SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT – Direct from the UK – DEC. 14, 2023 Major Donation from the RAF Museum to the Bomber Command Museum of Canada ”Halifax Project”

As your Curator and Halifax Project Manager we are searching worldwide to recover and restore a Halifax heavy bomber for our national memorial museum, BCMC, in Nanton, Alberta.

It is my pleasure to now announce a great donation by the Royal Air Force Museum – a right-hand Hastings outer wing panel – which is the same design as the Halifax outer wing panels except for the aileron attachment points.

After weeks and months of negotiations between BCMC and the RAF Museum – handled in the main by Harry Raffal – Head of Collections and myself as Halifax Project Manager, this ”new” wing section is a great donation to our project and a BIG leap forward in our progress.

Time constraints were tight just before Christmas but thanks to Harry and his team today we were able to bring this wing out of long-term storage at Cosford and transport it to Thirsk, Yorkshire – all thanks to our crane team and our sponsoring transport company ”POTTER PLANT HIRE” and president Giles.

How do you extract a 25 foot wing weighing 1,900 pounds from a big RAF storage hangar, —- with expert help and very carefully. Well done lads.
Today was that exciting day as we lifted – loaded – transported this SECOND 25 foot wing for our Halifax Project from RAF Museum Midlands in Cosford to the storage facility of Patrick Smart at Maddison 4X4 in Thirsk, UK.

At Patrick’s shop we will build the steel shipping cradle needed to hold this RIGHT wing, as the LEFT wing is already prepared in its cradle.

WHY the steel cradles for BOTH of these wings — over 50 feet of outer wing for our Halifax — because the RCAF will be airlifting these 2 wing panels direct from the UK to RCAF TRENTON, Ontario in the weeks ahead.

From there the wings will be going to our Halifax rebuildshop in Arnprior, Ontario – see the Facebook page called ”REBUILDSHOP” to see all of our Halifax rebuild magic performed by KNOX TECH — https://www.facebook.com/rebuildshopKT

See the photos and video of working on this little darling addition today, coming to Canada soon.
Our sincere thanks again to the RAF Museum and their great team for donating this treasure to us for the Halifax.

This is a great example of museums helping museums while sharing and saving our aviation history together.
regards, Karl – Curator

www.rafmuseum.org

We promised you a special announcement this month, and here it is…

We’re pleased to announce our first confirmed aircraft for RIAT 2024, in the shape of the McDonnell Douglas CF-188A Hornet from the Royal Canadian Air Force!

The display will be part of our celebrations of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Centennial at RIAT 2024. This will also include a themed static display area on the showground itself.

Regular weekly announcements won’t start up properly until next year, but you can check out more on our Canadian Centennial theme on our website here.

Be sure to secure your place at this year’s show, treat yourself and the family this Christmas with some tickets to RIAT.

www.airtattoo.com/tickets-packages

Packed full of firm favourites and some brand-new events, Brooklands Museum’s programme is set to provide many memorable days out throughout the year for all ages.

Our ever-popular New Year’s Day Classic Gathering kick-starts the season, the first of three Classic Gatherings in 2024. The second is the recently established Easter Classic Gathering on 30 March and later the Summer Classic Gathering & Autojumble on 28 July, where enthusiasts can grab a bargain amongst the large array of trade stands.

Vintage and veteran motoring fans will be able to enjoy watching competitors tackle complicated courses in the Vintage Sports-Car Club’s annual Driving Tests taking place on 28 January. Later, the Brooklands’ Double 12 weekend will see the Mercedes-Benz World track packed with action on 15 June, and then step back in time to Brooklands’ hey-day, with Brooklands Double 12 Relived on 16 June. Featuring Driving Tests on the Finishing Straight, Pride of Brooklands Concours and Test Hill ascents, alongside vintage themed music, costume and food, the spirit of Brooklands will be well and truly reignited.

There will also be plenty of celebration events this year including the Brooklands Sunbeam 100 on 17 March, to celebrate the centenary of the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club, where all pre 1940s motorcycles will be welcomed to join in the spectacle. 60 Years of Ford Mustang will be held on 20 April which would also welcome all American vehicles and the MG Centenary will be on 19 May.

As always, Brooklands Museum will be celebrating the best of manufacturing from around the world as it hosts event days for specific nation’s marques with key favourites Italian Car Day on 4 May and American Day on 1 September. Following successful events last year French Day will be returning on 11 August and German Day will be on 29 September. See the site filled with amazing marques, complimented with busy trade and food stands along with entertainment to make for a fun day out with friends and families alike.

