Airscene News – Page 157 – Airshow and Aviation Museum news.

Experience a stateside showcase at Imperial War Museum Duxford

American Air Day

Friday 19 August

Enjoy an Anglo-American celebration as Imperial War Museum Duxford hosts its fifth American Air Day on Friday 19 August.

This family-friendly, interactive day showcases the work of the United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE), in particular units of the Third Air Force based at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in East Anglia.

Meet and mingle with USAFE personnel and find out more about their missions, aircraft and equipment. Discover what it is like to be serving on an American air base in Britain.

Exciting flying demonstrations will include displays by the F-15 C (x2), a tactical single-seat fighter and the F-15E Strike Eagle (x2) a dual-role fighter designed to perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. There will also be a flyby from the KC-135 Stratotanker, the aircraft that provides the core refuelling capability for the United States Air Force, having excelled in this role for more than 50 years.

It is also likely that there will be a flypast by the A-10 Thunderbolt II (x 2), a highly-advanced fighter aircraft which has excellent manoeuvrability at low speeds and altitude, with a highly accurate weapons-delivery platform. The A10 Thunderbolt II has not previously flown at Duxford so there is huge excitement around this potential flypast!

A selection of Duxford’s historic American aircraft will also take to the skies, celebrating the United States’ heritage of iconic aeroplanes. These will include the North American F-86 Sabre, Boeing Stearman, AT-16 Harvard (x 2), Beechcraft 17 Staggerwing and the Consolidated PBY Catalina.

See a wide range of displays and demonstrations which show the diversity of operations and roles within USAFE. The popular Security Forces Service (SFS) K9 dog display team will be showcasing the skills of USAFE’s highly trained dogs in three demonstrations throughout the day.

There will also be a display of the Security Forces Humvee vehicles and a display of trucks and firefighting equipment from the USAFE Fire Service, including the chance to meet Sparky the Fire Dog. In addition, there will be a Birds of Prey demonstration, which is always a huge attraction.

The USAFE Operational Support Service will be presenting aircrew flight equipment and demonstrating how they prepare a fighter aircraft for readiness – using Duxford’s own static F15 Eagle exhibit as part of the demonstration for true authenticity.

In a poignant Missing in Action ceremony, the USAFE Honor Guard will be remembering United States personnel who have lost their lives in active service.

This moving act of remembrance directly links with the American Air Museum at IWM Duxford, which stands as a memorial to the 30,000 American airmen who gave their lives flying from UK bases in defence of liberty during the Second WorldWar and also honours those who fought in Korea, Vietnam, Libya, Iraq and other conflicts and battles of the 20th and 21st centuries.

We’re delighted to be welcoming back SR-71 Blackbird pilot Colonel Richard Graham who will be hosting walk-around tours of the Blackbird spy plane that he flew, which is now in pride of place in the American Air Museum.

There will also be a display of stylish American classic cars, complete with fins, chrome and fabulous interiors.

Come along and meet members of the United States Air Force in Europe in a relaxed, family-friendly day and enjoy an Anglo-American celebration at Duxford!

This exciting day also acknowledges the historic link between East Anglia and the United States Army Air Force that dates back to 1918, when the first US airmen arrived at RAF Duxford.

Summer Holiday activities too!

In addition, IWM Duxford’s summer holiday activities will be running during American Air Day.

Try your hand at exciting experiments as Feel the Force brings science and technology to life from 10.30am to 2.30pm under the wings of the iconic Concorde in AirSpace. Get a grip, pulling and pushing gears and levers to see forces and motion at work and then discover how those forces are put to great effect in the huge aircraft that surround you.

Test your knowledge of the flying pioneers who played a significant role in the development of aviation and try a real ejector seat for size.

The Airfix Make and Paint Zone provides an opportunity to make your own Airfix model and paint it in a range of colours. Once complete, the finished model aircraft is placed into a hanger box so that you can take your aviation masterpiece home as a souvenir of your day at Duxford.

Duxford takes a trip back to the 1940s Home Front in Hangar 4: Battle of Britain from 11.00am to 3.00pm with Gooseberries and Gas Masks.

Find out about life during the Second World War; discover what the wartime ration of food looked like, the types of gas masks that were worn and the air raid precautions that were strictly followed. Then put your wartime wisdom to the test with our Home Front quizzes.

