affectionately known as the ‘Wimpy’ by its crews. Flying on many of the Wars defining bombing operations, the ‘Wimpys’ last mission with Bomber Command was in October 1943. During WWII the Wellington served in other theatres including the Middle East and Far East and as a maritime patrol and anti-submarine craft in Coastal Command; some also served with Transport Command illustrating what an incredibly versatile aircraft the Wellington was. As an aircrew trainer it served with the RAF until1953.

With a wingspan of 86ft, over 60ft in length and a height of 17ft, the Wellington had a bomb carrying capacity of 4,500lb. In total 11,461 Wellington’s were built, the bomber typically carried a crew of five or six which would vary depending on the operation.

The Wellington is famous for its unique geodetic construction, built up from a number of strong channel-beams that were formed into a large geodesic-based network. Originally designed by Barnes Wallis, the geodetic construction gave the aircraft tremendous strength because any one of the stringers could support some of the weight from even the opposite side of the aircraft.

The Museums Wellington B.X MF628 will be on display to visitors during the Conservation Centre Open Week taking place from Monday 14th to Saturday 19th November 2011. Open each day from 10.15am -1.00pm, a range of aircraft and other artefacts in various states of restoration will be on display, including the Centre’s largest project, the Wellington Bomber.

The 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.

Permanent Tribute to National Service Men and Women Unveiled at Parade

Parade 11.00am

Spitfire Display 1.00pm (weather permitting)

The National Service (RAF) Association will be holding their annual reunion and parade at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Sunday 3rd July 2011 from 10.00am.

The parade is expected to see hundreds of ex National Service men and women participate and will form up between two of the old airfield Hangars at 11.00am. The parade will be led by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force, with additional music on the day provided by (Alsager) Sqn ATC Band and a Drill display by (Fordhouses) Sqn ATC. Visitors and guests will then be treated to a flying display by two Spitfires from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight scheduled for 1.00pm (weather permitting).

This year, as well as the parade the Minister for International Security Strategy, Gerald Howarth MP will unveil a permanent tribute to National Service men and women, consisting of three graphic displays and a video, funded by the National Service Association. The unveiling will take place before an invited audience within the National Cold War Exhibition at the RAF Museum Cosford at 2.00pm. The area will be closed to the general public for the unveiling at 1.00pm and reopen on completion of the ceremony at around 2.30pm.

This event first came to the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in 2004 and has grown in strength each subsequent year. Last year, over 2,000 guests attended of which over 600 presented themselves for the parade. All Veterans who served in the Royal Air Force are welcome to participate and members of the public are invited to watch the parade.

National Veterans Organisations, as well as many training camp associations will be represented in Hangar 1 alongside displays of memorabilia and the Museum shop. On completion of the formal events, guests will have access to the whole RAF Museum site to catch up with old friends and colleagues, exchange news and view the exhibits.

The Museum gates will open at 9.00am on Sunday 3rd July 2011, although the Museum itself will open at 10am. Entry to the Museum is FREE. For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.

The Face of Courage

Portraits of the British at War

1940-45, by Eric Kennington (1888-1960).

Free Art Exhibition – 10th June to May 2012

The Royal Air Force Museum London is proud to announce the re-opening of its Art Gallery to the public on Friday 10th June with the installation of an exhibition of portraits by renowned wartime artist Eric Kennington. The guest curator of the exhibition is the Senior Research Fellow in History of Art at Kingston University, Jonathan Black, who has mounted two other shows about Kennington in the last decade.

For much of his distinguished career, Kennington was counted amongst the ranks of exceptional portraitists such as: Hans Holbein the Younger; Albrecht Dürer; Franz Hals; Van Gogh and Augustus John. Many of his artistic contemporaries rated him as the finest draughtsman of his day, while he enjoyed the admiration of prominent public figures such as Winston Churchill; George Bernard Shaw and T.E. Lawrence.

