Tag: April

HRH The Princess Royal Attends Aerospace Bristol Gala Dinner

HRH Princess Royal at Concorde50 Gala Dinner

Filton, Bristol, April 9, 2019: Aerospace Bristol, a family visitor attraction that is home to the last Concorde ever to fly, has celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of Concorde’s first British flight with a dinner kindly attended by HRH The Princess Royal, Patron of the museum.

Delivered in partnership with Airbus, the Concorde50 gala dinner was held under the wings of the supersonic passenger jet in Aerospace Bristol’s Concorde Hangar, on the edge of the historic Filton Airfield. It was from there that Concorde first took to the skies from British soil on 9th April 1969, and landed for the final time on 26th November 2003.

Fittingly, it was the pilot of that final flight, Captain Les Brodie, who returned to the Flight Deck and – as Her Royal Highness and distinguished guests looked on – operated the controls to lower and raise Concorde’s droop nose and activate her landing lights. The manoeuvre was possible thanks to careful restoration work by Aerospace Bristol’s Conservation team and volunteers, with Concorde smoothly returning to motion as if waking for the first time since touching down more than 15 years ago.

Professor Iain Gray CBE, Chair of Aerospace Bristol, said “I am most grateful to Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Patron of Aerospace Bristol, for so kindly accepting our invitation to join us in celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Concorde. The iconic Concorde was an engineering marvel, developed far ahead of its time by talented engineers working on the cutting- edge of 1960s technology. Through our exhibition, inspiring workshops for schools, and Concorde50 events, it is this spirit of innovation that Aerospace Bristol aims to ignite in the engineers of the next fifty years and beyond, encouraging the young people of today to develop the big ideas of tomorrow.”

Katherine Bennett, Senior Vice President Airbus, said: “Concorde has a special place in Airbus’ heart and history. Many of its innovations, from electronic flight controls to anti-skid braking systems, helped inform future aircraft designs. We also maintained the aircraft at Filton for more than 10 years after its final flight.

“To see the aircraft once again at the centre of celebration, helping inspire the next generation of engineers, is fantastic, particularly as we are fast approaching Airbus’ own 50 year milestone which is a celebration of everyone who has the courage to bold and improve things, just as Concorde did.”

Aerospace Bristol will continue its Concorde anniversary celebrations with a series of Concorde50 events taking place throughout the year. The first public moves of Concorde’s droop nose will take place on Saturday 13th April 2019 at 11am and 1pm. An Aerospace Bristol ticket is required and further details can be found at www.aerospacebristol.org.

NATO Anniversary to be Celebrated at RAF Cosford Air Show

Slovak Air Force LET-410

With just two months to go until this year’s RAF Cosford Air Show, tickets are selling faster than ever before and visiting Air Forces continue to confirm their participation in the Midlands’ largest one-day event.

Today, the Air Show organisers announced that the Slovak Air Force will be participating in the Air Show for the first time and they will be sending one of their LET-410 transport aircraft for static display on Sunday 9th June. This will be on display in a special area dedicated to celebrating 70 years of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), alongside other NATO aircraft such as a Belgian SF.260M and German Sea Lynx. In total, six nations have already confirmed their attendance to the Air Show, with more expected to notify of their plans in the coming weeks.

One of the key themes for this year’s show is celebrating the NATO 70th anniversary. In 1949, the United States and 11 other Western nations formed NATO, with its membership growing larger over the course of the Cold War era. Now an Alliance that consists of 29 independent member countries, its purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.

Air Show Operations Manager, Mr Peter Reoch, said, “We’re grateful to the Slovak Air Force for supporting the RAF Cosford Air Show 2019 with this interesting aircraft, which will be a great addition to our NATO celebration.”

With the Air Show fast approaching, and with no tickets available at the gate, those wishing to attend are being encouraged to purchase their tickets soon. Air Show tickets, priced £29.00, are currently available from the Air Show website www.cosfordairshow.co.uk and RAF Museums at Cosford and Hendon, as well as selected Tourist Information Centres. Accompanied under-16s enter the Air Show for free, making the event a great value family day out.

Concorde’s 50th anniversary celebrated by cavalcade of Bristol Cars & Buses

Bristol Buses

Over 150 passengers travelled from Aerospace Bristol to the Fleet Air Arm Museum on board classic buses and cars

Filton, Bristol, April 9, 2019: Today marks 50 years since the first test flight of a British-made Concorde was completed – flying from Filton Airport to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a journey taking just 22 minutes but changing the course of aviation history.

