Date: Sunday 12 November
Time: 10.30am arrival / 10.45am service commences
Cost: FREE (pre-booking required)

The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands will hold a Service of Remembrance on Sunday 12 November, paying respect to members of the armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice during their tours of duty.

Visitors are invited to join the service, led by RAF Cosford Senior Station Chaplain Craig Lancaster, and reflect on the sacrifices made by service personnel. A marching contingent from No 1 Radio School, RAF Cosford will begin the proceedings, the service will include readings, hymns and the sounding of ‘The Last Post’, followed by a two minute silence.

Those attending will enjoy hymns throughout the service courtesy of the Cosford Military Wives Choir, and poems read aloud by local children. Wreaths will be laid by representatives from the Museum, RAF Cosford, and the Cosford Military Wives Choir, in honour of those who have fallen in the line of duty.

The Remembrance Service will take place in the Museum’s Hangar 1 against a backdrop of aircraft, and free tickets for up to 450 guests are available to book in advance at rafmuseum.org/midlands. Access without a ticket may not be possible. Visitors are politely requested to assemble no later than 10.30am ready for the Service to commence at 10.45am. Visitors are also encouraged to take time to explore the Museum at their own leisure after the service.

The Museum is open daily from 10.00am and admission is free. Discover more about the Museum and pre-book your arrival time online at www.rafmuseum.org.

We’re not just a world-class celebration of aviation, but also a charitable enterprise with a mission to inspire the next generation of air, space and STEM pioneers.

• Over the last 10 years RIAT has gifted over £6.5M in donations to our parent charity, The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust (RAFCT)

• In the last year RAFCT has created meaningful experiences in STEM and aviation for 120,000 young people

• By 2026 RAFCT will increase this to 500,000 by partnering with specialist STEM organisations and creating new, innovative projects and competitions

• RAFCT’s Road to RIAT schools STEM competition continues to grow, 400 schools nationwide will take part in the coming year, with the winners enjoying a special final stage at RIAT 24!

The proceeds from ticket sales and all your generous donations directly contribute to helping dreams become a reality, through our parent company, The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust (RAFCT).

www.airtattoo.com/tickets-packages/

Sywell Aviation Museum’s second airframe, Handley Page Jetstream 200 G-RAVL has recently achieved a couple of milestones since its arrival at the Northamptonshire aerodrome in March 2021.

Most of the work has been internal and includes replacement of missing cockpit instruments (with special thanks to the Trenchard Museum at Halton) to the point where it is complete and a new set of passenger windows fitted. In addition, the control runs have been worked through and the repainted and refurbished tailplane and elevators reinstalled on the airframe. Further work will involve aileron and flap controls before the surfaces can be installed then attention will turn to the passenger cabin before a complete external repaint. One side will see her in fresh new paint in the Cranfield College of Aeronautics scheme she currently wears whereas the other will see her adopt her former RACAL Decca livery and G-AWVK registration.

All this work has been funded by donations as the Museum does not charge an entry fee. The majority of which was raised at the Museum’s popular book and model sale held in March this year.

Again the Museum is making an appeal for the donation of aviation books, and especially model kits and accessories, diecast models etc to enable another sale to take place in the new year. Kind donors can see where the money raised goes and the progress that has been made directly due to their generosity.

If you are able to donate any items to the Museum please contact sywellaviationmuseum@gmail.com or call 07968061708 – collection can be arranged.

www.sywellaviationmuseum.org.uk

RAF Museum Midlands Volunteer Roy Martin has been honoured in HM The King’s Birthday Honours List 2023 and presented with his MBE by HRH The Prince of Wales in a ceremony held at Windsor Castle.

The long-serving volunteer was given the honour at a formal investiture ceremony on Tuesday 4 October, where he received his insignia, in the presence of his wife and two sons.

The King’s Birthday Honours mark the extraordinary contributions of people across the UK, for their outstanding achievement or service to the community which has had a long-term, significant impact. Colleagues at the RAF Museum are delighted to see Roy awarded an MBE for his services and commitment to the heritage sector, and this award is a celebration of his decades of volunteering.