The exhibition will present about three dozen works covering all of the Armed Services, the Auxiliary Services, London Transport and some notable civilians. Pictures have been loaned by the National Portrait Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, the National Army Museum, the Tate, the National Maritime Museum, the Ministry of Defence and by Kennington’s family and other private lenders and art dealers.

Kennington was among a handful of British artists who distinguished themselves as official war artists in both World Wars. His portraits were widely hailed not only as works of art, but also as capturing the indomitable spirit of British and Allied Servicemen in the struggle for victory.

This exhibition, the first to focus specifically on his Second World War Art, seeks to re-assess Kennington’s significant contribution to British War Art and to acknowledge his undoubted standing as one of the great British portraitists of the Twentieth Century. In a ‘People’s War’ he produced unforgettable images of ordinary men and women who displayed extraordinary courage and resilience under exceptional circumstances.

www.rafmuseum.org

Brought to Life

Saturday 28 May to Sunday 5 June

AirSpace

Tales of wartime endeavour are Brought to Life during Spring Half Term.

Every day between 10.30am and 2.30pm, visitors have the opportunity to handle items from a range of military campaigns, comparing and contrasting objects from the past and present. By getting hands-on with military equipment, they can learn more about the war as it was fought on the front line.

Visitors can learn more about the meaning of bravery in the field of conflict, making their own individual medals and then finding out the history and meaning behind such accolades.

On Wednesday 1, Thursday 2, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June between 11.00am and 1.00pm, veterans from a wide range of military conflicts will be chatting to visitors about their experiences and sharing their own personal memories of their time at war.

Veterans from the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Army and the Home Front from the Second World War will be present, together with ex-servicemen from the Royal Anglian Regiment and the Parachute Regiment who served in the Malayan Conflict, the Falklands War and Northern Ireland, in addition to veterans of the Korean War.

Men and women of varying ages, backgrounds and experiences, they have fascinating and individual stories to tell about their own personal war. Veterans will have artefacts and photographs with them, which they are happy to discuss with visitors.

Veterans attending Brought to Life include:

· A member of the Royal Anglian Regiment (1986 to 1994) who served in Germany, the Falkland Islands, Northern Ireland, the UK and Canada.

· An Able Seaman in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

· A Second World War evacuee who later served in the Royal Navy.

· A Second World War RAF electrician responsible for keeping airfields operational.

· A National Service conscripted serviceman who served in Trieste and then in the Korean War from 1951to 1952.

· A member of the Royal Anglian Regiment and the 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry.

· A Sergeant in the Army during the Second World War.

· A member of the Parachute Regiment (1982 to 2003) who completed seven tours of Northern Ireland and served in the Falklands War.

· A Petty Officer in the Royal Navy during the Second World War who served in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

· A member of the Parachute Regiment (1971 to 1974) who completed four tours of Northern Ireland and who also carried out Jungle Warfare Training in Malaya.

· A member of the 1st Battalion of the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (1959 to 1961) who served in the Malayan conflict.

· A Captain in the Royal Engineers, who during the Second World War was a Troop Leader, assisting the Irish Guards Armoured Section.

· A Sergeant in the Royal Marines during the Second World War who provided bombardment support to the Land Forces at major landings.

· A Royal Marine (1978 to 1982) who was in 41 Commando and did a tour of duty with the United Nations in Cyprus in 1979.

· A Lance Corporal in the 1st Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment in the early 1950s who served in the Korean War from 1951 to 1952.

· A Royal Marine during the Second World War whose ship was one of the first to land at Sword Beach during the Normandy Landings in June 1944.

· A Gunner with the Royal Artillery during the Second World War, who served in India, Changi, Taiwan and Japan and was held in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp.

· A member of the Royal Air Force (1944 to 1953) who flew with Bomber Command just after the end of the Second World War, then with Fighter Command from 1949 and who flew some of the earliest jets, including the Vampire and Meteor.

· A Field Gunner in the 94th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, who served at Normandy and Arnhem.