Chat to a costumed interpreter enacting a wartime character – you could meet a Forties housewife, a member of the Home Guard, an ARP Warden or a Bomb Disposal Officer. Find out more about their exciting and dangerous war work and day-to-day Home Front life.

Visit the children’s dressing up station and try on mini-wartime outfits and uniforms. Choose from ARP, Home Guard and civilian outfits and see which suits you best!

Get hands-on with thrifty ‘Make Do and Mend’ craft activities and see a recreated ‘Dig for Victory’ allotment, bursting with ‘vegetables’ to keep Britain healthy during wartime.

www.iwm.org.uk/duxford

JLS, Grease and Showaddywaddy Headline Airbourne Evening Entertainment

Visitors to Eastbourne International Airshow can look forward to a real musical showcase of evening entertainment with Bandstand concerts, movie screenings and firework spectaculars extending Airbourne into the night.When the flying comes to an end, visitors can still enjoy the buzz of the airshow excitement into the evening with Bandstand concerts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, including tribute and Big Band.

Friday promises an extended schedule of flying with the Red Arrows headlining an evening programme at 7pm, while Saturday promises a Night at the Movies with Grease being shown on a giant screen, and the dazzling firework finale rounds off the four day extravaganza on Sunday night.

Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Neil Stanley said “The evening entertainment at Airbourne creates a real festival feeling in Eastbourne with lots for visitors of all ages to enjoy during the day and on into the evening. The Airbourne Bandstand concerts offer something totally different this year with two brand new tribute nights to JLS and Showaddywaddy, something for all generations! With Saturday Night at the Movies promising a great big screen experience too with a free beachside film showing, I hope we see lots of visitors extend their day out at Airbourne long into the evening!”

Kicking off the evening entertainment on Thursday evening is Big Band Night with Swingshift performing all the hits from this memorable era.

Friday night promises extended flying until 8pm with displays from the Belgian F16, Matadors Team, Hawker Hurricane, Blades and Red Arrows performing a dusk flying display before a JLS tribute act take to the stage at the Bandstand performing some of today’s most popular hits.

Saturday promises a step back in time to the 60s and 70s with one of the world’s best loved musicals Grease being shown on a big screen on the Western Lawns at 6pm, and a Showaddywaddy tribute concert at the Bandstand at 8pm for a rock ‘n’ roll night.

Sunday promises a firework display to take visitors’ breaths away as a fitting end to the thrilling four day event with a colourful display of pyrotechnics launched from Eastbourne Pier at 10pm.

Tickets for all Bandstand concerts are on sale now from the Seafront Office, next to the Bandstand, or by calling 01323 410611. Visitors can also book exclusive seating to watch the firework final for just £2 from the Seafront Office.

For more information on the evening entertainment at Airbourne 2011 visit www.eastbourneairshow.com or call 0871 663 0031.

A fun day of 1940s nostalgia at Sally B and Friends Day

Thousands of visitors came to Duxford’s first Sally B and Friends Day on Sunday 31 July for a day of great entertainment, 1940s nostalgia and fantastic flying. Many visitors were dressed in fabulous 1940s outfits and really entered into the spirit of the day!The wartime nostalgia could be felt across the Museum, with Rangers Re-enactors bringing the ‘Friendly Invasion’ of the United States Forces to life, while the Pitsford Home Guard perfectly recreated the real ‘Dad’s Army’ with Local Defence drills, demonstrations and interaction with visitors.

Fabulous forties music was provided by Room 21, who had visitors toe-tapping to Swing and Big Band classics, while the D-Day Darlings wowed the crowds with an authentic Andrews Sisters-style show, featuring instantly recognisable wartime songs that had everybody singing along!

The opportunity to meet the B-17 Preservation Team proved incredibly popular, with packed audiences for the talks by Andrew Dixon (Training Captain), Peter Brown (Chief Engineer) and Elly Sallingboe (Sally B operator) and some lively question and answer sessions.

There was some fantastic flying during the afternoon of Sally B and Friends Day. Sally B took to the skies in a solo display and was then joined by her ‘little friends’, the North American P-51 Mustang and the Supermarine Spitfire IXB.

The Italian trainer aircraft Fiat G-46 then performed a solo display, in its first appearance at Imperial War Museum Duxford.