Our younger fans will be in for a treat with Paddington Bear making special guest appearances at Best of British on 27 May, which will combine the best of British manufacturing alongside traditional British family entertainment. Following Working Vehicles Day’s inaugural event last year, where the site was filled with working machines such as tractors, mobile cranes, airfield vehicles and more, the beloved children’s character Bluey will be joining us for special guest appearances on 20 July. And not forgetting the yearly favourite Emergency Services Day on 15 September, giving everyone a chance to thank the everyday heroes of our country, with PAW Patrol’s Skye, Chase and Marshall coming back to say hello.

All the usual favourites including Mini Day on 24 March, Motorcycle Day on 7 July and Autumn Motorsport Day 13 October are in the diary alongside London Bus Museum’s three popular events – Spring Gathering, 14 April, Summer Festival, 23 June and Transportfest, 20 October.

Explore the full calendar to see all the other events that will be taking place including fly ins, talks and club meets, and enjoy all the fun activities on offer during the school holidays for families to enjoy.

Furthermore, we are excited to announce we are reducing our child ticket in the New Year to under £10 when booked in advance. Or there’s our amazing value membership where you can enjoy unlimited admission all year round including our large list of events. Plus, there are a range of benefits including a bi-monthly magazine and discounts on member talks to name a few, and as a registered charity and protected heritage site, a Brooklands membership goes a long way in helping preserve the original home of British motorsport and aviation.

Plan your 2024 calendar and fill it with fantastic memories at Brooklands.

www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Following several recent bequests and donations of aviation books the Newark Air Museum has decided to host a special Autumn Aviation Book Sale on Saturday 16th December 2023 from 10.30am until 2.30pm in the Volunteer Crewroom at the main museum site.

The museum regularly receives offers of donations; however, that lack of appropriate storage space means that not all ‘donations’ can be automatically accepted. When they are accepted, it is on the basis that books that duplicate anything already held in the collection can be sold to raise funds, with the item that is in a better condition being the one that is retained.

There are over 200 books that will be available for sale and these have all been accepted on the conditions mentioned above. ALL items will be sold as seen and the museum is unable to arrange for any mail order despatch of these items, or provide detailed lists of what is available. Cash sales are preferred for this Pre-Owned Aviation Book Sale.

There will be no admission fee due for people just wanting to view and purchase books. Normal museum admission fees will need to be paid for anyone wishing to view our displays, and visit the café. There are toilet facilities in the Volunteer Crewroom and shoppers are welcome to visit the Museum Shop on the usual basis.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Hurry up… not long left to grab 15% off enclosures ?

On the 2nd January ’24, our 15% discount offers will end on ALL enclosures.

Aviation Club – already SOLD OUT Saturday
First Class Lounge also SOLD OUT Saturday and Sunday fast on its heels
Cotswold Club – almost gone ?

Why not secure a bird’s eye view of aircraft taking off, whilst relaxing in a vibrant atmosphere in one of our grandstands? Or enjoy the café style ambiance of our newest enclosure ‘The Wingtip Garden’.

RIAT24 will return on 19th, 20th and 21st July. For more information on our hospitality packages click here. See you at RIAT 24.

After four months the scaffolding has now been removed from the nose and forward fuselage of Avro Shackleton WR977 at Newark Air Museum (NAM).

The bespoke scaffolding system was installed to allow teams of museum volunteers to work on this significant restoration and repainting project in safe conditions.

This work has included:
– replacement and re-sealing of the main cockpit glazing
– in-depth cleaning and lichen removal on the upper fuselage surface
– re-sealing the upper escape hatch just behind the cockpit
– conservation of, and the painting of this area of the aircraft

During the work period, WR977 remained open as part of the museum’s open cockpit offer. The modest contributions for accessing this iconic aircraft contributed towards the cost of scaffolding hire, materials and paint/chemicals. The museum is also thankful to those who contributed to its Just Giving Campaign, which is now closed.

In future further restoration work will be undertaken on the remainder of the airframe. A scheme will also be evaluated to raise the aircraft nose wheels from their current position. This will involve the analysis of data from the jacking pads that were constructed underneath the aircraft and the refurbished jacks to be installed under both wings of the aircraft.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Our third theme focus:

Join us in celebrating 75 years of NATO at RIAT

Since it was established in the early 1970s, the Air Tattoo has been committed to demonstrating the importance of the NATO Alliance. The role of NATO has been to safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries.

