Better than anticipated weather conditions during the autumn months have enabled the volunteers at Newark Air Museum to complete the repaint work on their MiG-23.
This extensive repaint work has seen the application of a new set of markings to the MiG-23, which along with the MiG-27 was taken off site back in 2019 for use in the filming of the Marvel movie, ‘Black Widow.
The completion of the MiG-23 repaint has ensured that both aircraft have now been returned to a good display standard.
A new self-published book by Newark Air Museum trustee, and part time author, Colin Savill, is now on sale from the Air Museum Shop.
With a foreword by the esteemed author Mr Ken Ellis and listing all the RFC and RAF units that were based in over thirty places in the county the book is the story of Nottinghamshire’s part in the story of the Royal Air Force and its predecessor.
For over a hundred years from the days of the Royal Flying Corps of World War One through the formation of the Royal Air Force, its 1930s pre-war expansion and World War Two, the Cold War and into the 21st Century the county has played its part in the story of the Royal Air Force. Not all places were airfields but are integral to the story.
The defence of the country especially in World War One, the air offensive by Bomber Command and the USA’s part in D-Day and Operation Market Garden in World War Two were, in part, events that took place from RAF bases in Nottinghamshire. Training of both air and ground personnel began at places in the county during World War One and continued into the 1990s.
Many of these places have now disappeared to be replaced by housing, industry or returned to agriculture, some have left traces of their existence that can still be found but sadly many have not. One or two still have aircraft flying from them but only one remains as an RAF station.
Men and women of the air forces of the British Isles, Empire and Commonwealth, USA, Poland and other nations have all trod the soil of the county; some still remain in the more than 70 Commonwealth War Graves sites, churchyards and cemeteries; many names are recorded on memorials to individual aircraft crashes within the county.
The book ISBN: 978-1-9996353-2-9 costs £12.00 and copies can be purchased from the Newark Air Museum Shop; which is open 10am until 3.40pm each day in the run up to Christmas. Please note that the Museum and Shop will be closed on December 24th, 25th & 26th plus January 1st.
It’s time to celebrate. While everyone around us is going Black Friday mad, we’ve got something far more exciting to announce. Our official RIAT merchandise store is now open and our exclusive RIAT Christmas jumper is ready to order and will be dispatched from Thursday 5th December.
So don’t delay, order yours now and make someone’s Christmas Day, or why not just treat yourself?
There’s something here for all the family. Browse our range of women’s, children’s and men’s wear, and find something special for the aviation enthusiast or future pilot and spark excitement for the skies.
Our discounted enclosure tickets are selling fast, so book yours today to avoid missing out!
With Christmas less than five weeks away, you can treat your loved ones to an unforgettable experience at RAF Fairford by checking them into one of our amazing enclosures at a discounted price*. Act now as these offers will be ending soon.
What’s selling out?
Aviation Club (Saturday) – SOLD OUT!
First Class Lounge (Saturday) – Less than 10
Cotswold Club (Saturday) – Limited availability
But there’s still time to grab a spot in the ever-popular Flight Deck! Enjoy a casual street food lunch and prime crowd line views. With 70% of Saturday tickets already sold, they won’t last long. Take a look at all our enclosures here.
Why RIAT25?
From jaw-dropping displays to up-close access to aircraft and cutting-edge tech exhibits in our Techno Zone®, there’s something for everyone. And remember – under 18s go free with a ticket holding adult!
Upgrade today
If you have already secured your general admission ticket and would like to treat your friends or family to an upgrade to an enclosure then please call our customer services on 01285 713 456.
RIAT will return to RAF Fairford on 18th, 19th and 20th July 2025. We look forward to seeing you all there.
On National Engineering Day, The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust has announced it is set to reach more children after signing new partnerships with EngineeringUK and EDT.
The charity, which is powered by the proceeds of the Royal International Air Tattoo, aims to inspire young people to consider careers in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The new agreement with EngineeringUK will see RAFCT become headline partner of their Big Bang at School Blueprint initiative, where young people from across the country participate in an inspiring STEM day in their schools, filled with amazing hands-on science and engineering activities and opportunities to learn more about STEM careers.
Meanwhile, the agreement with EDT will impact over 50,000 students from across the country as headline partner of both the Industrial Cadets initiative alongside Experience Days Developed by EDT and inspired by its Patron, His Majesty King Charles III, Industrial Cadets is a widely recognised, accredited awards scheme helping young people access STEM learning, experiences and the world of work through collaboration with industry.
In addition to National Engineering Day, this week marks Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, a celebration of engineering and technology designed to inspire young people, which makes it a timely announcement from the Gloucestershire-based charity.
Director at Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, Justine Morton, said: “We are incredibly excited to be announcing these partnerships and demonstrates our commitment to inspiring young people.
