Run through your checklist and get ready for take-off, the RAF Museum Cosford is about to reopen!

• Hangars full of amazing aircraft? Check!
• NEW airfield-inspired playground for kids? Check!
• Big outdoor areas for summer games and picnics? Check!
• Car parking and café? Check!
• Social distancing signage and sanitiser? Check!
• Gift shop with toys to keep the kids quiet on the way home? Check!
• FREE to enter!? Check!

View the fly through drone footage

It’s time to get #BackToMuseums and the RAF Museum Cosford’s new outdoor airfield-inspired playground, along with huge hangars packed full of aircraft is the perfect place to ‘jet off’ to for a family friendly staycation.

While still offering free entry to all, visitors are kindly asked to pre-book their arrival time online at www.rafmuseum.org. The timed ticket approach will guarantee the space needed for a safe and enjoyable day out, and once you’ve checked in, you are welcome to stay as long as you like!

With May half term just around the corner, planning days out for the family could not be simpler. The Museum’s new RAF themed playground is guaranteed to be the number one destination for future pilots and ground crew alike. Bring your little ones along to test-fly the new playground, carry out refuelling missions onboard the Victor and Vulcan cockpit, and become an air traffic controller for the day in the mock control tower, overlooking the mini hangar.

Getting the Museum ready for take-off following months of closure has required a head for heights, as the aircraft have been given a spring clean on an epic scale. The work required a specialist team to abseil from the 30m high roof to access the suspended aircraft displayed in the National Cold War Exhibition hangar, including a Vulcan bomber and a vertically suspended Lightning. Aircraft and exhibits on the ground have also been spruced up by the Museum’s Technicians and Apprentices, and even the external aircraft were given a wash, ensuring they look their best for when visitors return.

Visitors can expect some pre-flight safety checks and social distancing measures in place upon the Museum’s re-opening on 17 May, including a one-way visitor flow and a limit on the number of people in each building. Hand sanitiser will be available throughout each hangar, along with hand washing facilities in all Museum buildings. Visitors are encouraged to act in a manner that respects the safety of others.

Events are cleared for take-off, here is what’s coming up at the RAF Museum Cosford this summer:

19 June: Aviation Art Workshops
The Museum has partnered with the Guild of Aviation Artists to deliver two Aviation Art Workshops. With the aircraft as your muse, the drawing course will focus on drawing techniques, observation, shading and composition, delivered by David Calow, an award-winning aviation artist and illustrator. Or, if painting is your passion, sign up for the hands-on painting course and develop your brush techniques, paint application and composition skills, delivered by Nigel Morris, an artist, graphic designer, illustrator and lecturer in art and design. Both workshops will take place in Hangar 1 which will be exclusively open to workshop participants.

22 July – 30 August: Summer of Fun ‘n’ Flight
The Museum’s Summer of Fun ‘n’ Flight programme features a range of high-flying activities. Visit us throughout the summer months and discover something new each time you return!
• Crazy Golf (22 July – 30 August)
• Climbing Wall (22 -31 July)
• Cavebus (1-10 August)
• Trampoline Trailer (11-20 August)
• Bungee Trampolines (21-30 August)

24-25 July: RAF Museum Foodie Market
While it will be another year before the Cosford Food Festival makes a triumphant return, a selection of popular exhibitors will be bringing a taste of the festival to the Museum in July with a smaller Foodie Market. Nestled in between the aircraft near the Visitor Centre, more than 20 stallholders will showcase their products. Visitors can roam the market stalls in between viewing the aircraft hangars and show their support for small local businesses.

13-15 August: Outdoor Cinema
The Outdoor Cinema will be making a welcome return in August, offering movie fans the ultimate cinema experience, with two screenings per day to look forward to, on a huge LED screen alongside the VC10 and Hercules aircraft. The afternoon screening at 5.00pm each day is suitable for the whole family; our evening screenings at 8:30pm are suitable for everyone over 12 years. Films will be announced in early June.

29 August: The Spitfire 10K is back!
Chocks away! The Spitfire 10K will return to the RAF Museum Cosford in August. Begin the race with a loop of the Museum site past iconic aircraft, before heading onto the airfield at RAF Cosford. It’s a unique opportunity to run alongside the wartime hangars, the air traffic control tower and sprint down the runway. Once you cross the finish line you will receive the highly coveted Spitfire 10K race medal. It will also be held virtually – giving runners from all over the UK, and across the world, the opportunity take part.