The SWIP Team of Peter Wells and Guy Westgate performed a superb display in their graceful and agile Twister SA1100 aircraft and were followed by a display of the Beechcraft 17 Staggerwing, Douglas Dakota DC-3 and Beech 18 Expediter. Sally B then joined the three aircraft for a very special salute to the Sally B Supporters Club, without whom it would not be possible to keep Sally B flying.

A T28 Trojan aircraft then flew, followed by aerobatics master Mark Jefferies, who performed a jaw-droppingly amazing display in the Extra 330SC, which drew rousing applause from the crowd.

For the grand finale, Sally B flew with the SWIP Team in their Twister SA1100 aircraft before performing a poignant final solo display to the strains of the 1940s recording of Vera Lynn singing ‘We’ll Meet Again.’

This was a fantastic celebration of Sally B in her 66th year and a relaxed, fun and nostalgic day that was enjoyed by all!

http://www.iwm.org.uk/duxford

A Very Special Aircraft Arrives at Duxford

Recently, Historic Aircraft Collection (HAC) brought a very special historic aircraft to Duxford for reassembly and display.Hawker Fury Mk.I K 5674 serial number 41H/67550 is the only Hawker Fury in existence and has been faithfully restored to flying condition.

The remains of this rare aircraft were discovered on a farm in South Africa and acquired by Historic Aircraft Collection following information received from staff at the RAF Museum.

After an 18-year restoration, the Hawker Fury was recently reassembled at Imperial War Museum Duxford, where visitors could see the talented team of HAC engineers painstakingly assemble this spectacular aircraft.

The Fury is now presented in the scheme it was flown in when it was last operational, as part of the famous ‘Fighting Cocks’, 43 Squadron, RAF Tangmere. It was then the personal aircraft of Flying Officer Rosier, Officer Commanding ‘B’ Flight, later to become Air Chief Marshall Sir Frederick Rosier GCB CBE DSO.

Flying Officer Rosier first flew the Fury during December 1936 but had to relinquish the aircraft in February 1939. It was eventually sent to South Africa in 1940. Taken on charge by 13 Squadron, based at Swartkop, it was damaged in a forced landing and was subsequently struck off charge in March 1941.

The restoration of this beautiful pre-war fighter aircraft was undertaken by Retrotec Limited, who also rebuilt the extremely rare Rolls Royce Kestrel IIS engine.

The restored and reassembled Hawker Fury can currently be seen in all its gleaming glory in the Hangar 3: Air and Sea exhibition at Imperial War Museum Duxford.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/duxford

Official Airbourne Souvenir Programme on Sale Now

Eastbourne is getting ready for the biggest event of the year next week with Airbourne flying into town from 11-14 August and airshow fans are being invited to join the final countdown with the official souvenir programme on sale now.Visitors to Eastbourne International Airshow, which gets underway next Thursday, can enjoy an early preview of the thrilling flying displays, arena action, and packed programme of evening entertainment with the official 2011 souvenir programme hitting news shelves around the town.

Hundreds of pre-orders have already been taken online for this year’s programme and now eager fans can get their hands on a copy from businesses and newsagents in and around Eastbourne.

Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism and Leisure Cllr Neil Stanley said “I can’t believe that Airbourne is now only a week away and this year’s show certainly promises to be action-packed from start to finish, with new attractions joining old favourites. The souvenir programme is a brilliant way to get an insider’s guide to all the flying displays and to start planning your visit to the event next week. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the many businesses around the town who are helping us to sell the programme this year and spread the Airbourne brand as far and wide as possible!”

This year’s programme promises a double page of discount vouchers for Airbourne visitors to redeem at local attractions as well as two competitions, including the chance to win a season ticket for Eastbourne Town FC. Programme buyers will also be able to receive up to the minute flying times each day.

Available at more outlets across the town than ever before, there is no excuse for airshow fans to miss out on grabbing their copy. Priced at just £3, the programme is available to buy now from the Tourist Information Centre, Seafront Office, online from www.visiteastbourne.com and at a wide range of independent newsagents and outlets in Eastbourne.

Programme sellers will also be located around Eastbourne from Monday 8 August. With official Airbourne radio headsets available to purchase offering the chance for visitors to listen to the official airshow radio station on 87.7FM from Monday, visitors can buy both a programme and radio headset for just £5 and enjoy the ultimate guide to Airbourne on the go.

For more information on Airbourne 2011 or to order a copy of the programme online visit www.visiteastbourne.com or telephone 0871 663 0031.