· A schoolchild on the British Home Front during the Second World War who will share her memories of rationing, air raid precautions and growing up during the 1940s.

· A member of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War who served in Bomb Disposal and on escort duties for submarines and shipping.

· A member of the Royal Anglian Regiment (1973 to 1979) who was stationed in Peterborough, driving Land Rovers and 4 tonners to transport personnel and equipment for use on deployment.

· A telegraphist in the Royal Navy during the Second World War who served on HMS Uganda, took part in the Battle of the Atlantic and was part of an escort that took Winston Churchill to the USA in 1943.

· A Second World War schoolchild who enjoyed playing on the bomb sites and later joined the Royal Air Force.

· A Second World War evacuee.

· A member of the British Resistance Organisation (Churchill’s Secret Army) (1940 to 1943) who then joined the Royal Air Force and was a Flight Sergeant until 1947.

Different veterans will be attending on Wednesday 1, Thursday 2, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June.
Attendance by veterans is subject to availability.

War Memorial by Richard Walker

In addition, local artist Richard Walker will be showing his latest work, War Memorial, in AirSpace.

This large-scale painting took two years to paint and a year and a half to research. It is made up of 35 separate canvases, brought together in five panels, which is based on a medievalist judgement painting.

The painting is a war memorial, dedicated to the people who served in the GreatWar. It centres on marking the memory of people and actions via their individual possessions and associated objects. The material objects left behind become a reference to that person, marking their absence.

The images in the paintings are of objects and ephemera from the different branches of the military services, including uniforms, medals, medical kits, signal flags and some weapons. In addition, there are private and personal objects included, which were found in many family archives, such as personal letters, postcards, photographs, memorial plaques, newspapers and commemorative items.

They are arranged in such a way that they imply a sense of cause and effect with personal objects from the Front balanced against objects that reference warfare.

Richard Walker lives and works in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, where he teaches art and art history at Kimbolton School. He studied Fine Art at the Central St Martin’s School of Art, London, graduating in 1989, after which he worked in the medium of sculpture, until about ten years ago, when he started exploring military objects and aircraft through the medium of complex ink drawings.

War Memorial will be on display in AirSpace throughout Spring Half Term. Richard Walker will be in attendance at ImperialWar Museum Duxford from Saturday 28 May to Friday 3 June, from 10.30am to 2.30pm, hosting timed talks to discuss War Memorial in more detail and to answer visitors’ questions. More detail on the timed talks will be available on arrival at the Museum.

To see examples of Richard Walker’s work go to http://picasaweb.google.com/113993138387162629653

Brought to Life presents the experiences of war through the first-person stories of those who fought so valiantly for their country throughout 20th century conflicts. It gives visitors the opportunity to hear directly from these unsung heroes.

www.iwm.org.uk/duxford

Celebrate Fathers Day in style at the Military Vehicle Show

Imperial War Museum Duxford celebrates Father’s Day on Sunday 19 June with the power, excitement and thrill of the Military Vehicle Show.

Hundreds of military vehicles of all shapes and sizes will be on display, including a 1943 Excelsior Welbike, 1966 Daimler Ferret, 1943 Dodge WC63, 1924 Morris Bullnose Home Guard Staff Car and the iconic Sherman Tank. The very rare Sturmgeschutz III assault gun, Germany’s most produced armoured fighting vehicle during the SecondWorld War, will also be on display.

A number of military vehicles normally on static display at the Museum will move out of Land Warfare for the Military Vehicle Show. Land Warfare will be open as usual and visitors will be able to take a sneak peek behind the scenes in the workshop where military vehicles are being conserved and rebuilt.

Activities will take place across the Museum with a number of living history groups bringing military campaigns to life:

The 1939-45 Living History Society’s British Airborne Forces section will represent military personnel from 1942 to 1945, who deployed by parachute and glider into the European, North African and Far Eastern theatres of war.