For a full list of events taking place at the RAF Museum Cosford this summer and to book tickets visit www.rafmuseum.org/Cosford.

And what’s coming up at the RAF Museum Hendon this summer:

Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August: Family Festival of Flight

Our family festival is back again this year. Come and discover the wonders of flight and get involved in our activities for all ages.

Friday 20 August to Sunday 22 August: Sundown Cinema at the RAF Museum

The big screen is landing outdoors to the RAF Museum this summer. Bring the whole family along to watch loads of fun films, including Moana, Greatest Showman and of course Top Gun.

Our vintage fairground will be on site to make your trip to our outdoor cinema even more memorable. Have a go on the swing boats or high striker before sitting down to watch one of our family favourites..

Saturday 28 August: Spitfire 10K
The Spitfire 10K is back! Enter now and race through the Museum, before setting off around the pavements of Colindale. The historic location RAF Hendon Airfield will form the route of your race, running down residential streets which were once landing strips for Spitfire’s.

For a full list of events taking place at the RAF Museum London this summer and to book tickets visit www.rafmuseum.org/London

The RAF Red Arrows will make their UK debut performance for 2021 at the Midlands Air Festival.

The festival which takes place at Ragley Hall on Friday 4 to Sunday 6 June has today announced that the RAF Red Arrows, RAF Typhoon Display Team, Battle of Britain Spitfire pair and RAF Falcons will feature at this year’s event.

Not only will this be the public’s first opportunity to see the new displays for the 2021 season, but this will also be the first Red Arrows full display in the UK since the pandemic, due to the inevitable cancellation of events up and down the country in 2020.

The RAF Red Arrows are one of the finest and most respected jet aerobatic teams in the world and the nation’s favourite wherever they display in the UK. Arriving in the sky over the historic Ragley Estate, they will showcase their new arrival formation for 2021 called ‘The Wall’. The team will then display a series of different formations with their wingtips just a few feet apart, before breaking into two sections for the dynamic part of their show, featuring nail-biting high-speed opposition passes and spectacular breaks.

The RAF will also bring three front line fighters to the show, the first being the incredible Typhoon FGR4 jet, capable of a maximum speed of 1,300mph. The Typhoon is the RAF’s current front-line fighter, protecting UK airspace 24/7 and on deployment around the globe. The others are the front-line fighters of the 1940’s, the Supermarine Spitfire. Used in all theatres of WW2, the Spitfire played a pivotal role in winning the Battle of Britain. These aircraft are part of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and are two of a number of WW2 aircraft that the RAF preserve in flying condition as a living memorial to the pilots, crews and builders of these iconic aircraft and to inspire future generations. Both aircraft will fly some unforgettable displays, featuring the unique capabilities that have made them so famous in their respective eras.

The final addition to this fantastic line up is the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team. The Falcons are the UK’s premier military parachute display team. Celebrating their 60th anniversary the team will fly their new commemorative display at the Midlands Air Festival. The world’s most accomplished military skydivers will leap from their aircraft, trailing smoke to make them easier to spot. Once they deploy their canopies, they will carry out a series of manoeuvres and set pieces, including their famous non-contact canopy stacking and relative work.

The military additions complete the spectacular air display programme for the 2021 Midlands Air Festival which include formation aerobatics from Team Raven, Rich Goodwin in his high energy Muscle Biplane, the mighty Boeing B-17 4 engine bomber Sally B, acclaimed aerobatics pilot Chris Jesson in his classic Stampe Biplane, the nine tiger moths of the Tiger 9 Display Team, the Westland Wasp helicopter and many more.

There will also be a unique opportunity to see two powered airships and mass ascents of over 120 hot air balloons including Europe’s largest collection of special shape character balloons. In addition to this, breath taking giant kites will take to the skies and some of the UK’s largest historic radio-controlled models will conduct a stunning airfield attack.

The director of aviation for the event, Trevor Graham said, “We are delighted and honoured to have so many of the nation’s top military and civilian aviators to support us and fly for the people of the Midlands. What better way to blow away the lockdown blues than a stunning day out in the wide-open spaces of the historic Ragley Hall with the best of the best!”

Tickets to the Midlands Air Festival must be purchased in advance and are limited to allow for capacity restrictions and government regulations pertaining at the time of the event. Organisers are advising those wishing to attend to book their tickets early to avoid disappointment. Children under 14 can attend for free, when accompanied by an adult ticket holder.

MOD participation is subject to operational confirmations and PDAs.

