The Newark Air Museum is open up to and over the Christmas holiday period, however here are a few key dates and times to help ensure that you don’t make a wasted journey.

As per normal the museum closes at 4pm on Monday, December 23rd and then reopens again at 10am on Friday, December 27th. On all other days the museum is open from 10am until 4pm, with last admissions at 3pm.

Visitors are reminded that there’s lots to see inside so don’t let any poor weather forecasts stop you from visiting. It is also worthwhile remembering that in the period after Christmas the café may be operating on ‘reduced rations’ for a few days due to the inability to buy fresh stock because of the Bank Holidays.

Before Christmas we hope that some of you might call in for those last minute presents, whilst after Christmas you’ll be desperate to spend that money you’ve been given. Don’t forget that we’ll also be closed on January 1st, but open again on Thursday January 2nd.

2013 has been a good year for visitors and income, which has enabled us to be able to hold our admission prices at the same level for 2014. As ever for those of you who can consider the Gift Aided admission it makes a huge impact on our income from the tax that we are able to claim back from HMRC.

Next year we have some important and exciting development plans in the pipeline so every visit that is made to the museum helps contribute towards those costs.

If by any chance the weather turns wintery and there are no visitors in the museum after 3pm, the museum may close early to allow the staff to get home during daylight. So as not to be disappointed by the museum being closed, please don’t leave your shopping trip until late afternoon!

Finally we would like to send out a big Happy Christmas on behalf of all the volunteers, staff and trustees to all those people who have supported us throughout 2013; whether you are visitors, shoppers or event participants many thanks for your custom, good will and kind comments. It really is appreciated!

www.newarkairmuseum.org

FIVE popular restaurants and bars – four in Folkestone, one in Sandgate – are inviting patrons to put their ‘own’ aircraft in the sky at next year’s Folkestone Airshow. Designated as an Official Supporter, each has signed up to raise an amount of money which will enable Open Air Promotions Ltd, organiser of the two-day event, to hire a named type of aircraft or aerobatic team.

The fund-raising scheme was launched this week and will run until the flying programme is complete.

Folkestone Airshow pr and marketing manager Maddison Broom said that each Official Supporter had chosen the particular military or stunt aircraft they would ask their customers to fund. “They have their own ideas about how to hit necessary targets – by organising events and activities, for example – and we will help by promoting them through our social media websites. Their efforts will be invaluable in lining up the fly-pasts and thrilling high-speed aerobatics performances we are programming”.

Folkestone Airshow 2014 Official Supporters, the amount they have set out to raise and their chosen aircraft are:The Chambers (£3,000, Tornado); The View (£2,500, Trig Aerobatic Team); Fresh & Easy(£2,000, Grob Tutor); The Frenchman (£2,000, King Air); The Royal Norfolk (£2,000, Sea King search-and-rescue helicopter).

Chris Smith, owner-manager of The Chambers said: “We are thrilled to be fund-raising to bring the Tornado to Folkestone Airshow. It will be one of the loudest aircraft in the flying display and we aim to make as much noise with our fund-raising”.

Folkestone Airshow 2014 will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 7 and 8. For latest information log on to www.folkestoneairshow.com

Here at Newark Air Museum, a registered charity, we’re already starting to make plans for our 2014 special events…

1 March 2014– Indoor Aeroboot / Aerojumble Table Top Sale 48 sellers tables all hosted inside Display Hangar 2 amongst the aircraft at the museum site in eastern Nottinghamshire. {Special discount admission rates apply}

********************************

17 & 18 May 2014 – Tribute to the V-Force event dedicated to the aircraft and personnel that flew Valiants, Victors and Vulcans. This event includes a major reunion of former V-Force personnel. Based around the museum’s Vulcan aircraft and newly acquired Victor cockpit it will also feature many visiting displays and is open to the public. {Normal admission rates apply}

********************************

14 & 15 June 2014 – Cockpit-Fest 2014 & Aeroboot / Aerojumble aviation and avionics sale; this regular two day event provides the perfect opportunity for the public to view a diverse range of visiting aircraft cockpits. {Normal admission rates apply}

********************************

Full details about these and other museum activities can be found at www.newarkairmuseum.org

FREE admission

If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle this Christmas, why not visit the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford during the festive period? The Museum will be open daily throughout December from 10am apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Not only will you be able to view the award winning National Cold War Exhibition, containing Britain’s three V Bombers Vulcan, Victor and Valiant and other aircraft suspended in flying attitudes, the Museum is also home to the world’s oldest Spitfire and the unique experimental jet TSR2. Plus, now on display is the last surviving Dornier Do 17, recently salvaged from the bottom of the English Channel. Best of all, if your credit cards are maxed out after Christmas, a visit to the Museum won’t cost you a penny as admission is FREE!