On display will be a living history encampment, with troops under canvas in Orderly Offices and accommodation sections. There will also be a Motor Transport Section, with motorcycles and jeeps, together with a recreated traditional British pub.

Displays will include weapons and personal kit, tactical communications equipment, field engineering and demolitions apparatus. The Society’s Auxiliary Territorial Service section will also be in attendance, portraying the essential supporting role of women working with vehicles and communications during the Second World War.

The Burma Mule Living History Group will be discussing the Forgotten War, with Burma Star veterans chatting to visitors about their wartime experiences, period equipment and mules carrying authentic war-issue pack saddle and loads.

The Royal Ulster Rifles represent the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the regiment in North-West Europe from 1944 to 1945. The Royal Ulster Rifles uniquely had both battalions present during the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944. After weeks of bitter fighting, the 2nd Battalion had the honour of being the first Allied unit to enter the French city of Caen. Through some rare and authentic exhibits, the Royal Ulster Rifles aim to demonstrate what it would have been like to experience the D-Day Landings at first hand.

There will be guided tours of the Normandy Experience in LandWarfare at 12.00pm and 2.00pm and, as part of the regular programme of Funday Sundays at IWM Duxford, there will be craft activities, object handling sessions and the opportunity to meet a wartime costumed character in Hangar 4: Battle of Britain.

At 2.00pm there is the opportunity to see the military vehicles in action as they take part in a cavalcade along Duxford’s runway, with accompanying commentary. Following the cavalcade, one of the amazing vehicles on display will be awarded Best in Show.

There will also be a Military and Aviation Book Fair in the American Air Museum, together with a range of themed traders, mini tanks on display and the opportunity to ride in a tank between 10.30am and 1.00pm.

The Miniature Armoured Fighting Vehicles Association will be holding its 2011 UK National Championship at the Military Vehicle Show.

This event is included in standard admission to the Museum. Children aged 15 and under go free when accompanied by an adult.

For the first time, exclusively for Military Vehicle Show, digby trout Restaurants will be offering a traditional Sunday lunch to make Father’s Day extra special for all the family. It will be served in the Conservation Hall, under the wings of some of Duxford’s mightiest aircraft, from 11.30am to 3.30pm. Lunch is £19.95 for adults and £9.95 for children. To purchase tickets for the Father’s Day Lunch, call 01223 497 511.

Enjoy the power, excitement and thrill of Military Vehicle Show – the perfect way to celebrate Father’s Day!

www.iwm.org.uk/duxford

60th Anniversary of Valiants First Flight

First Flight 18th May 1951

Wednesday 18th May 2011 will mark the 60th Anniversary of the first flight of the Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant. Part of the Royal Air Forces V-Bomber nuclear deterrent during the 1950’s and 1960’s, the Valiant was the first of the V-bombers to make it into the air, when prototype WB210 took to the skies on 18th May 1951.

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is home to the world’s only complete example, Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant B (K).1 XD818. The Valiant is on display in the Museums award winning National Cold War Exhibition, the only place in the world where you can see all three of Britain’s V-Bombers: Vulcan, Victor and Valiant on display together under one roof.

This British four jet bomber went into active RAF service in 1955 and played a significant role during the Cold War period. With a wingspan of 114ft, over 108ft in length and a height of over 32ft, the Valiant had a bomb capacity of a 10,000lb nuclear bomb or 21 x 1,000lb conventional bombs. In total 107 aircraft were built, each carrying a crew of five including two pilots, two navigators and an air electronics officer. The type was retired from RAF service in 1965 due to structural problems.

RAF Museum Cosford Curator, Al McLean says:

“The Valiant was the first of the V-bombers to enter service, the first to drop a nuclear weapon and the first to go into combat. One of the few pilots to have flown all three of the V bombers also described the Valiant as being the nicest to fly of the three. “

The Museums Valiant B (K).1 XD818 was one of eight Valiant’s specially modified by Vickers for involvement in Operation Grapple – the testing of Britain’s first H-bomb. The modifications included measures to protect the aircraft and crew, instrumentation for scientific operations and the addition of extra and special equipment for navigational and bombing requirements. The modified aircraft carried the metal anti-flash screens for the crew and bomb bay cameras to record the bomb drop characteristics.