To keep up to date with the latest news and information visit the Midlands Air Festival website www.midlandsairfestival.com

The Chelsea Foundation and the RAF Museum are pleased to announce an extension of their partnership for a further three years.

The partnership is sponsored by club owner Roman Abramovich and will support the expansion of the Museum’s Jewish ‘Hidden Heroes’ project which will feature a new Bomber Command exhibition at both the London and Cosford sites, launching in 2023.

The new displays will help the Museum to continue to raise awareness of the previously untold story of the Jewish personnel in the RAF during the Second World War and the vital role they played in defeating the Luftwaffe in the famous ‘Battle of Britain’, preventing the Nazis from invading Britain, the last democratic stronghold in Europe. These heroes joined the RAF from all over the world, to fight against tyranny, racism and antisemitism, fully aware that they risked torture and execution if captured. Their fascinating stories are a powerful window to the past through which we can make links to today and inspire future generations.

The London exhibition is already home to an iconic Avro-Lancaster which was ‘adopted’ in 2020 by Roman Abramovich and the Chelsea Foundation to commemorate the many Jewish Hidden Heroes of Bomber Command. This year the Museum is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the first test flight of the Avro Lancaster.

New additions to the exhibition will include in-gallery screens exploring the contributions of the personnel to Bomber Command, a small object display with links to the ‘Hidden Heroes’, RAF Museum’s online display of objects commemorating both the Bomber Command and Jewish Hidden Heroes and the Avro-Lancaster will be accompanied by an Augmented Reality interactive experience, sharing the stories of Jewish RAF personnel.

The partnership will also bring to life the Jewish ‘Hidden Heroes’ Community Outreach Programme, which will extend to the wider community through school networks in London, sharing the positive narrative of the Jews fighting for their country and the survival of their race. It will also support the continuation of recording Jewish Hidden Heroes stories for the Jewish section on the RAF Stories website and the Community Programme of Jewish Hidden Heroes presentations for Key Stage 2 and 3 audiences.

Bruce Buck, Chelsea FC Chairman: ‘We are delighted to announce a further three-year extension to our partnership with the Royal Air Force Museum. This will see the continuation of the Hidden Heroes project and enable the Museum to expand upon it and introduce new educational tools. Chelsea FC is committed to tackling antisemitism through education and the Jewish ‘Hidden Heroes’ tells important stories about the bravery of Jewish RAF personnel during the conflict.”

Maggie Appleton, RAF Museum CEO: ‘More than ever we need to challenge prejudice in all its ugly forms, and more than ever we need to educate young minds as to the experiences of previous generations – those who suffered as well as those who fought back. I am incredibly proud of our partnership with the Chelsea Foundation and the Jewish Hidden Heroes project and hope that it goes some way to challenging the rise of anti-Semitism and wider racism in society. These are inspiring stories of courage and human spirit which will endure and resonate.’

You can find out more information about the RAF Museum, including how to pre-book tickets at www.rafmuseum.org. The Museum will be ready for take-off when it reopens on 17 May.

To find out more information about the club’s ‘Say No to Antisemitism’ campaign, visit the new website here. If you would like to keep up to date with the club’s latest antisemitism updates and key events, you can register for the newsletter here.

Register online at rafmuseum.org/STAAR.
Competition commences on 10 May to 28 June online.
Residential places are available for four schools.

The Royal Air Force Museum in partnership with Northrop Grumman in the UK is on the lookout for enthusiastic STEM students to take part in an exciting new competition. Each school team will compete against other school teams in a series of STEM challenges posted online, with the chance to win a two-day residential educational and vocational experience at RAF Cosford later this year.

The new STAAR programme will consist of six STEM challenges that together create the overall Mission. Students will be part of an elite team called upon to monitor earthquakes and volcanoes, provide aid to citizens, assess the damage to national communications, transport and power and help the elected Government of a UK ally to maintain civil control of the country after a series of natural disasters.

To complete their mission the team must design an unmanned aircraft that is low cost, lightweight and capable of being remotely piloted over difficult terrain in the emergency zone. They will also demonstrate how their mission planning skills, decrypting of messages and code, and skills in creating or using a high-tech C4ISR system (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) helps to manage all their data, planning and control of the mission.

Open to all Year 9 students across the UK, the competition is the 2021 edition of the RAF Museum and Northrop Grumman’s successful Summer Time Advanced Aerospace Residency (STAAR) programme. In its fourth year, STAAR has adapted to the limitations of Covid-19 and continues to engage the next generation of young engineers and innovators by bringing classroom STEM studies to life.

