News UK – Page 144 – Airscene News

Major new event encourages folk to be patriotic

A major new event aimed at celebrating the best of everything British is to be staged at Cotswold Airport next year.

Aviation, the motor industry, food, drink, wildlife, and traditional crafts, are just some of the areas to be covered at the Best of British Show, which will take place during the August Bank Holiday weekend (26th and 27th).

The annual Cotswold Airshow and Battle of Britain Airshow are to be merged and will form part of the major new event, which will also include a concert featuring talented UK bands and individuals.

It is hoped the show will become established as a ‘must visit’ date on the events calendar.

Event director Suzannah Harvey said: “We wanted to create a unique new event and what better than a show which celebrates the best of what our fine nation has to offer.

“It will come at a time when national pride will be on a natural high too, due to the Olympic Games being staged in the UK during the summer.

“In keeping with our proud aviation heritage, a British-themed flying display will form a key part of the proceedings, but there will be so much more for people to see and do as well.”

It is hoped that the RAF’s world famous Red Arrows aerobatic display team – who were based at Cotswold Airport (formerly RAF Kemble) for many years – will make their now annual return to their ‘spiritual home’, along with the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

They will be joined by other famous British aircraft such as the Typhoon, Tucano and Tiger Moth.

On the ground, military vehicles will be joined by a large number of classic cars, with everything from Minis to Bentleys grabbing the public’s attention.

A dog show, lurcher racing, birds of prey and ‘The Lamb National’, will be among the acts entertaining in the show arena.

There will be music to suit every taste later on both days too when bands and solo artists from all over Britain take to the stage to perform.

A traditional funfair and a trade village, showcasing everything from beautifully hand-crafted items to the finest in traditional food and drink, will also give visitors plenty to enjoy.

Miss Harvey added: “We’re still in the planning stages but the show really seems to have captured the imagination as we already have confirmed bookings from organisations and individuals we have contacted.

“We are offering some great sponsorship packages and would also love to hear from any traders interested in coming.

“The Best of British Show is not purely an air show and it isn’t solely a country fair; the event is a celebration of Britain as a whole and includes both those aspects and more.

“Our aim is to offer something for everyone and we truly hope that people will feel patriotic and come along to enjoy the fun.”

Tickets for the event are priced at £15 (adults) and £5 (child aged 5 to 14), in advance.

For more information, visit www.bestofbritishshow.co.uk.

RE-LIVE THRILLS OF GREATEST SHOW ABOVE EARTH

From the Vulcan to the Red Arrows, the Lancaster to the Typhoon, all the action from this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo flying display have been captured on an exciting new DVD released this week.

The official Air Tattoo 2011 DVD features displays by many of the world’s greatest aircraft as they perform on one of aviation’s greatest stages. Highlights include the USAF A-10, the, the Frecce Tricolori, Team Viper and the RAF’s Tornado GR4 Role Demo.

There is also the opportunity to see just why Maj Murat Keles, pilot of the Turkish Air Force F-16; Capt Michael Brocard, the French Air Force Rafale display pilot; and the crew of the Italian C-27J Spartan, took top honours at this summer’s Air Tattoo’s flying display awards. Stunning in-cockpit footage offers the viewer a pilot’s-eye-view of many of the displays as aircraft twist and turn above RAF Fairford to the delight of thousands of spectators.

Altogether, 219 aircraft, representing 27 air arms and 17 nations took part in RIAT 2011 and among those featured on the DVD are some of the ‘stars’ on static display including the rarely-seen Ukrainian Su-27 ‘Flanker’ and the debut appearance of the RAF’s future strategic tanker aircraft – the A330 ‘Voyager’.

With narration by one of the UK’s most respected aviation journalists and Air Tattoo commentator, Ben Dunnell, the official RIAT 2011 DVD provides an informed, entertaining and occasionally moving insight into the modern military mindset.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Tim Prince said: “Even for the seasoned enthusiast, it can be hard to take in all the action the Air Tattoo has to offer. Our official DVD is an opportunity to fully appreciate the sheer power, agility and operational capabilities of many of the world’s greatest aircraft – both past and present.”

Sold in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, the official RIAT 2011 DVD is priced £16.95 and can be ordered online at www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 297 1940.

