Posts Tagged ‘Cosford RAF Museum’

Cosford commemorates The Fallen on Remembrance Sunday

Wednesday, October 30th, 2013

Sunday 10th November

Service to commence at 10.45am

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be holding a Remembrance Service paying respect to those Service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during their tours of duty.

For those wishing to pay their respects, the Museum will be holding a Service of Remembrance on Sunday 10th November, allowing visitors to reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave service men and women. The service will be led by Rev (Sqn Ldr) Eddie Wynn RAF Reserve, Station Chaplain RAF Cosford, in front of the Comet. During the service there will be readings by Commander Jon Milsom RN COS DSAE and Dave Leek, Chairman of the Aerospace Museum Society.

Visitors to the Museum will also be treated to performances from the Cosford Military Wives Choir, who will perform for visitors at the beginning and end of the service. All visitors to the Museum are welcome to join the service for this Act of Remembrance and are politely requested to assemble in Hangar 1 no later than 10:30am ready for the Service to commence at 10.45am, which will include a two minute silence with the sounding of ‘The Last Post’.

RAF Museum Cosford Events Executive, Nina Mitchell says:

“This event is always a poignant occasion and we hope that local residents will choose to join us on the day and remember the fallen with us. I would like to thank the Station Chaplain and the Cosford Military Wives Choir for their help in organising this years’ service, I’m sure visitors will enjoy the day’s proceedings.”

Sunday 10th November also marks the first day of the annual Conservation Centre Open Week where visitors can view the conservation work taking place on a variety of aircraft and speak with the skilled Technicians and Apprentices who make the work possible. The Conservation Centre will be open to all Museum visitors from 10th to 16th November from 10.15am to 1.00pm.

The Museum is open daily from 10am and entry to the Museum is FREE. For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website, www.rafmuseum.org.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 now on display at Cosford

Thursday, October 17th, 2013

Autumn is off to a flying start at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford with the arrival of a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8.

These German fighter aircraft were widely used by the Luftwaffe during World War Two and an example of this is now on display to visitors within the Museum’s Warplanes collection.

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was a single-seat single-engine multi-role fighter-bomber, capable of carrying a larger bomb load than its counterpart the Messerschmitt Bf109. Entering Luftwaffe service in August 1941, the Fw 190 proved superior in many respects to the Royal Air Force’s main frontline fighter, the Spitfire V. It took the introduction of the much improved Spitfire IX in July 1942 for the RAF to gain an aircraft of equal capability.

One of the more unusual roles for the Fw 190 was as part of the twin-aircraft drone combination, code-named mistletoe or Mistel. A single engine fighter was mounted on top of a twin engine bomber, and on lining up with the target the fighter detached itself, leaving the bomber, packed with explosives, to impact the target.

Cosford’s Fw 190 is a unique survivor of a Mistel combination. Surrendered in Denmark in May 1945, the Fw 190 was part of a combination with a Junkers Ju 88, and assigned to a unit which trained Mistel crews. Flown to Germany as a twin combination, the Fw 190 was then split from its Ju 88 in order to be ferried to the UK for examination. The Ju 88 half never reached the UK, and it is assumed it was scrapped.

The Museum’s aircraft then spent several years on display at RAF Cranwell before a short period in storage at RAF Biggin Hill. In 1986 it went on loan to Imperial War Museum Duxford where it was given corrosion treatment and after colour scheme research, was given an authentic daylight fighter scheme. Four years later, the Fw 190 A-8 was moved to Imperial War Museum South Lambeth and placed on display, suspended in their refurbished Museum. Officially becoming property of the RAF Museum in 1998 after the title was transferred by the Ministry of Defence, the aircraft remained on display at Lambeth until December 2012 when it was moved to the RAF Museum Cosford in Shropshire.

After a period of time spent in the Museum’s award winning Sir Michael Beetham Conservation Centre and undergoing a small amount of maintenance work, the aircraft has now been placed on display for aviation fans to enjoy.

Clare Carr, RAF Museum Cosford Assistant Curator says:

“After many years suspended in the Imperial War Museum London, we are delighted to be able to offer visitors to Cosford a closer view of this unique Luftwaffe airframe, which complements the other World War Two era aircraft displayed in our Warplanes hangar.”

The Museum is open daily from 10am and admission is free of charge. For more information on the Museum, visit www.rafmuseum.org or call 01902 376200.

Models of cancelled concept aircraft now on display

Wednesday, July 10th, 2013

RAF Museum Concept Models display

Now on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is a collection of original aircraft concept models designed by some of Britain’s biggest aircraft manufacturers during the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. These pioneering designs never made it off the drawing boards. Visitors to the Museum will now have the chance to see some of the revolutionary ideas up close, as they go on display in the Museum’s Test Flight Hangar.