The challenges will be released over a number of weeks at www.rafmuseum.org/STAAR and students have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of each challenge to successfully complete their Mission, which will culminate in a final presentation judged by a panel of experts. Each individual challenge is aligned with the national curriculum and can be completed by students together in the classroom, or remotely if they are studying from home.

Teachers can now register a total of up to 20 students, in teams of 5 students each, that the teachers feel have the ambition, aptitude and interest in STEM subjects to take part in the STAAR Challenge. The four schools who most successfully meet the overall mission objectives across each of the six challenges, will win a two-day STAAR residential camp at RAF Cosford in Shropshire, where they will develop their skills further and complete phase two of their mission.

Nick Chaffey, Chief Executive of Northrop Grumman UK, Europe and Middle East said:
“I am extremely proud of our STAAR programme and our new 2021 approach to make it even more accessible to a larger group of young people whilst ensuring that it is still an exciting and competitive opportunity. STAAR aims to bring STEM subjects and their real world applications to life and to provide inspiration and opportunity for students to study and pursue careers in STEM. The aerospace and defence sector drives innovation and ingenuity, and the pace of development and change is ever increasing. The sector needs talented young people and STAAR helps to provide an insight into careers in our industry by understanding the importance of teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, agile approaches and thinking outside the box – those who push the envelope and are willing to try will see how they can make an impossible mission, possible.”

Julie Brierley, Head of Access and Learning at RAF Museum Cosford said:
“We were forced to rethink our usual STAAR format due to Covid, and as a result, we now have the opportunity to engage with more students than ever before with our online curriculum-based STEM challenges, while still offering a residential experience for the four winning teams later this year. The STAAR Competition encourages students to develop their scenario-based problem-solving skills by overcoming each of the mission challenges. They will also experience the excitement of the aerospace industry through a range of activities, including programming drones to swarm. The residential is fully funded and students will get to experience elements at both RAF Cosford and the RAF Museum.”

How to take part in the STAAR Competition:
• 19 April – Applications for the competition open.
• 10 May – Mission commences, visit rafmuseum.org for the first STEM activity.
• 28 June – All six STEM challenges must be complete, and findings submitted.
• 12 July – Work will be judged and results announced. The four winning schools will be notified.

The residential camp is provisionally planned for the Autumn term, dates will be confirmed with the winning schools once they have been notified. The residential will be for up to 20 students from one class bubble at a time. The winning schools will be judged by a panel of experts from the Royal Air Force and the Aerospace Industry.

The STAAR programme is fully funded (including travel, food and accommodation for the residential phase) by Northrop Grumman and is delivered in partnership with the RAF Museum and Tablet Academy, with the generous support of RAF Cosford and the RAF Youth and STEM Engagement Team.

For more information on the STAAR programme visit www.rafmuseum.org/STAAR.

IWM Duxford is thrilled to announce that, from Wednesday 19 May, the museum will fully reopen to the public with all hangars and indoor exhibitions open to visitors. Tickets have also been released today for the first three Flying Days which will be taking place from May through to the autumn. A new addition to the IWM Duxford calendar, Flying Days are themed events guaranteeing fantastic flying displays over the airfield and entertaining activities on the ground.

In line with the latest government guidance, IWM Duxford is delighted to be able to welcome visitors back on site to experience all areas of the museum from Wednesday 19 May. Step into the former Second World War nerve centre of RAF Duxford in the Ops Block: Battle of Britain exhibition, which opened to the public last September, or explore original aircraft and intriguing collection items in the newly Grade II* listed American Air Museum. General admission tickets can be purchased via the website and must be booked in advance.

Having been recently selected by the British Air Display Association (BADA) to receive a trophy for its Showcase events in 2020, the IWM Duxford Air Show team is pleased to announce that tickets for its first events of the flying season are available to purchase from today at https://www.iwm.org.uk/airshows. The first three of the newly introduced Flying Days will be:

• Standing Together, Saturday 22 May – following Mental Health Awareness week, the first Flying Day of the season will feature ground content focusing on educating and informing people about issues relating to mental health. This will include volunteer talks about the importance of promoting good mental health within the armed forces, both historically and in the present day.
• Celebrating D-Day, Sunday 6 June – vintage ground activities and living history groups will bring the 1940s to life with the chance for visitors to learn more about this remarkable Second World War seaborne invasion. Watch as vintage aircraft, including Spitfires and Thunderbolts, take to the skies over this former RAF base.
• Thank You Dads, Sunday 20 June – fathers and father figures will be celebrated at this themed Flying Day, complete with crazy golf and displays of contemporary, vintage and military aircraft.