Roy first volunteered at the Museum 50 years ago as Curator. After four years he returned to his engineering roots, overseeing the engineering volunteer team who support the Museum’s Technicians and Apprentices to maintain the aircraft and keep them looking their best. Prior to joining the Museum, Roy served in the RAF for 22 years as Chief Technician, including nine years at RAF Cosford.

On receiving his MBE, RAF Museum Volunteer, Roy Martin said:
‘I was over the moon when I received my letter from Buckingham Palace back in June, informing me I was on The King’s Birthday Honours List. It was a long but exciting wait until October when I was invited to Windsor Castle to receive my medal, accompanied by my wife and our two sons.

It wasn’t until we arrived at the Castle that we were told The Prince of Wales would be awarding my medal at the investiture ceremony. This seemed special, with me being Welsh, and his association with the RAF. He was dressed in his RAF uniform which I thought was very appropriate for the background to my award. He mentioned my 50 years work at the RAF Museum and that he had visited the Museum several times. It was a very sociable, relaxed and enjoyable few moments that I will never forget.

After the ceremony we strolled through the grounds and took lots of family photos. Bits of the day keep coming back in my thoughts – I will never forget what a wonderful experience we had.’

On his time volunteering at the RAF Museum, Roy added:
‘Being involved in the evolution of the RAF Museum over the past 50 years has been an amazing experience. I find it very rewarding when I see the public admiring the exhibit condition maintained by my group of volunteers.’

RAF Museum CEO, Maggie Appleton said:
‘The whole Museum team is absolutely thrilled for Roy. He is a brilliant engineer and problem-solver and, even more important, he supports all of us with his warmth and generosity of spirit. We are so fortunate at the Museum to be blessed with brilliant volunteers, and Roy’s award is a very fitting and much deserved tribute.’

The RAF Museum is open daily from 10.00am and entry is free. For more information visit www.rafmuseum.org/midlands.

The Royal International Air Tattoo will take place on the 19th, 20th and 21st July 2024 and we’re announcing new aircraft themes to fire you up for the next aviation extravaganza.

RIAT24 marks the 50th Anniversary of the F-16 Fighting Falcon’s first flight and RIAT will host a global celebration of this impressive combat jet. Join us to see a fantastic static line-up of Fighting Falcons from around the world as well as spectacular F-16 flying displays.

In addition, our operational theme will be Pushing the Boundaries in Air and Space, where we will be highlighting the important work of flight test and evaluation in modern aviation, with aircraft and organisations from around the world, showcasing their latest technological developments.

So, don’t miss out, get your tickets now. Saturday early bird & Friday & Sunday super early bird, still available.

www.airtattoo.com/tickets-packages/

Our Saturday general admission ticket will increase to the early bird price on Monday, 2nd October.

RIAT24 will return on 19th, 20th and 21st July and will celebrate 50 years of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. We’d love to see you all there.

Hurry now and buy your tickets by the end of this week!

https://www.airtattoo.com/tickets-packages/

The date for Newark Air Museum’s Autumn Day-Night Photo Shoot event has been set for Saturday October 28, 2023.

Spaces are still available and booking forms can be downloaded from the museum’s website by following the advice on this page of the museum website: http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/Museum-Events

Night-photo shoot activities will formally commence after the museum closes to the public at 1700 hours; however anyone signing up for the event will be eligible to arrive at the museum from 1000 hours onwards on October 28th so that they can enjoy a whole day taking pictures around the museum site.

The event will feature themed ground equipment; uniformed personnel; and illuminated aircraft; alongside the following museum aircraft: MiG-27; T-33; Meteor NF.14; Lightning T.5; Jaguar T.2A; Canberra T.19; Wessex; Vulcan.

Admission cost for Day-Night Photo Shoot event is £40 per person and places will be limited to 50 people. Various payment options are detailed on the booking form, or you can call in at the museum in person; or by telephoning 01636 707170.

Aviation Photography Workshop
(Beginners)

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/whats-going-on/events/aviation-photography-workshop-beginners/

07 October 2023 – £85 per person (incl. lunch and parking)

Capture your greatest shots – sign up for the Aviation Photography Workshop at the RAF Museum!