Hairbourne Comes to Airbourne

Visitors to Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow are invited to go ‘Hairbourne’ next week with celebrity hairdresser Jal Clarke cutting hair for donations and attempting to set a new World Record.The owner of Icon Stylists in Eastbourne is extending the attractions and activities on the ground at Airbourne when it returns to the seafront next week from 11-14 August.

Throughout the four days, visitors will be able to have their hair cut in return for donations towards the future of the airshow and the Eastbourne RNLI, as well as watch the celebrity hairdresser try to set a new Guinness World Record for the highest number of haircuts in one hour.

With the Eastbourne Hospitality Association (EHA) already organising a retiring collection of visitor donations towards Airbourne and their chosen charity for 2011, the Eastbourne RNLI, Jal’s Hairbourne initiative comes as a further boost.

Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Neil Stanley said “We are very excited to welcome Jal Clarke and his team from Icon Stylists to Airbourne and offer a unique setting for a haircut! With a packed programme of flying displays and arena attractions ready to entertain the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected over the free four day event, Hairbourne, which will be located at the foot of the Wish Tower Slopes, will offer something a little different! I hope that visitors take the opportunity to support Airbourne in this novel way by enjoying a haircut and contributing towards the future of this world famous event all at the same time.”

Jal will attempt the new World Record on the Saturday of Airbourne and visitors are also invited to watch local group The Sea Gypsies modelling new hairstyles before performing their dance act.

The hairdressing fun will continue through to Sunday too with visitors invited to enter a prize draw for the chance to play Jal’s version of The Generation Game. Contestants will watch an Icon stylist create a hair-up style and will then have to try their best to copy it on a volunteer, with the overall winner receiving a full makeover courtesy of Icon Stylists.

Jal Clarke said “It’s a privilege for Icon Stylists to be appearing at such a great show as Airbourne. We are glad to help raise money and awareness to the importance of local events that Eastbourne Borough Council strives to achieve for the future in Eastbourne. Year after year, 24-7, don’t they do it well?”

Other highlights coming up at Airbourne next week include a top flight of flying displays including the iconic Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, The Blades, Breitling Wingwalkers and new for 2011, displays from the Royal Navy Black Cats and Royal Navy Raiders Parachute Display Team.

The Marines Unarmed Combat team are set to make a welcome return to the arena displays, alongside the popular Essex Dog Display Team and RAF College Band, with a special ground visit by the Red Arrows scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

With concerts at the Bandstand on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, a big screen showing of Grease, and a firework finale, the airshow experience will continue through to the evenings on all four days.

For more information on Airbourne 2011 go to www.eastbourneairshow.com or call 0871 663 0031.

CROWD CELEBR-ATES DEBUT AIRSHOW

A capacity crowd proved to be one of the stars of the show at a hugely-successful air display held at Scotland’s National Museum of Flight on Saturday (July 23).

This was the first year that the annual summer airshow, at East Fortune, south east of Edinburgh, had been organised by Air Tattoo Event Services (ATES), the air display arm of the Royal International Air Tattoo based at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, home of the world’s largest military airshow.
And the ATES show, which took place in glorious sunshine went down a storm with the 12-000-strong crowd that flocked to the airfield.

ATES Display Director Norman Webster said: “I’ve never seen a more appreciative or enthusiastic audience at any flying display in the UK. The shouts and cheers as the Skyraider and Bronco flew past, and the whole crowd standing up and waving as the Sea King departed are things I will carry with me for a long time – it was truly a joy to present a display to such a stunning crowd.”

Stars of the show including the UHIH “Huey” helicopter, the DH-2, de Havilland’s first world war biplane, the de Havilland Dragon biplane airliner from the 1930s, and the North American OV-10 Bronco, making is debut display in Scotland.

Alongside the air display, the Museum of Flight was open to visitors while sideshows and arena acts also did their bit in keeping audiences amused.

Norm concluded: “It was excellent, really good. The weather was brilliant, and there were so many people there that the airshow nearly ran out of parking spaces. And the audience reaction certainly bodes well for the future, with our second ATES display taking place on July 29, 2012, when we hope it will be even bigger and better.”

Calendar Competition Prizes from RAF Museum

Cosford RAF Museum have confirmed their prize offering which will be allocated to the 3 runners up place in this years competition.