Tickets for the remainder of IWM Duxford’s Flying Days will be released in the coming weeks. Please refer to the website for the most up to date information (please note that IWM Members can attend these events free of charge).

IWM Air Show Event Manager, Phil Hood, said “Following 2020’s cancellations we have been working extremely hard behind the scenes to organise an array of events at IWM Duxford which are adaptable to the ever-evolving situation. We are delighted to introduce our new series of Flying Days which will kick off in May and continue right through to the autumn, each one of which has been themed to ensure no two events are the same. We also can’t wait to unveil the plans for our two summer Air Shows which, although they may feel slightly different to the norm, will entail hours of incredible entertainment in the skies.”

IWM Duxford’s two Air Show weekends are scheduled to go ahead with Duxford Summer Air Show taking place from 24-25 July and the Battle of Britain Air Show from 18-19 September. More details and tickets for these events will be released shortly. For the most up to date information on the reopening of IWM branches and details on tickets and flying content for our events please visit the website or sign up for our enews.

For full details of all the health and safety measures in place on site please refer to our website and FAQs.
Prices: Adult £28.50, Child £14.25, Concessions £22.

With the collapse of Handley Page Aircraft Ltd in 1970, Terravia Ltd/Jetstream Aircraft Ltd formed at Sywell and purchased 21 incomplete Jetstream MK1 airframes. They were then roaded from Radlett to Sywell. Several aircraft were completed before production moved to Leavesden under the auspices of Scottish Aviation. All remained in primer. The aircraft type was a major success following the acquisition of SA by British Aerospace and was further developed over the next 30 years from the Series 200 on to the Jetstream 31, 32 and 41. Many remain in service.

HANDLEY PAGE HP.137 JETSTREAM 200 MK1 G-RAVL SERIAL NUMBER 208

First flew on 17/4/1969. Registered as N1035S – To Cal State Airlines – C.1970– Purchased back by Jetstream Ltd Parent company Terravia Ltd and moved to Sywell as their demonstrator.

In 1971 she became the Jetstream Ltd demonstrator aircraft based at Sywell and participated in Daily Express National Air Race On 12th June 1971 between Biggin Hill and Sywell – and won! Flight Magazine noted:

“The Jetstream Mkl flown by Capt Bill Bright, streaked dramatically past the finishing line like a hunted fox” The trophy was presented by Douglas Bader.

On 22nd February 1974 she was re-registered as G-AWVK to Racal Decca Navigator Ltd as sales demonstrator and test bed then sold to Cranfield University in July 1990 and registered as G-RAVL.

She was retired in 2000 and was used as part of the University’s Aircraft Crash Investigation Course until recently. With the retirement of their current Jetstream G-NFLA her future was uncertain and she lay abandoned at the end of the runway at Cranfield.

Contact was made by Sywell Aviation Museum in late 2018 and the University very kindly agreed to donate her to the Museum for use as a classroom. The University has a long history of helping redundant airframes into preservation and their donation means that she can be used as a teaching aid again.

The Museum believes G-RAVL – now known as Jenny the Jetstream to be the third oldest Jetstream in existence and only a couple of serial numbers off the famous Apollo Airways Jetstream used in the opening sequence of the Bond movie – Moonraker….hence the name of the plan!

The project took 2 years to come to fruition. Handley Page clearly never intended for their work to be taken apart and Jetstream wing spars are notoriously difficult to access and work on. Extensive depanelling took place and then, without warning we were devastated to learn she had been broken into and items stolen including instruments, windows and even the pilot’s seat cushions!

Then COVID hit effectively putting the whole project on hold. Work carried on sporadically during 2020, with her tailplane and elevator, wing control surfaces and propellers being removed for transport.

So what are our plans? Well the Museum has taken over 16000 young people round the aerodrome over the last 20 years and we need a classroom! We have never before been able to put children INSIDE an aeroplane and the Jetstream will be perfect for that – she is even equipped with Airstairs.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

On the morning of the 23rd March 2021 the aircraft wings were removed and she was transported back to Sywell, where she last visited in the 1970s, and is in the process of being reassembled.