This full-day course is a great opportunity for photographers of every level to enhance your current set of skills. Whether you are just starting out, or you’ve already got some experience – this hands-on course will give you the chance to learn, plan, execute and develop as aviation photographers.

Learn more about the theory behind aviation photography and useful tips and tricks before you put your skills to the test in a range of settings, scenarios and cameos in and around the RAF Museum. Get up close to some of our most iconic aircrafts and discover the new layout of our War in The Air and Test Flight Hangar, including the new Bomber Command exhibition. We will also be joined by a period reenactor at your disposal to pose next to some of the aircraft to add an interesting twist. Learn more about the theory behind aviation photography and useful tips and tricks before you put your skills to the test in a range of settings, scenarios and cameos in and around the RAF Museum.

Participants will be provided exclusive access to the War in the Air Hangar and the Bomber Command exhibition for one hour after the Museum closes to use their newly acquired photography skills to capture the unique atmosphere of the building and its aircrafts.

Aviation Photography Workshop
(Advanced)

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/midlands/whats-going-on/events/aviation-photography-workshop-advanced/

08 October 2023 – £85 per person (incl. lunch and parking)

Capture your greatest shots – sign up for the Aviation Photography Workshop at the RAF Museum!

This full-day course is a great opportunity for photographers who have already got some experience or have attended previous photography workshops. This hands-on course will give you the chance to learn, plan, execute and develop as aviation photographers.

Learn more about the theory behind aviation photography and useful tips and tricks before you put your skills to the test in a range of settings, scenarios and cameos in and around the RAF Museum. Get up close to some of our most iconic aircrafts and discover the new layout of our War in The Air and Test Flight Hangar, including the new Bomber Command exhibition. We will also be joined by a period reenactor at your disposal to pose next to some of the aircraft to add an interesting twist.

Participants will be provided exclusive access to the Test Flight Hangar for one hour after the Museum closes to use their newly acquired photography skills to capture the unique atmosphere of the building and its aircrafts

Over 33,000 visitors flocked to IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire this weekend (16 and 17 September) for the iconic Battle of Britain Air show, making this year’s event the biggest to take place at Duxford since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The show featured displays from over 60 vintage and contemporary aircraft, including the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Red Arrows. For the first time in almost three decades, the last airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress in Europe – ‘Sally B’ – flew in formation with the RAF’s Avro Lancaster treating visitors to a show stopping display from two of the most recognisable allied heavy bombers of the Second World War.

The famous Duxford ‘Big Wing’ featured 14 Spitfires and 4 Hurricanes in a moving tribute to the brave service men and women who risked their lives to defend Britain in the summer of 1940.
On the ground, crowds soaked up the sights and sounds with the help of living history groups, live performances from vintage musical acts, an historic fairground, and the opportunity to get close to original vintage warbirds on the Flight Line Walk.

Air Show Event Manager, Phil Hood, says: “We’re thrilled to have welcomed so many visitors to the Battle of Britain Air Show this weekend as we continue to celebrate 50 years of flying displays at Duxford. We’ve had a stand-out line-up this year, with an array of crowd favourites, from original vintage warbirds – including a mass flypast of Spitfires and Hurricanes – to the daring aerobatic displays of the world-famous Red Arrows. Seeing the Avro Lancaster and ‘Sally B’ fly together for the first time in almost 30 years was a truly unforgettable moment and we hope to bring more of these unmissable experiences to visitors for many years to come.”

The Battle of Britain Air Show is the second major event of Duxford’s 50th anniversary Flying Season, which concludes with the Flying Finale on 14 October, marking 50 years to the day since the very first air day took place at Duxford in 1973.

As ever, our Saturday general admission tickets have been selling fast!

There’s not long left now to grab your Saturday tickets at our super early bird price, which will end on 30th September. So don’t miss out.

For now, Friday and Sunday tickets will remain at our super early bird price.

RIAT24 will return on 19th, 20th and 21st July and will celebrate 50 years of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. We hope to see you all there!

https://www.airtattoo.com/tickets-packages