AIR TATTOO ANNOUNCES BIG FREEZE

Tickets for next summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo go on sale today with prices not only frozen but – for a limited period – lower than they were this year.

A limited number of special ‘Super Earlybird’ tickets for the July 7-8 event go on sale at 10am on Friday, November 11, priced £29 each. This represents a saving of £10 on the standard 2012 advance admission ticket price – and is £5 cheaper than this year. The £4 book fee has also been waived.An Air Tattoo spokesman said: “Next July will see us stage an RAF tribute to Her Majesty the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee and we want as many people as possible to join in this special celebration.

“Not only can people make a huge saving by purchasing tickets now, but we will also continue to offer free parking and allow all accompanied under-16s free entry. At a time when many of us are counting the pennies, we were determined to ensure the Air Tattoo continues to offer families value for money.”

Organisers are urging people to note that next summer’s Air Tattoo, which is staged in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, takes place earlier than usual, on July 7-8, because of the London Olympics later that month.

The spokesman said: “Like the Olympics, we’ll be featuring the fastest, the most agile and those with the greatest endurance – albeit in the world of aerospace rather than sport.”

The limited number of Super Earlybird tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday, November 11 from airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. They will be on sale until January 4, subject to availability.

http://www.airtattooshop.com/shop

VIP Guests To View Wellingtons Progress

14th to 19th November 2011

10.15am to 1.00pm

FREE Admission

Cosford’s award winning conservation centre will be opening its doors to visitors for exclusive behind-the-scenes access to aircraft conservation work from Monday 14th to Saturday 19th November. A number of VIP guests are expected to attend the Conservation Centre Open Week taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford next week, to view the progress being made on the conservation of the Museum’s Wellington Bomber.

Special guests include Mary Stopes-Roe, daughter of Barnes Wallis, designer of the Wellington Bomber’s famous geodetic structure. Mary will be visiting the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre on Thursday 17th November to view the aircraft her father helped design and will be hosted by the Centre’s Manager.

Other VIP guests include Wellington Pilot, Ronald Cooper aged 90, who will be visiting on Wednesday 16th November. Mr Cooper flew in Wellingtons during the early 1940’s was posted to the Middle East, Italy, Germany and then to Palestine in July 1944 where he worked as an instructor teaching pupils how to fly Wellingtons. On Tuesday 15th November Mary Bonigal, who fitted the Irish Linen fabric to Wellington’s during the 1940’s, will meet with the Museum’s team of skilled Technicians and Apprentices helping to restore the Wellington to her former glory to discuss the process.

The Museum’s Wellington MF628 first flew on May 9, 1944. In 1948 it was converted from bomber to navigation trainer and designated a Wellington T.X – removal of the nose gun turret being the most obvious of many modifications. During 1954 the aircraft took part in the filming of “the Dambusters” both as a camera-ship and with a brief appearance in front of the camera. It was sold to Vickers in 1955, and then presented to the Royal Aeronautical Society in mid-1956. Delivered to the RAF Museum in 1971, the nose-turret was re-installed, and the Wellington then displayed in the Bomber Command Hall at RAF Museum London until July 2010. It was then dismantled and transported to the Museum’s Michael Beetham Conservation Centre at Cosford for long-term refurbishment.

As part of this major refurbishment the Wellington will be re-covered and repainted. The fabric that was previously covering the Wellington has been carefully removed and a limited amount has been made available exclusively to RAF Museum Shop customers. Each piece of fabric comes with an individually numbered certificate of authenticity. For those wishing to own a piece of this iconic aircraft’s history, sections of this fabric will be on sale during the Open Week. It is also available in the Museum Shop and online through the Museum’s website.

Other aircraft and artefacts on display during Open Week include the Handley Page Hampden TB1 and Range Safety Launch. This may also be the last opportunity to view the conservation efforts on the Mk1 Sopwith Dolphin which is nearing completion.

Admission to the Conservation Centre Open Week is FREE and from 10.15am to 1.00pm each day. Cosford’s main Museum will open daily from 10am. The next Open Week is planned for November 2012. For further information, please contact the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org.

Museum to commemorate The Fallen on Remembrance Sunday

Sunday 13th November 2011

Service to commence at 10.45am

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be holding a Remembrance Service paying respect to those Service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during their tours of duty.

