As volunteers have returned to work at Newark Air Museum in increasing numbers, long-term projects are once again slowly starting to receive attention again.

In recent weeks to distinctive VH-UTH identification markings have been reapplied to fuselage of the General Aircraft Monospar ST-12. This represents another step forward in this iconic project, which has drawn positive comments from around the world.

The project is still clearly visible to visitors in Display Hangar 1 as they are guided around the site’s one-way system that helps it comply with its Covid-Secure obligations, since reopening in early July.

A loss of revenue from not being able to open aircraft cockpits on a regular basis mean that the museum has also introduced a major fund raising campaign to help it continue with its diverse range of aircraft restoration projects. Their Just Giving page can be found here https://justgiving.com/campaign/Newark-Air-Museum-2020-Restorations

www.newarkairmuseum.org

TRI-SERVICE MUSEUMS AND COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION MARK THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF VJ DAY WITH VIRTUAL EVENTS PROGRAMME ‘VJ75: NEVER FORGOTTEN’

• Tri-Service museums join forces to mark the 75th anniversary of VJ Day from 14 – 16 August 2020
• A series of free virtual events will pay tribute to those who fought against the Japanese in the Far East Campaign
• ‘Never Forgotten’ a live debate will discuss how the conflict was fought on land, sea and air and how it continues to be commemorated today

Following the success of their VE Day Festival in May, The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN), National Army Museum (NAM) and Royal Air Force Museum (RAFM) together with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), are coming together in a unique collaboration to mark the 75th anniversary of VJ Day with a series of free virtual events for the public to engage with from the safety and comfort of their home.

Taking place from Friday 14 August to Sunday 16 August 2020, the ambitious commemorations will feature a variety of online talks and events which will explore the contribution of the British and Commonwealth forces during the Far East Campaign in the closing months of the Second World War.

Although victory had been declared in Europe, the gruelling fight against Japan continued. From 1941 to 1945, the British Commonwealth Forces alongside the allies fought a bitter campaign in Asia. The fighting took place over challenging terrain, from the jungles of Burma to the remote islands of the Pacific, and always against a tenacious enemy. Despite the extraordinary nature of the far eastern element of the conflict, it remains less well known or recognised than the European elements of the war.

The programme of online events will begin on Friday 14 August and will see the tri-service museums introduce the Far East Campaign and explore its vast geographical spread. They will also share the rediscovered stories of individual service personnel who fought during this period. These online videos will be available to view via the museums’ individual digital channels.

The programme continues Saturday 15 August, the date of Japan’s surrender and the end of the Second World War, with ‘Never Forgotten: The War in the Far East and Modern Memory’. This exciting debate hosted by journalist and author Dr Shrabani Basu sees historians from the three museums and the CWGC discuss how the Far East Campaign was fought on land, sea and air and how it continues to be commemorated today. After the debate members of the public are invited to get involved in a live Q&A. This is a free event that will be broadcast on Crowdcast on Saturday 15 August at 2pm.

The final day of the commemorations on Sunday 16 August will see the three museums and the CWCG come together for the last time to discuss the popular cultural legacy of the war in the Far East. It will address topics such as why so many of our war films are only focussed on the war in Europe, and how the war is remembered today. Like the previous debate, this is also a free event that will be broadcast on Sunday 16 August at 2pm.

The full events programme can be found on the websites of The National Museum of the Royal Navy, the National Army Museum, the Royal Air Force Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission by Monday 10 August 2020.

The museums are encouraging those joining to share pictures on social media with the hashtags #VJDay75 #NeverForgotten

www.rafmuseum.org

A ‘take off’ of a different kind has been planned for what would have normally been Bournemouth’s summer highlight the much anticipated 13th air festival. This year, the team behind the event have been working with Centre VR in Bournemouth to broadcast an online festival – celebrating all that is loved about it…on land, at sea, in the air and community fun!

Broadcasting online and via social media platforms, the Virtual Air Festival 2020 will be live Friday 21st, Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August from Europe’s largest VR Centre with support from Live TV. Entertainment will have hourly themes including Friday’s Royal Navy, Night Air and Air Festival Celebrations, Saturday’s Royal Air Force hour, the Red Arrows and Festival Fun and Sunday’s Daredevil Flying, Vintage Hour, a not to be missed Army slot.