To celebrate the anniversary, Aerospace Bristol – the museum that is now home to the last Concorde ever to fly – and the Fleet Air Arm Museum – home to Concorde 002, which first took to the skies 50 years ago today – teamed up to organise a nostalgic journey across the West Country.

Over 150 people visited Concorde Alpha Foxtrot at Aerospace Bristol this morning, before boarding Bristol Buses and Cars and travelling to Yeovilton, where they visited Concorde 002.

The two museums give visitors the opportunity to discover more about the world’s most famous aircraft, from the people behind its initial forays to the edge of space and record-breaking speeds, to the experience for passengers and even the food served on-board.

Aerospace Bristol tells the story of Bristol’s aviation and engineering heritage – from the first powered flights through to the modern day – including how Bristol diversified into the automobile industry and produced the cars and buses that formed the cavalcade today.

The museum will be celebrating Concorde50 throughout the year, with special events taking place around its star attraction Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, the last Concorde ever to fly. Upcoming events include:

9th April: Meet Concorde pilot Captain Colin Morris
13th April: The first public move of Concorde Alpha Foxtrot’s ‘droop nose’
16th April: A talk on the life of a Concorde pilot, with Captain Tim Orchard
20th April: Special tours to mark 40 years since Concorde Alpha Foxtrot’s maiden flight

www.aerospacebristol.org

First to the Fastest opens at Brooklands Museum

First to the Fastest at Brooklands

Opening 8th April 2019…

Alcock and Brown’s non-stop crossing of the Atlantic in a Brooklands-built Vickers Vimy in June 1919 was a significant moment in aviation history. Just sixteen years earlier the first ever powered flight was made by the Wright Brothers in 1903, followed by the flight trials of A.V. Roe at Brooklands in 1907. Fifty years later, in 1969, Atlantic flights had become routine but to celebrate that great endeavour and spirit of Alcock and Brown’s ground-breaking crossing, a new air race was staged. It showcased how far and fast aviation had changed with innovation at the heart of the race.

Both races were launched by the Daily Mail who put up the prize money but in ’69, the rules were even more ambitious: the race began and ended at check-in stations on the public viewing platform on the 33rd floor viewing platform of the Post Office Tower in London and the 86th floor of New York’s Empire State Building. Journeys had to be made on any of the eight days between 4th and 11th May and could be attempted more than once though only in the same direction and with the same modes of transport. It was open to professionals and enthusiasts and because it was almost certain that a military aircraft would record the fastest time, eighteen different categories of prizes were offered including one for the ‘most meritorious and ingenious’ non-winning entry. The Daily Mail race organisers clearly wanted to put some fun and excitement back into flying.

This exhibition will explore how Alcock and Brown achieved their amazing feat in the wider context of what was happening at Brooklands during a time when flight was still in its infancy. The rapidity of the technological advancements made in aviation will also be explored by discovering how, just fifty years later, it was possible to get from the heart of London to the centre of New York in just under seven hours. At the centre of this exhibition will be Brooklands Museum’s replica Vimy (which, itself, has flown across the Atlantic, to Australia and South Africa) and the Harrier GR1 XV741, which achieved the fastest time to New York from St. Pancras in London in the 1969 race. These stories are told using archive footage, historic imagery and personal accounts to bring this incredible episode in aviation history to life, celebrating the role that Brooklands played in achieving what was often seen as the impossible.

Entry to the exhibition is included in the general admission price.

Visit: www.brooklandsmuseum.com for all up to date event and Museum information.

RAF Aircraft showcased at RAF Cosford Air Show Media Launch

RAF Chinook by Airscene

Today’s Media Launch of the RAF Cosford Air Show 2019 revealed further details of this spectacular annual event. The Air Show organisers were excited to announce the iconic Chinook helicopter will be performing in the skies over Shropshire on Sunday 9th June, and the RAF Chinook Display Team was present at the Media Launch.

The Royal Air Force has one of the largest fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters in the world, primarily used for troop movements, resupply, and battlefield casualty evacuation. However, despite its size, the Chinook is an extremely agile aircraft and the flying display will showcase its incredible manoeuvrability to Air Show visitors.