For those wishing to pay their respects, the Museum will be holding a Service of Remembrance in Hangar 1 on Sunday 13th November. The service will be lead by Rev (Flt Lt) John Baptiste, C of E Chaplain RAF Cosford, in front of the Comet, with Air Training Cadets and RAF personnel present. During the service there will be readings by Wing Commander J Tomlinson, OC Aeronautical Training Wing DCAE Cosford and Dave Leek, Chairman of the Aerospace Museum Society.

All visitors to the Museum are welcome to join the service for this Act of Remembrance and are politely requested, if they wish to attend, to assemble in Hangar 1 no later than 10:30am ready for the Service to commence at 10.45am. A bugle will mark the beginning of 2 minutes silence with the sounding of The Last Post.

Organiser Nina Mitchell, says:

“It is a privilege and an honour for the RAF Museum Cosford to host such a poignant service, where visitors can pause to reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave service men and women. Following the service, visitors will be able to view our Remembrance Book which lists the names of RAF Aircrew who lost their lives during the Battle of Britain in 1940.”

The Museum is open daily from 10am and entry to the Museum is FREE. For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford on 01902 376 200 or visit the museum website, www.rafmuseum.org.

VIP Unveils Comper Swift

The Royal Air Force Museum yesterday officially unveiled the Museum’s latest acquisition, the Comper Swift CLA.7 G-ACGL. The aircraft was unveiled to invited guests including relatives of the aircraft’s designer and of original owner in the Museum’s Hangar 1, where it is now on permanent display to the public.

During the unveiling guests gathered by the Comper Swift for a welcome speech from the RAF Museum Director General, Peter Dye. Immediately afterwards the aircraft was unveiled by special guest Alex Henshaw Junior, son of Alex Henshaw Senior, the original owner of the aircraft. The Swift was flown by Henshaw Senior in several air races around the country including the Kings Cup Air Race in1933 where he won the Siddeley Trophy. Other V.I.Ps at the launch included Comper Swift Aircraft Designer’s grandson, Mr Stephen Perry and its Engine Designer’s daughter Mrs Shirley Ann Manser.

Designed by Nicholas Comper, an ex-RAF Flight Lieutenant in the early 1920’s, the first prototype Swift flew in 1929. Whilst designing the Swift, Comper drew on his experiences with the Cranwell Light Aeroplane Club (CLAC), a group founded by Comper as an extra curricular activity for RAF Apprentices. Members of the CLAC also included Frank Whittle and George Stainforth plus many other individuals who became legends within the RAF.

Only 41 Swifts were ever built and they were only available in two colours – red or blue of which the Museum’s is red. Most were fitted with a Pobjoy R type engine and they were popular in air racing throughout the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s. At only 5ft high, 17ft long with a wingspan of 24ft the Swift could reach a maximum speed of 140mph. Big enough for just one person, a Swift was flown solo by Mr Arthur Butler between England and Australia in 1931 establishing a new record time. Another was flown to South Africa and only just missed out on the record.

Henshaw Senior sold the Swift G-ACGL in 1934 and it passed through four more owners before reportedly being scrapped in 1942. Henshaw went on to become Chief Test Pilot at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory and test flew more Spitfires than anyone else. The remains of the Museum’s Swift were saved and secured by various groups until 2008 when its parts donated by Mr Stanley Brennan of Manchester to the Royal Air Force Museum. The aircraft has recently been restored by Skysport Engineering, Bedfordshire. There are now only eight remaining Swifts; four in the UK, one in Argentina, two in Australia, and one in Spain.

The Comper Swift is now on permanent display at the RAF Museum Cosford. 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.

Museum staff help construct charity pedal car

Staff at RAF Cosford, assisted by staff in the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford have created a pedal car in the form of a World War Two Hurricane aircraft. The pedal car will be entered into a 24 hour charity cycle car race taking place in St Etienne de Chigny in the centre of France. A team of four from RAF Cosford will travel to France for the race in August 2012 hoping to raise money for RAF Charities whilst winning the best design for their pedal car.

Designed and built by a team of staff in Mechanical Training (Airframe and Propulsion Training) at RAF Cosford, the original concept and idea to enter the race came from Malcolm Hill, an instructor at RAF Cosford. Malcolm is hopeful that the unique design and the history behind the Hurricane it replicates will be enough to secure the top spot.