There’s also the chance to find out more about the festival’s armed forces nominated charities, the Soldiers Charity, Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity, Royal Air Force Association and RAF Benevolent Fund.

Cllr Vikki Slade Leader BCP Council said: “The air festival is an integral part of our events calendar one which is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people. We want to broaden the programme to reflect the plans for 2021 to appeal to a wider audience, engaging both residents and visitors. The team have worked really hard to make sure we don’t miss the air festival. It’s a shame we’re not on the beach but the line-up is impressive with something for everyone.”

Supported by Wave105, Daily Echo and Hotel Miramar (supporters of the Strikemaster Pair and vintage hour prize), there will also be an art and craft session with Martin Bridge, who famously created the air show in his back garden for his family which went viral at the start of ‘lockdown’, and a specially recorded acoustic music set from Roy Stride, lead singer from Scouting for Girls, who have previously appeared on the Wave105 ‘Night Air Stage’.

Squadron Leader Martin Pert, Red 1 and Team Leader of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the virtual Bournemouth Air Festival – it’s one of our favourite, best-attended venues of the display season, and if we can’t be over the Pier or at a meet-and-greet on this occasion we’ll be online, doing something a little different for 2020.”

Presented by Andy Marlor who has previously fronted Air Festival TV and everyone’s favourite, voice of the air festival, George Bacon, entertainment is live online. Viewers can engage with competitions, including the chance to win exclusive prints and even help to design next year’s brochure front cover, fancy dress Friday, online voting and Facebook Q&A sessions with star pilots! You can tune in on the hour and watch back online via the official YouTube channel Love Bournemouth – so you can pick and choose what you want to watch without having to watch it all day.

David Bailey, chairman of the BCP Destination Management Board said: “The tourism industry always looks forward to the air festival, the footfall, the incredible amount of money spent within the local economy and the chance for us to really showcase our wonderful resort. It’s important we keep going in these unprecedented times and a move for 2020 to a virtual event is going to be great fun – we are obviously looking forward to welcoming festival goers back next year. Huge thanks to everyone who has given their support including pilots, display teams the armed forces, local businesses and of course Centre VR for their incredible team, venue and technology!”

The Air Festival will be back 2nd-5th September 2021.

www.bournemouthair.co.uk/virtualair

Brooklands Museum, heritage site and home to an incredible collection of cars and aircraft, including Concorde, has been awarded a grant of £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help secure its future.

Like many organisations up and down the country, Brooklands Museum is facing financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst the Museum was closed the cost of looking after the Museum’s collections, buildings and site continued.

Tamalie Newbery, Director and CEO for Brooklands Museum said:
“This grant enables Brooklands Museum to remain open to visitors and continue its work preserving the Brooklands site and collection, to inspire generations of the future. We’re grateful that The National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting us at this crucial time – it’s a lifeline to us and others who are passionate about sustaining heritage for the benefit of all.”

The funding, made possible by National Lottery players, was awarded through The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund. £50million has been made available to provide emergency funding for those most in need across the heritage sector.

The UK-wide fund will address both immediate emergency actions and help organisations to start thinking about recovery.

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, supporting economic regeneration, and benefiting our personal wellbeing. All these things are going to be even more important as we emerge from this current crisis.

Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we are pleased to be able to lend our support to organisations such as Brooklands Museum during this uncertain time.”
Like Brooklands Museum, other charities and organisations across the UK that have been affected by the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus outbreak are being given access to a comprehensive package of support of up to £600 million of repurposed money from The National Lottery. This money is supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and span the arts, community, charity, heritage, education, environment and sports sectors.

National Lottery players raise an average of £30 million every week for good causes, including heritage of local and national importance. By playing The National Lottery, people up and down the country are making an amazing contribution to the nationwide-response to combatting the impact of COVID-19 on local communities across the UK.