Also on hand at the Media Launch, Flt Lt Jim Peterson from 29 Squadron talked about the Eurofighter Typhoon’s display sequence, which he will be performing at the Air Show demonstrating the aircraft’s speed, agility and power.

The display pilots for the Tutor and Tucano were also present today. Both aircraft will be performing in the flying display in June.

The RAF Cosford Air Show will also be one of the few UK opportunities this year to see the world-famous Red Arrows performing their thrilling show before they depart for a tour of North America.

As well as dazzling displays in the air, there will also be an array of aircraft on static display across the airfield on Sunday 9th June, allowing visitors to get up close and even climb into some of the cockpits. A full list of British and overseas aircraft coming on 9th June is available on the show website, www.cosfordairshow.co.uk, more aircraft will be announced over the coming weeks.

The sell-out centenary RAF Cosford Air Show 2018 raised £189,000 which will be donated to the RAF100 appeal and local charities, to further support and encourage those who are involved with the Royal Air Force and the local community.

With the Air Show fast approaching, and with no tickets available at the gate, those wishing to attend are being encouraged to purchase their tickets soon. Air Show Tickets, priced £29.00, are currently available from the Air Show website and RAF Museums at Cosford and Hendon, as well as selected Tourist Information Centres. Accompanied under-16s enter the Air Show for free, making the event a great family day out.

The primary focus of the RAF Cosford Air Show is to give visitors the opportunity to engage with the Royal Air Force, and to better understand the work they do, not only in the West Midlands and the United Kingdom, but across the world. Air Show Chairman Wing Commander Jamie Thompson, said “RAF Cosford Air Show is a fantastic opportunity for the public to see what goes on behind the scenes on an operational Royal Air Force base. We are delighted that the Chinook Display Team will be joining us as it is a great addition to the Air Show line-up.”

American Heavies Add Weight to Air Day

USAF Globemaster at Yeovilton Air Day

Royal Air Force aircraft past and present will be out in force at RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day on Saturday 7 July but here’s a taste of its future: the state-of-the-art Boeing P-8A Poseidon courtesy of the US Navy Maritime Patrol Squadron VP-10, currently on its maiden European deployment, will be on static display.

Making its RNAS Yeovilton debut, the US Navy Poseidon is a cutting-edge, long-range multi-mission maritime platform. Carrying torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and depth charges, its roles include anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, plus search and rescue and, whilst in RAF service, the protection of the UK’s submarines and aircraft carriers.

Also attending from the US Air Force is the huge Boeing C-17A Globemaster III from Joint Base Charleston’s 315th Air Lift Wing. With its impressive combined 170,000-pound cargo capacity and short, makeshift runway use capability it can be tasked with tactical airlift, airdrops, troop transportation and medical evacuation. Its cargo hold will be opened-up to walk-through at Air Day – a fantastic opportunity to see this very impressive strategic transport aircraft up-close.

These two US military aircraft will be joining other heavyweights in the static park, most notably the massive KDC-10 Extender from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. To give an idea of the sheer size of this incredible aircraft, it can also carry 65 tons of cargo or a mixed 30 ton/165 passenger load! The KDC-10 can offload an astonishing 1,750 pounds of fuel a minute, ‘topping-up’ NATO combat aircraft to extend their operational reach.

Visitors will also be able to see the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CC-130J Hercules. An unusual UK airshow participant, it’s supporting the CF-18 Hornet Demo Team already confirmed for Air Day’s impressive flying display.

To book tickets and to see the full list of participating aircraft visit www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday.

60th Anniversary of Yorkshire Built Blackburn Buccaneer to be Celebrated at Yorkshire Air Museum

Buccaneer at Yorkshire Air Museum

Sunday 29th April

The Spring “Thunder Day” taking place at the Yorkshire Air Museum on Sunday 29th April will mark a very significant milestone of Yorkshire aviation history as it will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the first flight of the development prototype of the aircraft that was to become the Blackburn Buccaneer.