The paint scheme used on the pedal car represents the aircraft flown by Pilot Officer Paul Richey who was stationed during the early days of World War Two at Chateaudun near to where the pedal car race will take place. Once the framework was completed, the pedal car was handed to the Museum’s skilled Aircraft Technician – Surface Finish Engineer to recreate Pilot Officer Richey’s aircraft. The body of the car and the demountable wings were then covered in authentic material ‘Irish Linen’ and doped to strengthen the fabric. It was then painted in the authentic Hurricane colours of the period with the markings of the aircraft flown by Pilot Officer Paul Richey before being handed back to Mr Hill and Cpl Ree.

Surface Finish Engineers, Michael Rose and Tony Pass say:

“We were more than happy to assist for such a good cause and hope the team are successful and raise a lot of money for the Help 4 Heroes Charity Appeal.”

The construction of the pedal car occurred at RAF Cosford during staff lunch breaks and was funded through donations from the Mechanical Training staff tea bar. Members of staff used a discarded post bike from workshops at RAF Cosford. Additional much needed parts were sourced through Halfords in Telford, who agreed to also provide additional spare parts for the competition.

The pedal car has been designed to comply with the French ‘Voitures Pedales’ regulations. Before the race in August it will also be entered in a shorter race in England, in early 2012, as a ‘shake down exercise’ to ensure everything is in working order before the main race. The intention is that the victorious pedal car will be used by the RAF Cadet force at the Birmingham International Tattoo in their ‘Red Barrows’ display. The Tattoo will take place in December 2012.

For further information on this charity event and the team taking part in the race, please contact Malcolm Hill at RAF Cosford on 01902 377386. For more information on the Museum visit www.rafmuseum.org

Remembrance Sunday at IWM Duxford

Sunday 13 November

Free admission to all

On Remembrance Sunday, IWMDuxford will be hosting a special service of remembrance .

Admission to the museum is free for all on Remembrance Sunday and we very much hope that people will take this opportunity to visit IWM Duxford on the day whenmembers of the Armed Forces, who lost their lives in active service, are remembered.

At 11.00am, a two-minute silence will be observed across the museum, commencing and concluding with a traditional gun salute presented by The Garrison.

We’ll be hosting activities throughout the museum, looking at the poppy, the striking symbol of remembrance that resonates back to the First World War.

In AirSpace, between 10.00amand 3.00pm,make a poppy and wear it with pride or attach it to the large Flanders Field frieze. In Land Warfare between 10.00amand 3.00pm, your assembled poppy can be attached to a mural depicting modern warfare and between 11.30am and 3.30pm you can also meet veterans of the Royal Anglian Regiment who will chat about their personal experiences of war.

In Hangar 4: Battle of Britain, between 10.00amand 3.00pm we’ll be making a giant poppy comprised of 2000 individual poppies. The Remembrance Poppy was originally designed so that it could be assembled with just one hand. Visitors will have the opportunity to deconstruct a poppy and then try to reconstruct it using only one hand.

Visitors can then sign their poppy, dedicate it to a loved one or write their own personal message and then add it to the giant poppy that will come to life throughout the day in Hangar 4: Battle of Britain.

The Remembrance Service will commence at 12.30pmin the Conservation Hall in AirSpace. There will be standard bearers from the Royal British Legion and local air cadets. The Sawston Youth Group Band will perform the Last Post.

Why not post your own personal message of remembrance onto our Wall of Remembrance which will be in the Conservation Hall throughout the day.

Join us at historic Duxford to remember those who gave their lives in conflicts past and present and to actively commemorate those who are no longer with us.

www.iwm.org.uk/duxford

Museum unveils new Spitfire

A Supermarine Spitfire Photo Reconnaissance PR. XIX PM651 is the latest addition to the aircraft collection at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. This rare reconnaissance Spitfire can now be seen on display in the Museum’s Warplanes Hangar standing next to a Hurricane and a Mk 1 Spitfire.