The Museum is open daily from 10am. Entry to the Museum is FREE. For further information please contact the Museum on 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

Aerobatics competition hosted at Imperial War Museum Duxford gets Royal approval

Imperial War Museum Duxford is delighted to welcome the very best British aerobatics pilots on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 May, as they compete for the Duxford Trophy.

The 2011 Duxford Trophy promises to be even more visually exciting than in previous years, with an enhanced competitive zeal amongst the pilots, leading to more dynamically exciting displays.

For the first time, The British Aerobatic Association has been granted the right to award the inaugural Queen’s Air Race Challenge Cup to the winner of its Speed Aerobatics contest at IWM Duxford on Sunday 29 May.

Queen Elizabeth II has followed in her grandfather’s footsteps in recognising achievements in aviation sport through the Queen’s Air Racing Challenge Cup in association with the Royal Aero Club. The Royal Aero Club Council voted for the British Aerobatic Association to award the first Queen’s Cup to the winner of the Duxford Speed Aerobatics competition.

The trophy, made of Irish silver, bears the Queen’s Coat of Arms and dates back to 1724. At 287 years old, it becomes probably the oldest active sporting trophy in the UK.

The King’s Cup was originally established by King George V as an incentive to the development of light aircraft and engine design. An annual British handicapped cross-country air race, the King’s Cup was first contested on 8 September 1922.

During its years as an RAF fighter station, Duxford was home to a number of pilots who entered the King’s Cup Air Race, including Flying Officer Richard L R Atcherley, who was a pilot and Qualified Flying Instructor with No.29 Squadron at Duxford, equipped with Sopwith Snipes. He was the winner of the King’s Cup in 1929.

Hubert Jones had already competed in the King’s Cup when he was appointed Commanding Officer of No.19 Squadron in 1925 and he continued to compete in the Air Race during his time at Duxford.

IWM Duxford upholds the tradition of those wartime aerial aces in its annual hosting of The Duxford Trophy. Participants in the 2011 competition are amongst the most skilful aerobatic pilots in the UK, with proven records in competition at Advanced and Unlimited levels. They include members of the British Aerobatic Team representing Great Britain at international events.

Come and see the adrenalin and excitement of competition aerobatics at Imperial War Museum Duxford and see the winning pilot claim the first Queen’s Air Race Challenge Cup.

The Duxford Trophy is included in standard admission to the Museum and, as usual, children aged 15 and under go free. www.iwm.org.uk/duxford

F.A.B! A Night at the RAF Museum

18th April 2011

Calling all children of the 60s & 70s! The Royal Air Force Museum London is inviting you to revisit your childhood on Saturday 14th of May by opening its doors for a special evening event that will take them back to their childhood futures.

From 7pm until 11pm, the museum will be opening up its Milestones of Flight, Bomber and Historic Hangars for free to over 18s and giving adult visitors the opportunity to play with giant sized versions of classic children’s games whilst listening to music of the 60s and 70s inspired by ‘futurism’, ‘the white heat of technology’ and Cult TV shows from their childhoods.

For those who spent their school hours idly day-dreaming about living on Tracy Island and piloting Thunderbird 2 the museum is offering the exclusive and rare opportunity to enjoy an audience with Sylvia Anderson, the voice of Lady Penelope and the co-creator of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlett, UFO and Space 1999.

In an interview to be held in the museum’s cinema at 7.30pm, Sylvia will talk to fans about her career; the iconic actors that she worked with and the inspiration behind the characters that she created taking questions from the audience. After this she will be available to talk to fans whilst signing copies of her latest book ‘Sylvia Anderson – May Fab Years’ in the museum shop. Only 210 tickets for this element of the evening will be available from www.rafmuseumshop.com from Thursday 28th April retailing at £12.50 each, the profits of which will go to the maintenance of the museum’s aircraft collection.