When fitted out inside and repainted she will wear a refreshed colour scheme of G-RAVL on one side with Cranfield titles and G-AWVK on the other with Racal Decca titles. She will be a much valued asset to the Museum and will improve what we can offer our visitors – especially our younger ones- AND we have saved a piece of British aviation heritage which otherwise would have gone for scrap (and was at genuine risk of doing so!)

So what’s next? We need the following to begin to restore her:

Jetstream passenger seats, Jetstream interior panels Jetstream fuselage windows

We are looking for someone or a company to help trim her out inside since as part of her use as a training aid her interior aft of the cockpit has been stripped out. If you can help with retrimming and fitting out her interior we can proudly put your logo on her fin!
And we need your support – moving her was the biggest project the Museum has ever undertaken – if you would like to donate please contact us or we welcome your Paypal donations to sywellaviationmuseum@gmail.com

The Museum has been hit hard by COVID and plans to reopen on the 12th June 2021 and will then reopen each weekend and bank holiday between 1030-1630hrs and Tuesday and Wednesday between 1200-1600hrs until the end of September.

Before that the Museum has a book and model sale on the 22nd May 2021 between 1000-1600 and we welcome your donation of model kits and accessories to sell to raise funds.

With sincere thanks to The University of Cranfield, , Dave Thomas and all at Sywell Aerodrome

www.sywellaviationmuseum.org.uk

A brand new UKTV Original Series dedicated to Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, is due to hit screens on Tuesday 30th March on Yesterday channel.

Narrated by Sanjeev Bhaskar, Secrets of the Transport Museum is a 10-part series set at the world-renowned Brooklands Museum. It is the first time in the Museum’s 30-year history that cameras have been allowed to film so much behind the scenes. The series follows the dedicated band of staff and volunteers who devote their time, skills and passion to maintaining the collection and preserving the site’s incredible legacies.

Brooklands Museum is home to some of the most important stories of motorsport and aviation history in the world. From the first ever purpose?built racing circuit and the cars that broke land?speed records on it, to an extraordinary collection of aircraft spanning over 100 years of aeronautical innovation ? Brooklands has it all.

Originally established in 1907, when the Lock King’s built the race track, the site quickly became a mecca for innovators and everyday people who wanted to race a car, fly a plane, or simply get caught up in the thrill of watching something so new and adventurous. Men and women flocked from across the globe to experience the revolution in motorsport and aviation, and Brooklands gave opportunities of mass employment to the local people of Weybridge and neighbouring towns.

Tamalie Newbery, Brooklands Museum Director & CEO said:
“At Brooklands Museum we tell the stories of pioneering men and women, who risked it all in pursuit of their dreams of speed and flight in the 20th century. Brooklands was a place which fuelled innovation and it had a huge influence on today’s motorsport and aviation industries. I’m delighted the TV series is going to give more people the chance to find out about this inspiring place, and how we care for it today.”

Viewers can expect to see a myriad of historic racing cars, vintage London buses, Edwardian planes and even Concorde. In one episode, Billy Monger gives a driving lesson to a fellow double amputee, and in another, the team recreate the Dam Buster bouncing bomb catapult, in honour of inventor Barnes Wallis’ daughter, who turns up for the occasion.

At a time when motor racing was almost exclusively a male sport, we are introduced to the infamous Belles of Brooklands; a group of pioneering women who raced on level terms with men in the 1920s. The V12 Delage was once the car of choice of Kay Petre, and now the car has returned 100 years later, to be driven by a modern-day racing driver, Abbie Eaton.

The new series airs at 8pm on Tuesday 30th March on Yesterday channel and will also be available on catch?up on UKTV Play.

www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Providing that government plans do not change before the summer, we are planning to re-open our Heritage Centre on 6 days this year from June to November taking into account all the safety measures required.

The Heritage Centre at Bircham Newton has a unique collection of memorabilia from the former Royal Air Force station’s past service, which spanned more than 44 years, including two world wars and the Cold War. On display are photographs and personal memories of servicemen who served there and other related items from its fascinating history. The Centre is manned and run entirely by volunteers, many of whom are ex-servicemen or children of service personnel. Close by there are two stone memorials to remember those who served at Bircham Newton and its main satellite airfield near Docking.

Sunday, 27th of June
Sunday, 25th of July
Sunday, 29th of August
Sunday, 26th of September
Sunday, 31st of October
Sunday, 14th of November (Remembrance Sunday)
Opening times are from 10am to 4pm

Disabled access & toilets will be available, and car parking and entrance will be free.

www.rafbnmp.org.uk

The spectacular Midlands Air Festival has announced a further wave of display aircraft that will be flying high at the festival as it gets set to return to its original location of Ragley Hall in Warwickshire on 4 – 6 June 2021.