Spring “Thunder Day”
The Museum’s live example of the Buccaneer S.2 XN974 will be one of the highlights at the first “Thunder Day” of the 2018 season at the Yorkshire Air Museum on Sunday 29th April, perfectly timed to celebrate this 60th anniversary of the Blackburn Buccaneer. It will make a full engine power up during the course of the day, performing its control surface movements, wing folding, bomb bay door rotation and rear air brake activation, all under power. The mighty Spey engines were capable of producing 11000 lbs of thrust each, so this is an exciting, noisy display! We are also delighted to announce that Wing Commander David Herriott, Secretary of the Buccaneer Aircrew Association will be with us to give a presentation about the aircraft and its history, from the perspective of a navigator on the aircraft.

The other 6 live aircraft in the Museum’s collection will also be started up, including the Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a and diminutive Eastchurch Kitten WWI bi-planes, the 1945 WWII Douglas C-47 Dakota, the 1947 de Havilland Devon VIP transport, with both of these twin-props firing into life amongst plumes of smoke as they cough and splutter into life. Then, there will be the mighty Nimrod MR2 with its four Spey engines and finally the thunderous Handley Page Victor XL231 firing up her four Rolls Royce Conway power-plants that can produce 80 000 lbs thrust!!
All this will be carried out under the watchful eye of the Yorkshire Air Museum’s unique Volunteer Fire Team, who will also be conducting children’s activities and displaying their impressive fire appliances.

Blackburn Buccaneer – Historical Background
The military requirement was for a carrier based, low level strike and reconnaissance aircraft, capable of delivering conventional or nuclear weapons at very low level to counter the threat of the expanded Soviet Union naval capability with the huge Sverdlov–class cruisers. The aircraft was to be capable of approaching these warships below radar level at high speed, deploying weapons and quickly flying out of range.

First Flight
The tender for the Ministry of Supply specification M.148T was won by the design (Project B.103) by Blackburn’s Barry P Laight and became the last true Blackburn designed and built aircraft from the historic Brough factory near Hull, East Yorkshire. The development project (NA.39) was fully codenamed Blackburn Advanced Naval Aircraft, which resulted in the nickname of the “Banana Jet”, something unwittingly reinforced by the unusual contours of the design, implementing for the first time the principle of Boundary Layer Control, to disperse slow moving air over the wing surfaces to enhance stability and reduce stall speed for effective low altitude operation.

The first flight of Project B.103 took place at the Royal Aeronautical Establishment test centre, Bedford, at 12:57pm on 30th April 1958. According to test pilot Derek Whitehead, the flight went “exactly as planned”, with the aircraft in its duck-egg blue/grey and white “anti-flash” underbelly markings weaving gently as the pilot tested the controls whilst holding the aircraft at very low level, then rising easily away. The success of this first flight was a matter of great pride for Blackburn, especially the Chairman at the time, Eric Turner, who described it as “a wonderful achievement in getting the N.A.39 prototype in the air by the target date.” It was actually the first time that a very tight target date for a large and complicated military aircraft had been met, a result of superb teamwork at every level. Early Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 production models went into service with the Fleet Air Arm on 17th July 1962. However, they suffered from a lack of power from the original de Havilland Gyron Junior engines, resulting in some tragic accidents under more severe testing and operation. This was solved when the superior new Rolls Royce Spey engines were fitted, producing 40% more thrust for the following S.2 and other variants. By this time, Blackburn Aircraft Company had merged with Hawker Siddeley, so S.2 and later variants were known as Hawker Siddeley (Blackburn) Buccaneers.

Blackburn Buccaneer S.2
The first production Buccaneer S.2 was XN974, now to be seen at the Yorkshire Air Museum. XN974 is certainly no ordinary Buccaneer. It first flew on 5th June 1964, from Holme-on-Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire, and then went to the Royal Aircraft Experimental test facility in Bedford and then to HMS Eagle for sea trials, including work on HMS Hermes and HMS Ark Royal. In 1965 in went to the USA for hot weather testing and, on its return flight, on 10th October, became a record breaker by becoming the first Fleet Air Arm aircraft to fly the transatlantic route non-stop and un-refuelled from the Canadian Air Force base at Goose Bay, Newfoundland to RNAS Lossiemouth, achieving the distance of 1950 miles in 4hours 16 minutes. It became a prime avionics and system development test bed between 1967 and 1982, and, during the ”Gulf War” (Desert Storm), it took part in the RAF activities designated “Operation Granby”, flying high altitude re-fuelling trial sorties with Tornado GR1 aircraft, lasting up to 3 hours in flight. It was flown into retirement here at Elvington on 19th August 1991, wearing RAF camouflage markings, and has remarkably been kept in live, ground operational condition since then. It has now been restored into its original Fleet Air Arm colours, and makes a very striking looking aircraft.