Brooklands Museum reopens to the public on Saturday 1st August, visitors are able to book tickets in advance to step back in time and see up-close, the cars that raced across Brooklands’ famous race circuit over a hundred years ago. The aircraft on display were all built at Brooklands, including the Hurricane, the Wellington Bomber, and of course Concorde. Timed-entry ticket to the Museum can be booked online at www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Saturday 26th September 2020

Newark Air Museum has now been re-opened to the public for three weeks and visitors have adapted well to the Covid-Secure processes implemented around the 16 acre Gateway Aviation Site, which is located in eastern Nottinghamshire close to the Lincolnshire border.

Building on the experiences of this challenging time the museum trustees have decided to move forward with hosting an outdoor Aeroboot / Aerojumble Sale at the museum’s site on Saturday 26th September, 2020.This charity fund raising event has attracted interest from a wide range of sellers and around 70% of the spaces have already been booked..

This sale will take place on the western end of our Southfield Site, and will follow a similar format to the outdoor sales that have previously accompanied Cockpit-Fest. The Aeroboot will be a stand-alone event, with no general access to the main museum site or facilities; these will continue to operate on the current Covid-Secure basis. Toilets will be provided and there will be a catering unit on site; car parking for the sale will be close by, on the northern section of the grassed site.

Buyer’s admission rates to the Aeroboot will be £3 per person. To help buyers enter the event quickly they will be encouraged to have the correct cash available when they arrive. The Aeroboot admission ticket will allow buyers a discounted admission to the museum, but this will need to be made via the new Covid-Secure one-way system that now operates around the whole Museum site. The funds that the museum generates from organising the event will be used to support the development of additional facilities at this challenging time

Buyers / visitors who attend this fund raising event will have the opportunity to search through a varied selection of aviation and avionic items: including books, paintings, prints, DVDs, plastic kits, die-cast models, clothing, radio equipment and aircraft parts. Regular updates / seller’s information are being posted on the news page of the museum website www.newarkairmuseum.org

The Aeroboot sale and museum opening times will be 09.00 to 16.00 hours; with the sale taking place between 09.00 and 14.00 hours; to get the best bargains we suggest that you get there early.

Further details are available on the Events Page of the museum website www.newarkairmuseum.org or by telephoning 01636 707170.

THE RAF Museum have generously offered a prize bundle towards this years Airscene Christmas Competition, which already includes family entry tickets for Newark Air Museum and the Museum of Berkshire Aviation. As 2020 is the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the prizes have been sourced from their commemorative range of products and includes the following 3 prizes:

Emma Bridgewater Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary mug
https://www.rafmuseumshop.com/bob-80th-anniversary-mug-by-emma-bridgewater.html

Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary T-shirt
https://www.rafmuseumshop.com/battle-of-britain-80th-anniversary-print-t-shirt.html

Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary Beanie Bear
https://www.rafmuseumshop.com/bob-80-beanie-bear.html

This years theme is “Aerobatics”, and in a departure from the usual rules, entrants are invited to submit ONE entry taken at any airshow between 2013 and 2018. Entries should not have been entered into any other competition past or present, and must not be available for sale prior to the closing date. This competition is open to UK entrants only.

The Airscene 2020 Christmas Competition will now open on 1st September, and will close on 14th December with results announced on Christmas Day.

Sunday 30th of August
Open from 10am until 4pm.

We have now received approval from our hosts at the National Construction College to conduct a trial re-opening of the RAF Heritage Centre on Sunday, 30th of August. www.rafbnmp.org.uk

The centre will be opened in compliance with current covid 19 guidance. Hand sanitisation will be required and face masks or some form of face covering will be recommended when you are inside the Centre. We are going to implement a one-way system with social distance markers similar to that found in shops and supermarkets. We are also going to limit the number of family groups inside the centre at any one time to a maximum of three. In addition, there will be a welcome desk outside where you can sit down and meet the staff in the open air to discuss any specific items of interest or to ask questions. Strict social distancing will also apply here.

Disabled access & toilets will be available, and car parking and entrance will be free. Please don’t all turn up at exactly 10am, which would result in queueing to enter the Centre. Staggered arrival times would be more convenient for us all. DO VISIT IF YOU ARE ABLE!

If this trial opening is successful, and our hosts agree, we hope to conduct further openings in September, October and on Remembrance Sunday in November.