Taking to the skies at the festival will be Team Raven, acclaimed aerobatics pilot Chris Jesson in his classic Stampe Bi Plane, the world-famous gyro pilot Peter Davies and the festival’s first ever airship appearance. In addition, organisers have already secured the mighty B-17 bomber and Rich Goodwin in his radical high powered Muscle Biplane to feature in the exhilarating programme of air displays.

The news follows confirmation from the organisers that they plan to soar ahead with the event, following the Government’s announcement on plans for lifting lockdown. As a large outdoor event, the festival will be following relevant government regulations and will be adopting all social distancing guidelines, with plenty of space for families to enjoy the jam-packed programme.

First to join the aircraft line-up will be Team Raven with their five-man formation display team that was first formed in May 2014. Simon, Steve, Barry, Gerald and Mark aka The Ravens have known each other for many years and have flown their signature Vans RV aircraft at countless air shows and displays throughout the country. The big sky display of precision aerobatics features very close formations with their wingtips just a few feet apart. The team name ‘Raven’ comes from a play on the letters ‘RV’ which you can see on the crest on the sides of the aircraft fuselages.

Adding to the aerobatic line up, pilot Chris Jesson will put his classic Stampe Bi Plane through a routine that ranges from aerial ballet to high energy manoeuvres. Chris started his flying career in the long-gone Dan-Air airline before completing his commercial service for easyJet. The Stampe, (pronounced Stomp) was a sophisticated aircraft in its day, featuring brakes, a tail wheel and ailerons on both sets of wings, things that were unusual for a light aircraft of the time.

The world-famous gyro display pilot Peter Davies will be taking to the skies in the futuristic Calidus Gyroplane. Flying for over 32 years, Peter is a highly experienced pilot who has been displaying with the Gyroplane for 22 years. Whilst the Gyroplane looks like a mini helicopter, it works in a more unusual way as the main rotor is not connected to the engine. The display is sure to be a crowd pleaser as Peter swoops the Gyroplane through the skies.

Finally, for something completely different, the festival has also confirmed its first appearance of an airship. Chris Sanger-Davies will pilot his 110,000cuft Lindstrand Airship at speeds of up to 15 knots. Whilst not the fastest aircraft attending the festival, it is certainly one of the most rare and interesting.

Trevor Graham, director of aviation for the festival commented: “These first displays are just an early taste of the aircraft we are planning to have in our daily flying programmes, many more exciting and unusual aircraft will be added to our growing list in the coming weeks. The display programme is being designed to appeal to aviation enthusiasts, families looking for a well-earned day out of excitement or those who just want to sit, relax and watch the show in the wide-open spaces of the historic Ragley Hall Estate.”

As well as a spectacular afternoon of air displays, the event will feature over 120 hot air balloons that will be rising high in the twice-daily hot air balloon mass ascents at dawn and late afternoon, along with exciting radio-controlled aircraft displays, large character kites and parachute teams.

The ticketed event will also feature the largest display of special shape character hot air balloons in Europe, with up to 40 of these amazing giants registered to attend. New special shapes that have been confirmed for the event include Wes the Wolf, the Cornetto Ice Cream, the giant Saucepan, and Buddy the smiling friend.

Mark Lockwood, spokesperson for the Midlands Air Festival, commented: “The programme for this year’s event is shaping up to be our best yet. It is set to be a brilliant family day out and we are really hoping to be a light at the end of a very long tunnel and give everyone something to really look forward to. Since the inaugural event in 2018, our Festival has proved to be hugely popular with both the Midlands audience and visitors from all over the UK.”

Local businesses are being encouraged to get in touch with the festival for bespoke sponsorship partnerships.

Tickets are now available from the Midlands Air Festival website with a special offer that ends on 31 March. Children under 14 can attend for free, when accompanied by an adult ticket holder. Tickets for this event must be purchased in advance and will be limited to allow for capacity restrictions and government regulations pertaining at the time of the event. Organisers are advising those wishing to attend to book their tickets early, in the event that the festival sells out.