Fulfilling its design brief, the Buccaneer has been described as the most stable low-level strike aircraft ever built. It served with the Fleet Air Arm until 1978, when the Sea Harrier was introduced. The RAF acquired the type in 1969, after the cancellation of the proposed British Aircraft Company TSR2 project, then taking the Fleet Air Arm Buccaneers. The RAF fleet was gradually reduced to 60 aircraft, with the scaling down of the Cold War, coming out of service on 31st March 1994 to be replaced by the new PANAVIA Tornado as production of this type escalated.

However, the Buccaneers saw service alongside the Tornado GR1’s during the first Gulf War during 1991, crucially providing laser target designation for the Tornado’s which they lacked at that time.

Thunder Day Admission:
Admission: £12 Adults; £10 Concession; £5 Child (5-15) or £30 Family (2A+3Ch).
Gates Open at 10:00am until 17:00pm.
Propeller aircraft will be run during the morning and then again in the afternoon from 13:15pm. Buccaneer XN974 will conduct its run at 14:30pm

www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

The Fabulous Forties Come to Life at Brooklands Museum

Fabulous Forties at Brooklands Museum

The 1940s Relived – Saturday 12th May 2018
10am – 9pm

Live period music in the dance marquee, aircraft and vehicle displays and a well-stocked trade village will mean an unmissable day of nostalgia at Brooklands Museum’s annual homage to the 1940s on Saturday 12th May. The 1940s Relived celebrates the fashion, music, style, vehicles and social scene that epitomised this decade, giving equal weight to the Second World War and to its immediate aftermath – both important periods in the history of Brooklands. And it’s not just a show to watch – the public are urged to dress in ‘40s style and join the action on a fun-filled day that lasts well into the evening.

At the heart of the event will be the dance marquee with a rolling programme of music and FREE dance classes. Vintage specialist DJ Swing Shift will be providing the sounds, and singing live will be chanteuse Noelle Vaughn, one of the most authentic singers on the circuit. This year, the organisers are thrilled to confirm the appearance of the Kalamazoo Dance Band who will relive that golden era of big bands with familiar numbers made famous by the likes of Glen Miller, Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey.

Brooklands was the world’s first purpose-built motor racing venue which still retains its 1930s appearance and buildings so is a perfect venue for such a nostalgic event as this. Under the Race Car Bays there will be a trade village where visitors will find sellers of original and quality reproduction clothing, homewares and ephemera from the era. This year there are more sellers of vintage clothing than ever before which shows how the popularity of a love for the past is growing. Displays of vehicles will include saloons, tourers, vans, trucks and military will fill the Paddock, Motoring Village and surrounding areas along with re-enactor groups portraying everything from the Home Guard, RAF and Land Army Girls to civilian and family life adding to the ‘time travelling’ effect.

Any ladies not able to finesse their ‘40s look themselves need not worry, as a vintage-style hair and make-up parlour will be set up in the original Press Hut, manned by Hair That Turns Heads – a troupe of stylists who specialise in recreating the looks and styles from the period. Due to the high demand on the day, they are already taking appointments in advance. To discuss a booking, speak with the team directly on: 07733 383 735 or e-mail: lucy@hairthatturnsheads.co.uk. At lunchtime, anyone is welcome to have their portrait shot done in the Art Deco Ladies Reading Room inside the Clubhouse. Photographs will go up on-line and can be ordered directly from the photographer on the day.

There will be much interest, as usual, in who will win the Brooklands Best-Dressed Competition this year. Visitors are urged to don their finest period attire to attract the attention of the Brooklands Style Scouts who will be on site looking for the finest ‘40s outfits, with none other than ‘Winstan’ Churchill himself judging the finalists.

A special highlight at this year’s show will be the Museum’s Hawker Hurricane that has undergone a major restoration programme over the last few years. If the weather permits, the aircraft, built in 1940, will be displayed outdoors alongside the Air Raid Shelter by the Race Track that was used by the factory workers during wartime. Aircraft production at the site which took place over an 80 year period can be fully explored by visitors as their entry ticket includes access to the incredible Brooklands Aircraft Factory which opened in November last year. Inside, full size sections of aircraft are displayed on ‘assembly lines’ and visitors can try some of the tooling and manufacturing skills used by workers at Brooklands through specially-designed interactive work stations. The centre piece in the factory is ‘R for Robert’, the Brooklands WW2 Wellington Bomber surrounded by artefacts that tell the incredible stories during this period and ‘meet’ some of the pilots, engineers and 14,000 workforce that made Brooklands once of the most productive aviation sites in Europe.