It’s time to ‘Get back behind the wheel’ as Surrey’s most famous historical site and home to an incredible collection of cars and aircraft, is set to reopen its doors after 4 months of closure.

Fans of Brooklands are now able to book timed-entry tickets in advance to step back in time and see up-close, the cars that raced across Brooklands’ famous race circuit over a hundred years ago. The aircraft on display were all built at Brooklands, including the Hurricane, the Wellington Bomber and of course Concorde.

Whilst some new safety procedures and hygiene measures have been put into operation, the site, renowned for its quirky charm will see many of its key exhibits out of the sheds and on display outside. Not forgetting the army of exceptional volunteers that are ready and waiting for visitors to get under the bonnet of the place again.

Alex Patterson, Director of Collections, Interpretation & Heritage said:
“We are thrilled to be reopening in a couple of weeks and have invested a lot of time preparing the Museum so that the experience for our visitors is the best it can be, as well as being safe.

We’ll have daily live demonstrations of our cars and motorcycles on the track and an exciting new trail has been developed so that people can explore outdoors as much as possible.”

Speaking of the impact of being closed due to Coronavirus, Tamalie Newbery, Director and CEO for Brooklands Museum said:
“Being closed has been financially challenging but we’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve had, especially through our ‘LoveBrooklands’ campaign; an initiative set up when we closed in March which has raised much-needed funds to enable us to reopen.”

Brooklands’ famous motoring and aviation events are still postponed for the moment but this summer promises a great Brooklands experience with a few surprises to boot.
Check out the Museum’s vintage-style reopening video on the website www.brooklandsmuseum.com and be reminded of just how much you’ve missed Brooklands this summer.

Date: 29 August – 15 September 2020
Cost: Standard entry – £22.50
Discounted entry – £20.50 (Armed Forces Community including Veterans, Personnel and Cadets)
Family Run entry – £10.00
(booking fee applies, additional fees apply for entries from abroad)

The popular Spitfire 10K held annually at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford and London is going virtual this year!

The RAF Museum starts the Battle of Britain commemorations with the annual Spitfire 10K event, but in a slightly different format. Ordinarily, the event would see runners racing across the airfield at Cosford and through the streets of north London, but with the health and wellbeing of participants in mind, organisers are making the 2020 Spitfire 10K event a virtual one and online applications are now open.

Participants of the Virtual Spitfire 10K are invited to join others in a virtual race across the country over the August bank holiday at 10.00am on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August, the original race days, for the real race experience. Trophies and prizes are up for grabs, and runners who submit their times will appear on the leader board.

Or, why not complete the 10K at a more leisurely pace and tailor the racing experience to fit your schedule and ability, by splitting the distance into a few runs or walks. The virtual race gives participants the opportunity to complete the 10K any time between the 29 August and 15 September, wherever and however they want – running, cycling, rowing, or even walking the dog!

The Virtual Spitfire 10K challenge will end on 15 September, the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Participants will then be rewarded with one of the highly sought after 2020 Spitfire 10K medals, an absolute must for any runner’s medal collection!

The Museum is delighted to announced that the “RAF Spitfires” (RAF Rugby 7s Team) will be taking part in the Spitfire 10K. The team members will be running the race, raising funds for the RAF Museum and will be sharing their tips and tricks on how to get ready for the race with other runners on social media.

Any families with younger children who would like to join in the fun can sign up for the Spitfire Family Run, a shorter 1km race suitable for all ages, and participants will be rewarded with a medal upon completion.

RAF Museum Public Events Manager, Ulrike Stuebner said:
“It’s great to see that more than 1,000 runners have decided to support the RAF Museum by transferring their entry from the physical race to the virtual challenge. We’ve also had more than 500 new sign ups since tickets opened and there is still plenty of time for people to register. The great thing about the virtual race is that it can be completed anywhere, and participants will each receive one of our spectacular bespoke medals, which are guaranteed to be popular. Some exciting new additions for the virtual race include a Spitfire 10K Facebook community group, where you can read tips to motivate yourself to get moving, share photos, running routes, hikes and dog walks, it’s a great opportunity to talk to like-minded runners. We also have a brand-new technical running t-shirt and vest again this year, and have created a running playlist to help keep you motivated when completing the 10K.”