There will be many more exciting additions and announcements about the events programme in the coming months, so to keep up to date with the latest news and information visit the Midlands Air Festival website www.midlandsairfestival.com

Date: Register online now, complete your Challenge by 17 May 2021
Cost: £20 per person / £17 Armed Forces Personnel
RAF Rugby 7’s: 24-hour Challenge, 21 May 2021, RAF Museum Cosford to Derwent Reservoir, Derbyshire

On 9 January the Royal Air Force Museum launched the Lancaster Challenge, a virtual event where participants could choose whether to complete 80K, 150K, or 500K in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the Lancaster. Showing their support for the Museum, members of the RAF Rugby 7’s team will be taking the challenge to new heights when they attempt to complete more than 500K in just 24 hours!

Since the Challenge launched in January, more than 4,700 participants from around the world have used the Lancaster Challenge as motivation to keep them moving during lockdown. There is still time to register and reach your chosen distance, before the challenge closes on 17 May, the anniversary of the Lancaster’s famous Operation Chastise, better known as the Dambusters Raid, and then get your hands on the bespoke Lancaster Challenge medal.

RAF personnel stationed across the UK and overseas, are showing their support for the Museum’s virtual event by taking part, none more so than the RAF Rugby 7’s. While the majority of the team members are already clocking up the kilometres, walking, running and cycling their way through the start of 2021, on Friday 21 May two teams of RAF Rugby 7’s players will undertake the mammoth task of competing day and night, by foot or in the saddle, to complete their 500K Challenge in just 24 hours.

This huge fundraising effort to help keep the RAF Museum ‘flying’, will be run in line with the latest government guidelines. A cycling team will set off from RAF Museum Cosford in Shropshire, cycling the 135km route to the Derwent Reservoir, Derbyshire, where they will join the running team completing relay laps of the reservoir, and together they will continue for the remaining hours of the challenge. The reservoir is significant for the Lancaster having been selected by the RAF’s celebrated 617 Squadron to perform low-level practice sorties in Lancaster’s, in preparation for Operation Chastise and the use of their ‘bouncing bombs’.

Find out more about the RAF Rugby 7 members taking part in this extraordinary take on the Lancaster Challenge and how you can support them at www.rafmuseum.org.

RAF Museum Individual Giving Manager, Abi Betteridge said:
“We are delighted to have the RAF Rugby 7’s team supporting the challenge in this rather unique way, and we look forward to cheering them on as they set of from Cosford in May. The team are not only working hard training in preparation for the Challenge, they are also working hard to fundraise. The impact of the pandemic and closure of our two Museums has been immense. We estimate that the crisis has reduced our total self-generated income by over £3M and this figure continues to grow whilst we continue to be closed to the public.

Sponsorship from the RAF Rugby 7’s and more than 250 individual Lancaster Challenge fundraisers will enable the RAF Museum, as a registered charity, to continue to share the stories of the crews who showed incredible bravery flying missions for Bomber Command, and the wider RAF story, to engage, inspire and encourage future learning. So far, in addition to entry fee’s, we have raised over £29,000 plus £5,000 in Gift Aid, we had originally set a target of £30,000, so we are well on our way to exceeding this. Anyone wanting to support the Rugby 7’s can do so by visiting their JustGiving page.”

If you are looking for some inspiration to get outdoors and get moving now Spring is on its way, it’s not too late to sign up. As a virtual event, the Lancaster Challenge can be completed anywhere, anytime, to fit in with your daily routine either individually, or with members of your household bubble. To join the 4,700 Challenge participants go to www.rafmuseum.org, simply choose whether to complete 80K, 150K or 500K, record your distance on the downloadable log sheet and once the Challenge closes on 17 May you will be rewarded with an exclusive, Lancaster Challenge medal!

Participants can stay connected, meet other Challengers and share their progress as they complete the Challenge by joining the RAF Museum Virtual Running Group on Facebook. When sharing updates on social media, Tag @rafmuseum in your photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or with #LancasterChallenge2021.

Limited edition Lancaster Challenge T-shirts are also available to purchase when registering online. The souvenir T-shirts cost £14.00 and will be delivered with your medal following the end of the challenge. Sizes range from small to XX Large. Or why not join the Museum’s growing team of fundraisers, pledge to raise £80 for the RAF Museum and receive your souvenir Lancaster Challenge t-shirt for free. Select the sponsorship option when signing up online and the Museum’s fundraising team will be in touch with some handy tips to kick start your fundraising.

To register for the Lancaster Challenge visit www.rafmuseum.org. Entry costs £20 per person, or £17 for Armed Forces Personnel, all proceeds will go towards supporting the RAF Museum (registered charity number 244708), additional booking and postage charges apply for overseas participants.