There will be a Family Activity Zone where the Brooklands Learning Team will be leading a workshop where children can make a 3D scene featuring the Hurricane which they can colour in themselves and take home; just as in period, the help of a civilian workforce will be vital!

All the exhibition areas, aircraft, racing cars and motorcycles at the Museum will be open as usual from 10am until 5pm, and the on-site London Bus Museum will be running rides around the local area aboard period appropriate buses*. However, the music and dancing will continue in the marquee until 9pm with a bar and food to keep visitors sustained. Last entry to the site is 6pm. Additional visitor parking is in The Heights off Wellington Way – as directed by special event signage on the day.

Admission: Adults £15, Seniors £13, Children (5-16 yrs) £8, Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) £40 with advance discounted tickets available from www.brooklandsmuseum.com. Dance Classes are included in the entry price. The Concorde Experience is £5 for adults, £3 for children. Rides in the 4D Theatre are £4 for adults, £2 for children.

French Air Force to present three display teams at the Duxford Air Festival for the first time

Rafale at Duxford Air Festival

For the second annual Duxford Air Festival, the French Air Force will bring three display teams to IWM Duxford for the very first time. They are the Patrouille de France aerobatic team (Sunday only), the French Air Force Dassault Rafale, a powerful and agile multi-role fighter aircraft used in combat over Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria; and the French Air Force Equipe de Voltige, a duo of Extra aircraft performing close formation, high precision aerobatic displays. In addition to the exhilarating flying displays, there will be activities for all the family at the Duxford Air Festival, including the Family Flight Challenge, featuring Richard Meredith-Hardy, the first person to fly over Mount Everest in a microlight.

Additional flying highlights in this year’s Duxford Air Festival include: The Royal Air Force Chinook display team (Saturday only); the Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers, the world’s only aerobatic formation wing-walking team; the Great War Display Team with flak, bombing and strafing effects; the Global Stars team of British aerobatic champions; the Tiger Nine formation team of nine 1930s Tiger Moth biplanes; the extraordinary post-Second World War Swiss Air Force C-3605 ‘Schlepp’; B-17 Flying Fortress Sally B, the only flying B-17 in Europe; IWM’s rare Mark I Spitfire and a Douglas C-47 Skytrain, in authentic D-Day markings, which appeared in the seminal TV series Band of Brothers (see Notes to Editors for full flying display list).

Taking place across the museum, the Family Flight Challenge will feature a host of captivating activities. In the Trailblazers Zone, in the Battle of Britain exhibition, Channel 4’s Arthur Williams will be in conversation with some of the finest adventurers and trailblazers from the world of aviation. Arthur has presented and written a number of leading documentaries on military history, travel and aviation, as well as Paralympic Sport. Arthur will be in conversation with Brian Jones who, along with Bertrand Piccard, co-piloted the first successful uninterrupted circumnavigation of the world onboard the balloon Breitling Orbiter 3; Ademilola Odujinrin, the first British African pilot in history to fly solo around the world and Richard Meredith-Hardy, a British extreme microlight pilot, who was twice World Microlight Champion and is also the first person to fly over Mount Everest in a microlight.

In the American Air Museum, visitors can try their hand at building a large-scale model of a Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Visitors can also get up close to a Chipmunk aircraft and a Pitts aircraft, experience an interactive 1950s RAF mobile control tower and meet members of the Dawn Patrol living history group, who will be portraying aviators of the Great War period.

Entry to IWM Duxford is included in the ticket price for all air shows. Visitors can get up close to the aircraft that have revolutionised flight, including the futuristic Blackbird spyplane, which performed top secret operations for almost 30 years and the B-52 Stratofortress, which stretches the length of the American Air Museum. Iconic aircraft, including the Spitfire, Concorde and the contemporary Tornado, are on display across the museum.

Tickets for all air shows must be booked in advance; no on the day tickets are available. A fantastic Early Bird offer is available until Sunday 13 May.

www.iwm.org.uk

Climb on board the F-111 and VC10!