“RAFCT is a signatory of the Tomorrow’s Engineers Code which asks members to inspire connection, drive inclusion, showcase engineering and technology and improve impact.
“These are principles we fundamentally believe in and we are looking forward to working with EngineeringUK and EDT to reach more young people from all backgrounds and inspire them about STEM.”
Since 2005, RAFCT has been on a mission to work with young people with these partnerships the latest initiatives the organisation supports. The new partnerships join existing programmes such as the Road to RIAT primary school competition which will reach over 500 schools.
This year the Royal International Air Tattoo welcomed a record crowd of 168,000 people to RAF Fairford, with tickets already on sale for next summer’s show which is taking place from July 18-20th.
Justine added: “The Royal International Air Tattoo is a huge event that naturally demands a lot of attention.
“I’d like to thank every single one of the visitors who joined us at RAF Fairford this year, as by attending our event, they may have changed the lives of children across the country.”
To find out more about the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, visit www.airtattoo.com/royal-air-force-charitable-trust/.
Plans are underway at the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands for the wing section of an iconic Second World War Dornier Do 17 to go on public display in early 2025. Salvaged after more than 70 years submerged beneath the waters of the Goodwin Sands, this rare artefact offers visitors a unique glimpse into the past.
Nicknamed the ‘Flying Pencil’ due to its slender fuselage, the Do 17 played a pivotal role in the early stages of the Second World War and is best remembered for its involvement in the Battle of Britain. Of more than 1,500 Do 17 bombers produced, over 400 were deployed by the Luftwaffe during the pivotal battle. Today, only one remains complete.
The wing section set to be displayed comes from this sole surviving Do 17, recovered in a landmark operation led by the RAF Museum in 2013. The dramatic moment the aircraft was lifted from the seabed and surfaced from the waters was broadcast live, capturing global attention. The recovery and subsequent conservation efforts have since fascinated not only aviation enthusiasts and historians but also scientists and engineers, all intrigued by the challenge of preserving this historic airframe for future generations.
Dr Harry Raffal, RAF Museum Head of Collections and Research said:
‘This is a remarkable moment for aviation history in Britain. After more than tens of years of intensive conservation, treatment and stabilisation, the Do 17 will go on public display. It represents not only the culmination of an extraordinary salvage operation but a unique way of understanding the Battle of Britain. The new year will see the Do 17 wing section, propellers, and engines situated alongside a Boulton-Paul Defiant, the very type that delivered the final blows to this Do 17. Our audience will see first-hand the thin edge of technology which enabled the RAF and Luftwaffe to fight out the most important battle of a generation.’
Visitors will have the opportunity to engage with the wing section, propellers, and engines, through enhanced interpretation and delve deeper into the aircraft’s story. Uncover the aircraft’s historical significance in aerial warfare, the events leading to its demise, and the extraordinary salvage operation and unique preservation techniques employed to safeguard its legacy.
The Do 17 wing section will be available for public viewing from early 2025, subject to suitable weather conditions for the move. The Museum invites aviation enthusiasts, history buffs, and families alike to explore this unique addition to the collection. This extraordinary exhibition will be a chance to reflect on the aircraft’s role in one of Britain’s most defining moments in history.
The fuselage will remain in store for the time being, owing to space constraints in the hangars, but the Museum retains the option to display it in future alongside the wing section.
For more details or to plan your visit go to www.rafmuseum.org/midlands.
The RAF Museum London is honoured to open a new display that shares the story of Noor Inayat Khan GC, who served under cover in Paris during the Second World War with the Special Operations Executive (SOE), and ultimately gave her life for the Allied cause.
Born to an Indian father and an American mother, Noor was living in Paris when Germany invaded France in 1940. She escaped to Britain where she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and trained as a wireless operator. As a follower of Sufism, Noor was a pacifist. However, she believed that it was her duty to support the fight against Nazism.
Noor’s technical skills and fluency in French led to her recruitment by the SOE and her deployment to Paris as a special agent in 1943. After Noor’s SOE colleagues were identified and arrested, she was given the option to return from enemy territory. However, she chose to remain at her post as the only SOE wireless operator in Paris. Noor was later betrayed and arrested. She endured a long period of interrogation before being executed by the Nazis at Dachau Concentration camp on 13 September 1944. Her last word was ‘Liberté!’
The Museum is displaying the George Cross that was posthumously awarded to Noor for her bravery while operating in German occupied France. It has been generously loaned to the Museum by Noor’s family. The George Cross is the highest award bestowed on civilian or military personnel who have carried out an act of bravery while not under enemy fire. Noor was one of only three women to receive the George Cross.
The citation for Noor’s George Cross reads: Assistant Section Officer Inayat Khan displayed the most conspicuous courage, both moral and physical over a period of more than 12 months.