Additionally, the museum will have on display throughout its galleries original and studio standard models and characters from Century 21 television programmes and will also show favourite episodes from Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlett in the Museum’s cinema specially selected by Sylvia Anderson herself.

Paul Hudson, Head of Marketing at the Museum states:

‘The Royal Air Force is renowned across the world for the humanitarian aid that it provides at times of global crisis. Indeed, it could be argued that for many across the world it is truly their International Rescue. As a child of the late 60s, who was captivated by the adventures of the Tracy Brothers, I am particularly honoured to host their co-creator and to display original models from the series. I am confident that this event will prove to be as fascinating to our adult audience as our day-time events are to our younger visitors.’

The Royal Air Force Museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm daily. Admission is free with last admission being at 5.30 pm. For further details about this event, please visit www.rafmuseum.org/london. Tickets will be sold through the museum’s online shop.

Rare Chance To Step Inside Historic Aircraft

14th May 2011
6.00pm – 8.30pm
£10.00 per person

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be opening up its doors to visitors for a special evening event taking pace on Saturday 14th May. A selection of aircraft and cockpits will be available for close viewing for a limited number of visitors. This event is one of many taking place around the country as part of the national ‘Museums at Night’ weekend.

During ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ members of the public will have the chance to see inside a number of cockpits including the Hunter F4, Buccaneer, Phantom and a Gnat T1 as previously used by the world famous Red Arrows team and get a feeling of what it was like to fly these much loved aircraft.

Other major highlights for aviation enthusiasts include the opportunity to walk through the mighty Vulcan bomber cockpit and other Cold War aircraft including the Belfast, York and Hastings. It is hoped to have a total of 13 aircraft available for this rare opportunity of close viewing.

Museum Curator, Al McLean says:

“The open cockpits evening will be a rare treat for our visitors. This is something that we have not able to do very often and some of these cockpits have not been seen at Cosford before.”

This is an evening event open from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. Numbers will be limited and admission is by advance ticket only. Tickets costs £10.00 per person and will be on sale from Monday 11th April from the museum. Height restrictions will apply.

The event ties in with ‘Museums at Night’, a national event where hundreds of museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites will unlock their doors for special evening events over the weekend of 13th-15th May.

A second ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ at the Museum is planned for Saturday 17th September 2011.

For further information on the Open Cockpit Evening, please contact the Museum on 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

Large Model Air Show Set To Fly High With Discounted Advanced Tickets

16-17 July 2011
Advanced tickets on sale from 1st April
On site camping
Gates open 8.30am

Advance tickets for the annual Large Model Aircraft Rally taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July 2011 will be on sale from Friday 1st April 2011.

This famous air show in miniature is an absolute must see for any aviation enthusiast. Last year it attracted in excess of 12,000 visitors over the weekend, with hundreds of scale models of iconic aircraft taking to the skies during the two-day event. Large Model Association organisers are hoping this year’s event will prove just as popular and are now offering the chance to beat the rush and buy tickets early on at a discounted rate.

The main theme of this year’s show will be marking the 75th Anniversary of the first Spitfire flight, with scale models of this iconic aircraft flying both days. The event also includes a family fun fair, trade and food stalls, access to the RAF Museum and full size aircraft displays. Gates open at 8.30am.

Advance tickets for the Large Model Aircraft Rally at the RAF Museum Cosford are priced at just £9 for adults, £5 for children and £7 for senior citizens with a family ticket of 2 adults and up to 2 children retailing at £20, saving £5 on the gate price.

On site camping including entrance to the show is only £40.00 for the weekend when booked in advance. Contact Dave Bailey for more details on camping at dave.bailey08@tiscali.co.uk or call 07827 675665.

For further information on how to purchase advance tickets and for on the gate prices, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org