Each runner up will win the following:

RAF Museum T Shirt – http://www.rafmuseumshop.com/node/4305

RAF Museum Teddy Bear – http://www.rafmuseumshop.com/node/4594

The RAF Museum’s aim is to preserve an important part of Britain’s national aviation heritage and to display it for future generations. At Cosford we have collections of artefacts unique in the world.

Donate to RAF Museums in London & Cosford and help us preserve our unique collection. We are a registered charity (no.244708).

Millennium Squadron Print exhibition goes on display

On display from 29th July 2011

A unique collection of aviation prints will be on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford from Friday 29th July 2011. The ‘Millennium Squadron Print’ exhibition is a collection of aviation prints of UK Armed Forces Flying Units that were in existence at 12.01am on the 1st January 2000.

In 2000, the RAF Museum Cosford displayed the “Millennium Squadron Print” exhibition. Now, 11 years on, the Museum is revisiting this unique collection to examine how many of the units in existence in 2000 are still active, and what fate has befallen the exhibition’s featured aircraft.

The collection consists of 116 prints from units as diverse as the Red Arrows, 1435 Flight (RAF), patrolling the skies of the Falkland Islands, many of the Royal Naval Air Service squadrons, Army Air Corps units, and RAF flying training units. As an added feature, the aircrew on each unit signed their print. Famous signatures on the prints to look out for include Tony Blair and Geoff Hoon, UK Prime Minister and Defence Secretary respectively on 1st January 2000.

This popular collection was compiled by Group Captain W.A.W. James MBE, now Station Commander of RAF Shawbury. In 1999 when the collection was produced, he was the commanding officer of the RAF Central Flying School (Helicopter) at RAF Shawbury.

RAF Museum Cosford Assistant Curator, Clare Carr says:

“The Millennium Squadron Print collection is a fascinating insight into the range of UK military flying units. We thought it would be an interesting exercise, in the light of various defence reorganisations, to review the units featured (not every flying unit participated) and see how many are still operational today and whether their home bases and aircraft have changed. We hope visitors will enjoy viewing the prints and seeing for themselves how the Royal Air Force, Royal Naval Air Service and Army Air Corps have changed over the past decade.”

The Exhibition will be on display to visitors from Friday 29th July 2011 until Easter 2012 in the Museum’s Exhibition Gallery in Hangar 1. For further information on the Museum please call 01902 376200, visit www.rafmuseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. The Museum is open daily from 10am – 6pm. Entry to the Museum and the exhibition is FREE.

Out of this World opportunity to secure a piece of art history

As space shuttle Atlantis plans to return to Earth, a charity is offering people an “out of this world” opportunity to secure a piece of art history and help support its cause.

The fly2help organisation, based at Cotswold Airport, which provides support for families and individuals facing a wide range of trauma and tragedy, commissioned renowned aviation artist Ronald Wong to produce a painting of Atlantis’ sister shuttle Endeavour in orbit.

The striking piece, which shows Endeavour breaking away from the International Space Station, raised £2,600 for fly2help when it was auctioned at a Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) dinner in London, earlier this year.

However, 500 limited edition prints of the painting – each signed by Mr Wong – have also been produced and are available to order for £70 each direct from fly2help, or £85 via eBay.

Charity Manager Sue Bennett said: “We’re very grateful to Ronald for producing such a fantastic piece that has already raised some great funds for the charity.

“It certainly generated a lot of interest at the Royal Aeronautical Society dinner and we’re sure that collectors will want to snap up one of the limited edition prints too.”

Former space shuttle commander Colonel Rick Seafoss and fly2help Chief Executive Chris Hadlow (who was at the Atlantis launch) accepted the original painting at the RAeS dinner.

The artwork was bought by a collector, who tabled their bid for it the same night.

A framed print of the painting also fetched £2,000 when it was auctioned off at the Cotswold Airshow in June.

Now, with Atlantis scheduled to return to earth on July 21, aviation fans are being invited to secure their own piece of history for a fraction of the price.

Funds will go towards the charity which uses the medium of flight to provide ‘Air Smiles’ experiences. The events aim to use the liberation and freedom of flight to develop imagination and stretch personal boundaries, as well as leaving those taking part with amazing memories.

The charity also provides educational support for young people looking to embark on a career in the aviation industry.

You can find out more about the charity at www.fly2help.org, or call 01285 770821.