The new display is integrated within the Museum’s ‘Strike Hard, Strike Sure: Bomber Command, 1939-1945’ exhibition. The exhibition explores the story of the incredible bravery of those in Bomber Command during the Second World War, sharing the stories of the people, aircraft and technology that enabled Allied victory.
The Westland Lysander Mk III, presented within this exhibition, is integral to Noor’s story, and the new display is located beside it. On 16 June 1943, Noor, codenamed Madeleine, was flown into France by Squadron Leader Frank ‘Bunny’ Rymills in a Westland Lysander. A record of this flight was recorded in his logbook, which is the RAF Museum’s archive collection and on display beside Noor’s George Cross.
Maggie Appleton, CEO of the RAF Museum said:
“We are privileged and humbled to share Noor’s George Cross with our visitors. Her story of bravery and determination sings to us across the decades and we know will inspire people of all ages and from all backgrounds. The generous loan of the medal by her family, alongside the logbook that records her flight into occupied France and our Special Duties Lysander are a powerful representation of her service and sacrifice.”
Date: Sunday 10 November
Time: 10.30am arrival / 10.45am service commences
Cost: FREE (pre-booking required)
On Sunday 10 November, the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands will host a Service of Remembrance to honour members of the armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice during their tours of duty.
Visitors are warmly invited to join the service, led by RAF Cosford’s Station Chaplain, John Mbayo, and reflect on the sacrifices of service personnel past and present. The service will begin with a formal welcome from RAF Cadets and a marching contingent from the School of Physical Training, RAF Cosford. This moving ceremony will include readings, hymns, and the traditional sounding of ‘The Last Post,’ followed by a two-minute silence in tribute.
Throughout the service, attendees will be treated to hymns performed by the Cosford Military Wives Choir. Wreaths will be laid in respect by representatives from the Museum, RAF Cosford, Cosford Military Wives Choir, and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, in memory of those who have fallen in service to their country.
The service will be held in the Museum’s Hangar 1, set against a backdrop of historic aircraft. Admission is free, but to ensure a place, guests are encouraged to book one of the 450 available tickets in advance at rafmuseum.org/midlands. Visitors are asked to arrive by 10.30am in preparation for the service, which will begin promptly at 10.45am.
The RAF Museum Midlands is open daily from 10.00am, with free admission. After the service, visitors are encouraged to explore the Museum at their leisure. For more details or to book your free ticket, please visit www.rafmuseum.org/midlands.
Take your enclosure experience to new heights with our Altitude enclosure – new for 2025!
Altitude is located at the heart of the showground (replacing Wingtip Garden), adjacent to the static aircraft line and with great views of all the action in the air.
It’s a great base to explore the whole RIAT experience from and return to throughout the day where you can enjoy the unique ambience.
With a markedly different feel to any other enclosure, it has upper deck viewing spaces and a cool, contemporary vibe. Complete with an all-inclusive cocktail bar with selected wine, prosecco, beer, cider, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks, complimentary food and a DJ, Altitude is an upgrade experience like no other at RIAT.
www.airtattoo.com/tickets-hospitality/hospitality-packages/altitude/
A crowd of over 50,000 people are expected to visit the annual action-packed Air Show, taking place on Sunday 8th June 2025.
The theme for the Royal Air Force Cosford Air Show this year is ‘Commemorate, Celebrate, Innovate.’
Event Organiser, Wing Commander Angelina Littlefield, said:
‘I am excited to be the Event Organiser for the Royal Air Force’s Air Show that will be held at Royal Air Force Cosford on Sunday 8th June 2025. As one of the highlight events in the West Midlands calendar, we are very much looking forward to welcoming the public on the day to experience a superb flying and static aircraft display, alongside a multitude of other fantastic activities. In line with our theme, we look to commemorate our history, celebrate the RAF and our partners, and inspire the next generation as we showcase how we innovate together. As an Engineer and STEM Ambassador I am particularly excited to see the activities in the STEM Hangars next year. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our audience back to Royal Air Force Cosford on Sunday 8th June 2025.’
Organisers are already talking to colleagues from across Defence, partners from other nations’ Air Forces and members of the wider private aviation community to see what aircraft are available to display on the Shropshire base.
Organisers have kept ticket prices for 2025 the same as 2024, with a General Admission ticket on sale at £40. Children who are under 16 accompanied by a paying adult will still be able to enter for free.
Marilyn Summers, Chief Commercial Officer for the RAF Cosford Air Show, said: ‘We know that special days out can feel far more expensive than they used to. By keeping ticket prices the same as last year, we wanted to make sure that families can still enjoy a fantastic and affordable day out at Cosford Air Show.’
Tickets for the RAF Cosford Air Show are now available to purchase from www.CosfordAirShow.co.uk.