The Spitfire 10K is held to commemorate the Battle of Britain and the Royal Air Force personnel who defended Britain’s skies during the summer of 1940. Participants will each receive a roll of honour card with the name of a Battle of Britain Pilot to wear as they complete their 10K, sharing the story of those who served in this pivotal aerial campaign with a new generation.

Help us honour those who defended our skies during the Battle of Britain by fundraising for the RAF Museum and pledging to raise £80 for the 80th anniversary and receive your race day t-shirt for free.

Spitfire technical t-shirts (£10.00), running vests (£12.00) and cotton family run t-shirts (£5.00) can be purchased when registering for the Virtual Spitfire 10K. If purchased before the 1 August, t-shirts will be posted with the race packs, all purchases after this date and overseas participants will receive their t-shirts with their medal.

All those who enter the virtual race will get a head start for the 2021 Spitfire 10K by receiving advanced notice of the race entry details at both museums.

Register for the Spitfire 10K Virtual race online at www.rafmuseum.org. Entry costs £22.50 per person (UK entries), a discounted rate of £20.50 is available for the Armed Forces Community. A booking fee and additional fees for entries from abroad will apply. All proceeds from the event will go towards the RAF Museum, registered charity number 244708.

The Museum is now open daily with a range of measures in place to ensure a safe and great day out for the whole family. While still offering FREE entry to all, visitors are kindly asked to pre-book their arrival time online at www.rafmuseum.org.

The family visitor attraction, which offers the chance to step aboard the last Concorde ever to fly, is certified as ‘Good to go’ by Visit Britain, with new Covid-19 safety measures in place

Aerospace Bristol has announced that it will reopen its doors to visitors from Saturday 1st August, with tickets available to book now at www.aerospacebristol.org.

The museum will open from 10am to 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Tickets must be booked in advance and numbers are strictly limited to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

Rachel Chivers, Visitor Services Manager, said: “We can’t wait to welcome visitors back to Aerospace Bristol from the start of August. The museum is always so popular in the summer, with children enjoying our time-travel trail, the outdoor play area, the interactive exhibits and, of course, all the amazing aeroplanes, helicopters and space technology on display.”

Aerospace Bristol is set to open its doors having received ‘Good to go’ certification from Visit Britain. The ‘We’re Good To Go’ COVID-19 industry standard and consumer mark confirms that the attraction adheres to Government and public health guidance.

New safety measures include a one-way route around the museum, with visitors encouraged to stick to the ‘flight path’ as they follow the story of Bristol’s aerospace achievements. The story begins with the formation of the Bristol Aeroplane Company and some of the earliest powered flights, before exploring Bristol’s contribution to two World Wars, the space race, the supersonic Concorde, and the cutting-edge technology of today’s aerospace industry.

“We’re fortunate that the museum is situated in large, spacious aircraft hangars”, Chivers adds. “There’s lots of space between the exhibits and an easy-to-follow one-way route, which will allow people to enjoy a family day out while maintaining safe social distancing. We also have a large outdoor space, where the kids can enjoy the Little Pilots play area, while the grown-ups grab a coffee and bite to eat from the cafe.”

The museum’s star attraction – the last Concorde ever to fly – will be open, with visitors able to step on-board the supersonic jet and glimpse into the cockpit.

Due to the confined nature of the aircraft, visitors will be asked to take extra precautions if they wish to go on board Concorde as part of their visit. These include wearing a face covering while on-board and using hand sanitiser both prior to boarding and upon exiting Concorde.

The museum exhibition includes a stunning show projected on to the side of Concorde, giving visitors the chance to learn all about a remarkable aircraft that cruised at 1,350mph – twice the speed of sound – and reached altitudes of 60,000 feet, where passengers could see the curvature of the Earth from their windows.

Tickets to Aerospace Bristol are available to book now at www.aerospacebristol.org. Discounted family tickets are available, as well as reduced price tickets for seniors and students. Aerospace Bristol tickets include free return visits for 12 months from the date they are first used.