The collection brings together ten original pieces of aircraft design, including one by Barnes Wallis creator of the Wellington Bomber and the famous bouncing bomb used during the Dambusters Raid. Wallis’ design for Vickers known as the Type 010 or ‘Swallow’ was one of the more unusual projects of the 1950’s. This large swing-wing aircraft was designed with the ability to travel at both supersonic and subsonic speeds whilst the engines could rotate and tilt, acting as control surfaces. The proposals were not seen as practical by Government officials although the Air Staff seemed interested and despite Wallis’ best efforts, the Swallow was cancelled in 1957.

Many of the designs were far in advance of their time and only a few made it into construction before later being cancelled by the Government. Those which never made it any further than design concept were ambitious and many had their setbacks, as was the case with the Supermarine Type 559. This interceptor featured two de Havilland Gyron engines with afterburners and two de Havilland Spectre Junior rocket engines, whilst its design featured a Canard layout where the tail-wing was moved to the front resulting in fins being placed on the main wing tips. It would have been a fully integrated weapons system, with technologies beyond its years had it made it into service.

RAF Museum Cosford Curator, Nick Sturgess said:

“The models demonstrate the forward thinking of British aircraft designers during the 1950’s and 60’s, when Britain was at its peak of the aviation industry. There are some ambitious ideas and many of the designs are very futuristic looking, even by today’s standards. Some of the models look like they could be out of a science fiction movie and no doubt, ideas like this would have inspired the likes of Gerry Anderson.”

These new additions to the Test Flight Hangar gives the Museum the chance to bring from storage some items relating to aircraft designs held in the Museum collection. Models range in size from 2ft to 4ft and are made from, wood, plastic and metal, each with their own caption boards detailing the design concept and the expected results.

Other models on display include: The Bristol Type 204 – a state of the art bomber; the Bristol Type 178 – a rocket fighter designed to intercept high flying, supersonic bombers; the English Electric P.10 – a high speed reconnaissance aircraft that would have spied on targets before and after a V-Bomber raid; the Hawker P.1103 – thought to be capable of intercepting a supersonic bomber at 60,000ft within 20 minutes of take-off, the Fairey Delta 3 – a high level interceptor designed to catch incoming Soviet bombers; the Saunders-Roe SR.177 – the planned successor to the experimental rocket powered SR.53 which was cancelled during construction; The Avro 730 – an ambitious reconnaissance aircraft cancelled during construction; the Armstrong-Whitworth 681- a post war transport aircraft capable of carrying vehicles or 60 paratroopers and finally the Fairey Project 75 – designed to be a lightweight aircraft with a short take off run.

Anyone wishing to take a look at this unique collection, the concept models are now on permanent display, located in the Museums’ Test Flight Hangar. Admission is free of charge. For more information on the Museum please visit www.rafmuseum.org or call 01902 376200.

Dornier Do 17 arrival at RAF Museum Cosford

Monday, June 17th, 2013

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford this weekend took delivery of the world’s last surviving Dornier Do 17, recently salvaged from the bottom of the English Channel. The fuselage and wings were escorted from Ramsgate, Kent, to the Museum by two low loader lorries.

Delighted members of the public and Museum staff welcomed the Dornier as it arrived on site, late afternoon. Shortly after its arrival, a crane lifted the fuselage and wings from the transportation lorry before being placed inside the purpose built hydration tunnels, where the Dornier will stay for the first stage of its conservation.

Alex Medhurst, General Manager at RAF Museum Cosford says:

“After all the hard work, planning and setbacks, it’s great to know the Dornier is finally here at Cosford. It will be a rare and exciting opportunity for visitors in the Midlands to get up close and personal to a unique piece of aviation history and the chance to view it in its salvaged state.”

More than 1,500 examples of the Dornier 17 medium bomber were built. The twin engine, twin fin configuration together with the narrow fuselage and shoulder mounted engines gave the aircraft a distinctive silhouette and earned it the nickname ‘The Flying Pencil’. Over 400 were employed by the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.

The aircraft will be on view to members of the public from 10am on Sunday 16th June. It is anticipated that thousands of aviation fans from across the Midlands will head to the Museum to catch a glimpse of the aircraft which has captured the imaginations of the public worldwide.

Thanks to the support of WarGaming.Net the Dornier Exhibition will soon be on display to member of the public at Cosford.

Admission to the Museum and viewing the Dornier is FREE of charge. Anyone wishing to donate towards the conservation of the aircraft can do so online via the Museum website www.ramuseum.org. For more information please call the Museum on 01902 376200.

Museum Celebrates Armed Forces Day

Thursday, June 6th, 2013

Dakota Flypast - Armed Forces Day

Saturday 29th June 2013

11.00am – 2.40pm

Veterans and their guests must pre-register

Dakota flypast 2:35pm (weather permitting)

On Saturday 29th June, events across the country will celebrate the contributions made by those who serve and have served in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces. The annual Armed Forces Day is an opportunity to reflect and pay tribute to our heroes past and present, including current serving personnel, service families, veterans and cadets.