Ordered in 1943 as a Mk VII, the aircraft was eventually built by Vickers at Eastleigh as a PR. XIX and was not collected from them until November 1945. It never saw RAF Squadron service, instead operating Meteorological Research Temperature and Humidity flights from RAF Woodvale. These involved the pilots reporting on clouds, ice formation, turbulence, haze, visibility and prevailing weather conditions. During its short time with this unit, PM651 was forced to make two emergency landings including one at Halfpenny Green airfield in Staffordshire, after it was damaged in a flying accident.

After a period on display at RAF Andover and RAF Benson, the aircraft was loaned to Spitfire Productions for use in the iconic film “Battle of Britain”. It appears in ground shots in the hangars at RAF Duxford.

The aircraft then spent 16 years on display at the main gate at RAF Benson. By 1989 the aircraft had found its way into the Royal Air Force Museum but had been heavily stripped of essential parts for other Spitfire restorations. After some time in the Museum’s storage hangar at RAF Stafford, the aircraft was brought to the Conservation Centre at Cosford where restoration work commenced in October 2010. Work included building a new Elevator assembly and other conservation work. Finally the aircraft was repainted to its original paint scheme for display purposes.

The Spitfire PR. XIX was the last of the specialised photo reconnaissance Spitfires. It was unarmed and could carry two vertical cameras and one oblique camera mounted in the rear fuselage. With a top speed of 445mph the aircraft could reach 42,500ft in height.

There are significant differences between the Mk1 and PR. XIX Spitfires both on display at the Museum. The much more modern PR. XIX was fitted with the Griffon engine as opposed to the Merlin engine used in earlier models and was notably faster than its predecessor. The PR. XIX had extra fuel tanks in place of the machine guns that were fitted to the Mk 1 and a retractable tail wheel making its profile more streamlined for its flights at high altitude. Probably the most significant difference between the two Spitfires on display is the pressurised cabin in the PR. XIX, critical for the high altitude reconnaissance flights.

Clare Carr, RAF Museum Cosford Assistant Curator says:

“We are delighted to be able to display two models of such an iconic aircraft. They help to show the diverse roles in which the Spitfire served ranging from fighter interceptor to high altitude photographic reconnaissance.”

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.

Wellington Restoration Progress is highlight of Open Week

14th to 19th November 2011

10.15am to 1.00pm

FREE Admission

The award winning Michael Beetham Conservation Centre at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be opening its doors to visitors for one special week to enable greater public access and understanding of the Centre’s work. From Monday 14th to Saturday 19th November, a range of aircraft and other artefacts in various stages of restoration will be on display daily from 10.15 to 1.00pm. This includes the Centre’s largest project, the Wellington Bomber.

Since its arrival at the Museum there has been significant progress made on the Wellington. The project to date has included detailed photographs being taken of the fuselage section, including the fabric joints to record how the material was fitted to the airframe. This will also provide an ongoing reference for the Museum about original technical information. After this process the fabric that was previously covering the Wellington was carefully removed, wrapped in special acid-free tissue for storage and boxed in a special container. The process of removing the fabric revealed the distinctive Barnes Wallace designed geodetic structure. Smaller items such as the Fin, Flaps and Wing False-work structures have also been carefully removed and removal of corrosion on many of the smaller structural components has commenced.

The Vickers Wellington is one of the largest aircraft that the Conservation Centre has ever undertaken restoration of during its nine year history. This history has seen many new arrivals or established exhibition aircraft pass through its doors for conservation, restoration or maintenance. The extensive conservation work on the Wellington structure will take place at the Museum’s Conservation Centre over the next four to five years.

Manager of the Conservation Centre, Tim Wallis says:

“At almost every stage of our work thus far, the Wellington has presented us with new challenges and we are constantly impressed by the innovation and workmanship that the original build represented. The aircraft remains one of our main projects but much more than that, she is much-loved by the staff, volunteers and visitors alike and a sort of kinship exists that borders on pride. We hope that the public will choose to share that experience with us and visit during the week”

During the Open Week, visitors will gain exclusive behind-the-scenes access to aircraft conservation work and have a rare opportunity to speak with the skilled Technicians and Apprentices and view current projects including on-going refurbishments such as the Handley Page Hampden TB1, Spitfire Mk XIX and Range Safety Launch. This may also be the last opportunity to view the conservation efforts on the Mk1 Sopwith Dolphin which is nearing completion.