NATO TOP FACTS

• First formed on the 4th April 1949
• First original 12 members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom and United States
• The latest country to join is Finland which joined on the 4th April 2023
• The only military equipment that NATO owns is a fleet of AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control) surveillance aircraft and several Global Hawk drones

In the run-up, stay tuned to our socials and emails for updates on all NATO aircraft that will attend the show. There may be a few unique announcements down the line, so keep your eyes on this space!

Next month we plan to have another special announcement ready, but you will have to wait until then to find out…

www.airtattoo.com/tickets-packages

Did you know that next year will mark 100 year of British military test flights? We want to celebrate the pioneers of aviation at RIAT24 and everything they learnt over the last century.

After all, we would never have made it to space, without those early trailblazers. Who knows what the next generation of test pilots will achieve. Space is the limit…

At RIAT24

Experience specialised, modified and instrumented test flight aircraft from around the world dedicated to flight test, evaluation and scientific research.

RIAT aims to be a hub for the future of air & space, showcasing the aviation industry’s ground-breaking advancements both on the ground in our Techno Zone as well as in the skies.

Secure your place at RIAT24 by getting your tickets now:

www.airtattoo.com/tickets-packages

The RAF Cosford Air Show will return on Sunday 9th June 2024.

A capacity crowd of 55,000 people attended the Air Show in 2023 and organisers are promising the same excitement in the air and on the ground for 2024.

This year’s theme is ‘Take Flight.’ Kickstart your interest in a career in the RAF, and develop an understanding of what the Service does for the defence of the United Kingdom; Get close to the cutting edge of technology with RAF aircraft & unique attractions across the showground; And immerse yourself in a thrilling, action-packed flying display programme.

RAF Cosford Air Show Chair, Wing Commander Justin Blackie, said: ‘I am delighted that we can announce the return of the air show today. It’s a highlight of the air show calendar and an important event for the Royal Air Force and aviation in general.

‘The air show remains a great way for us to engage with the public, to showcase the Royal Air Force’s capabilities and to celebrate the Service’s history while looking forward to the next generation of its people and technology. I am very much looking forward to the event and I hope to see returning enthusiasts, but also many new faces, it’s a great family day out.’

Organisers are already talking to colleagues from across Defence, partners from other nations’ air forces and members of the wider private aviation community to see what aircraft are available to display on the Shropshire base.

For the 2024 Air Show, Standard Adult Tickets are on sale for £40 with Under-16s still entering the air show for free, when accompanied by a paying adult. This year, organisers have introduced a new scheme to freeze a limited number of tickets at last year’s price.

Marilyn Summers, the Air Show’s Commercial Director said: ‘We know how important it is to keep the Air Show going for future generations. Over the last few years, prices have gone up across the board and we’ve felt the pinch in everything from aviation fuel to toilet hire. We have absorbed all rising costs since 2019, but this year we’ve had to increase ticket prices to ensure we can continue to bring you an amazing show year after year.

‘We’re committed to making the Air Show as affordable as possible for everyone, which is why we’ve frozen a limited quantity of tickets at last year’s price, to give families a great opportunity to buy tickets for only £34, saving 15% on the standard ticket price.’

Tickets for the RAF Cosford Air Show go on sale at 10am on Friday 17th November 2023 and can be purchased at www.CosfordAirShow.co.uk

Just under four years ago, in January 2020, the proposed transfer of Eurofighter Typhoon DA4 (ZH590) from the Imperial War Museums (IWM) to the Newark Air Museum (NAM) was put on hold. Information is now available about that transfer and sadly, the disappointing news is not what the NAM trustees, volunteers and staff have worked long and hard for.

We anticipate that a joint Press Statement from IWM and the RAF will be released that explains the situation, we will share this with everyone when it is available. Apart from thanking the staff at IWM Duxford for their support throughout the project to transfer DA4 to Newark; at this time the NAM trustees do not wish to make any further statement about the complex and at times baffling situation.

That said, the trustees are mindful that a number of people have made financial contributions towards the costs associated with planned move of DA4 to our site here in eastern Nottinghamshire.

Whilst all of the funds raised were used towards the cost of laying an additional hardstanding area behind the museum café that would have allowed for the safe reconstruction of DA4, the NAM trustees appreciate that some people may not feel that their donations from the original fund raising appeal were used as intended.

Anyone who wishes to seek the repayment of their donation is asked to make contact with the museum via this EMAIL link and provide details of their contribution.

www.newarkairmuseum.org