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will once again participate in this annual event by hosting veterans young and old from all three services. During this special reunion, hosted by Museum staff, all Veterans will be treated to a full day’s programme. There will be free refreshments for guests on arrival at 11.00am followed by guided tours around the Museum’s Conservation Centre. For lunch, veterans will have the unique opportunity to dine with other guests amongst the aircraft and artefacts on display in the Museum’s Hangar 1. During the afternoon, guests will then be treated to a 1940’s Home Front Cabaret Show performed by Rebecca Grace lasting approximately one hour.

A highlight for Armed Forces Day guests and visitors to the Museum will be a spectacular flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota, scheduled for 2:35pm (weather permitting). All-in-all this promises to be an exciting day which will enable Veterans to meet up with old friends, reminisce over shared experiences, and enjoy themselves in the authentic atmosphere and setting of the Royal Air Force Museum.

Event organiser, Nina Mitchell says:

“With former Service Men and Women joining in from across Shropshire and the West Midlands, Armed Forces Day is set to be a truly memorable and sentimental gathering for Veterans and their guests to enjoy. We look forward to welcoming new faces as well as regular attendees to the event”

Attendance to the event is free of charge and by advance registration only. Any Veterans who would like to attend the event, are asked to book their place now by calling 01902 376 252 or for more information visit www.rafmuseum.org/cosford. Parking for Armed Forces Day guests is also free.

Flying display honours National Service Veterans

Thursday, May 23rd, 2013

2nd June 2013

Lancaster display 1:00pm (weather permitting)

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster will be taking to the skies over Shropshire in honour of the thousands of National Service RAF veterans. This iconic aircraft will perform for visitors and guests at the National Service (RAF) Association parade, taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Sunday 2nd June.

Starting at 11:00am, this event is expected to see hundreds of ex National Service men and women participate in the parade, led by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force. Following a short 100m march the parade will form up next to the Museum’s Hangar 1 where Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton will be the reviewing officer, accompanied by Group Captain Sansom, Station Commander at RAF Cosford. All veterans who served in the Armed Forces are welcome to participate, providing them with the opportunity to reunite with lost friends and colleagues.

Following the parade, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, will be officially presenting Arctic Star medals and the Bomber Command Clasp to eligible veterans. These prestigious accolades are awarded to members of the British Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy who were involved in action in the Arctic Circle or Bomber Command during World War II. Both awards are retrospective, coming almost seventy years after the end of the war. Veterans from all three services who have been awarded either honour are invited to put their names forward in order to have their medals officially presented to them on the day by the Chief of the Air Staff.

Around 600 veterans are anticipated to take part and hundreds more visitors are expected to turn out to watch. Following the ceremony, visitors and guests will be treated to a flying display from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster scheduled for 1.00pm (weather permitting). Plus, National Veterans Organisations and training camp associations will be represented in Hangar 1. On completion of the formal events, guests will have access to the RAF Museum site where they can catch up with old friends and view the exhibits.

The Museum gates will open at 9am on Sunday 2nd June, although the Museum itself will open at 10am. Entry to the Museum and participation in the parade is FREE. Any veterans wishing to put their names forward for the presentation should contact the event organiser Pat Honey on 01782 516887.

For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.

Open Cockpits tickets on sale 18th Feb

Tuesday, February 12th, 2013

300 tickets for the popular aviation enthusiasts’ event ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, will go on sale from Monday 18th February through the Royal Air Force Museum’s website. This exclusive evening will commence at 6pm on Saturday 18th May with a wide range of aircraft available for close viewing on the night: including transport aircraft, jet fighters and unique research airframes.300 fortunate visitors will be able to get a feel for what it was like to fly these much loved machines by enter

ing their cockpits and, in addition to this, will have exclusive after-hours access to the Museum which displays a collection of over 70 aircraft, military vehicles, engines and aviation artefacts within three wartime hangars and the award-winning National Cold War Exhibition.

The event, which is held twice a year, was a complete sell out in 2012, with tickets sold out in a matter of days. Organisers are confident that this year’s event in May will be just as popular based on the number of enquiries received so far. Accordingly, the Museum is advising aviation fans to book early to avoid disappointment.

Cosford’s ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ is part of ‘The Museums at Night’ cultural event, an annual international event where hundreds of museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites across Europe open their doors to the public for special after hours events.

The evening will commence at 6.00pm and finish at 8.30pm, with numbers onto the Museum site strictly limited to 300 people – providing enthusiasts with two and a half hours to examine the Museum’s historic and wondrous aircraft in an exclusive environment. Admission is by advance ticket only; tickets cost £10.00 per person and will go on sale from Monday 18th February available through the Museum’s website. Parking charges are included in the ticket price. Minimum height restrictions of 1.07 metres will apply.

For further information on the ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ or to purchase your tickets online visit www.rafmuseum.org (A detailed list of aircraft open on the night will be issued nearer the time.) A second Open Cockpits Evening will take place on Saturday 21st September 2013.