RAF Museum Cosford VC10

Date: 19 May 2018
Time: 1pm-4pm and 6pm-9pm
Cost: £13.50 per person

The second of four ‘100 Cockpits and Cabs’ events taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford this year, will be held on Saturday 19 May. Up to 600 aviation fans will have the opportunity to get a closer look inside more aircraft and vehicles from the Museum’s collection, during an afternoon and evening session.

The RAF Museum Cosford and London is home to over 200 aircraft, tanks and vehicles and event organisers have selected 100 from the collection that they believe visitors will be keen to get a closer look inside. The ‘100 Cockpits and Cabs’ events will celebrate the Royal Air Force Centenary by giving visitors access to aircraft and vehicles, spanning the services entire career.

The May event at Cosford will be themed around aircraft and vehicles from the National Cold War Exhibition, the transport and training collection in Hangar 1 and a selection of aircraft in the Museum grounds.

From the Cold War collection, aircraft and vehicles on the night include the General Dynamics F-111 F-CF. Built as a two-seat fighter-bomber, the F-111A variant became the first variable-geometry combat aircraft to enter service, seeing extensive service during the Vietnam War. As well as serving with US forces, the F-111C variant were produced for the Royal Australian Air Force. The final production variant, the F-111F (as seen at Cosford) featured improved avionics, including navigational and digital computer systems, improved wing structure and landing gear, and more powerful engines. Their main offensive load was Paveway laser-guided bombs, with Sidewinder missiles carried for self-defence. A total of 106 were built from 1972 and they saw much service during the first Gulf War in 1991.

Other Cold War aircraft and vehicles open for the special event include the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis, Leopard tank, Bv 202 Over snow, and the Green Goddess (close view only).

The event theme also extends to include a selection of the Museum’s transport and training vehicles, used for moving troops and equipment and retained to teach aircrews the wide variety of skills they must master before becoming operational. The Museum’s collection consists of some of the largest and smallest machines flown by the Royal Air Force and one of the event highlights will include the Vickers VC10 (weather permitting). Designed as a long-range airliner able to operate from short runways at airfields in hot and high conditions, the VC10 had a high cruising mach number with very good short field performance. In the later part of its service the aircraft was modified for the tanking role but kept its passenger and freight carrying ability. The ‘100 Cockpits and Cabs’ event in May will be the first-time aviation fans have been given the opportunity to step on board the aircraft since its arrival at the Museum in 2015.

Another transporting giant of the RAF, the Lockheed Hercules C130K Mk3 (weather permitting) will also be open to visitors, along with the advanced navigation trainer Hawker Siddeley Dominie T.Mk.1.

Aircraft and vehicles from the Museum’s Hangar 1 collection will include the de Havilland Chipmunk, one of the RAF’s longest serving aircraft types Vickers Varsity T Mk I brought into RAF service in 1951 for crew training as a replacement for the Wellington T10. Aviation fans will also have the rare opportunity to step inside the Morris Minor Traveller, Hunting Percival Pembroke C1 and the Junkers Ju52/3M during the May event.

To make sure visitors get the most out of the event, there will be a large team of Volunteers manning each aircraft or vehicle and available to answer any questions. A special Log Book can be purchased for an additional £1, allowing ticket holders to keep a record of the aircraft and vehicles they have accessed during the event!

A total of 600 tickets are available for the event taking place on Saturday 19 May and aviation fans will have up to three hours to enjoy the exclusive access. The afternoon session will run from 1pm-4pm, followed by an evening session 6pm-9pm. The Museum will close at 5pm, however the Visitor Centre and Refuel Restaurant will remain open for ticket holders, before doors to the aircraft and vehicles open at 6pm.

Tickets are now available to purchase through the Museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford and cost £13.50 per person which includes parking (minimum height restrictions apply). Details on the RAF Museum London events are also available online.

Attending the exclusive ‘Open Cockpits and Cabs’ events is an opportunity to raise vital funds for the RAF100 Appeal, which is a joint venture between the Royal Air Force and the four major RAF charities – the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the Royal Air Forces Association, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust and the Royal Air Force Museum. The aim of the Appeal is to raise money for the RAF family and to create a lasting legacy as we celebrate 100 years of the Royal Air Force.