So if you’re looking to entertain the children in the run up to Christmas, or your nearest and dearest in the lull before New Year, the RAF Museum has something to occupy visitors of all ages. The fun filled area of Fun ‘n’ Flight will keep the youngsters fascinated, packed with hands on excitement; it’s the easy way to answer all those questions about how aircraft stay up in the air.

Reminisce in the Warplanes Hangar, where you will find a nostalgic wartime living room and garden setting, plus a wide range of historic aircraft including a Hurricane and a Lincoln bomber. If you need a break from all the cooking, why not treat yourself to a warming meal and freshly made cup of Costa Coffee followed by a festive mince pie in our Refuel Restaurant overlooking the Museum grounds.

The Museum will close again on New Year’s Day and will reopen on Thursday 2nd January 2014 from 10am. The Museum’s annual closure week for maintenance, training and cleaning will run from Monday 6th to Friday 10th January 2014. For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website www.rafmuseum.org. The Museum is open daily from 10am and admission is FREE of charge.

15 Feb 2014

The Fleet Air Arm Museum’s February Model Show has attracted quite a following. In addition to exhibitors travelling from London and the Home Counties, Cornwall and Wales, the event has also attracted two intrepid exhibitors from Scotland. David Jack and Dougie Salmon represent Edinburgh Model Boat Club and travel from Edinburgh with their display of WW2 warships.

Says David Jack “I attend shows all over the country but this one is the biggest and best and the natives are quite friendly”.

The show attracts model makers of all persuasion – Over 110 traders and clubs will be exhibiting radio controlled and plastic aeroplanes, tanks, ships figures and more.

Says event organiser Jon Jefferies “The event has been running for eighteen years and has attracted a loyal following of enthusiasts”.

The highlight of the show will be a flying display by the British Model Flying Association whose model making and piloting skills are admired around the world. The flying line-up for this year has yet to be confirmed but previous shows have seen a 20ft wingspan B52 bomber and jet powered model Concorde taking to the skies.

Whether your interest is in kits or ‘scratch built’ model aircraft the Fleet Air Arm Museum’s Feb Model Show undoubtedly will have something for everyone.

There will be competitions for plastic modellers with generous prizes sponsored by Airfix, so bring along your best models and you could walk away with a prize.

Standard museum entry prices apply and there is no additional fee for the Model Show. In addition to the show, visitors can have the opportunity of going on board the first British Concorde and on the award winning aircraft carrier experience.

Doors open at 10.00am. Normal admission prices apply and there’s no extra cost for attending the show. Tickets can be bought in advance on the Museum’s website www.fleetairarm.com

Organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo have described news of the Royal Air Force’s plans for next summer’s airshow as an exciting, early Christmas present.

In a letter to the organisers this week, the RAF outlined an ambitious programme of involvement at the Air Tattoo, which takes place at RAF Fairford, in the heart of the Cotswolds, on July 20 & 21, 2013.

The RAF’s Air Command said it hoped to send a flying VC-10 transport aircraft and TriStar air-to-air tanker plus a C-17, A330 ‘Voyager’ and C-130J/K Hercules for either the flying display or static park.

Other RAF aircraft earmarked for the airshow include a Tornado, Search & Rescue Sea King helicopter, the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

The RAF said it also supported plans by the airshow organisers to bring together all the Typhoon operators of the world in line with its operational theme SkyGuardian.

A number of potential, exciting set pieces for the flying display were also suggested by the Royal Air Force, but airshow organisers said they were keeping these under wraps until next year.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Tim Prince said: “Though we shall have to wait until spring to receive official confirmation of exactly which RAF aircraft will be attending, it’s great to receive such positive news so early.

“It is important for us to make sure that the Air Tattoo provides the most effective engagement opportunity for the Royal Air Force because of the incredible support they give us each year. Having knowledge of their plans so early on is fantastic and gives us a great head start with our planning. It was like receiving an early Christmas present!”

People planning to visit the Air Tattoo next summer have until Sunday, January 6 to take advantage of a specially-priced Super Earlybird ticket, which offers a saving of 33 per cent on the price of admission. For full details, visit www.airtattoo.com

A rare Russian-built helicopter never before seen in the UK is among the first aircraft to confirm participation in next summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford.

The Polish Navy will be sending one of its Mi-14 ‘Haze’ helicopters, which are used in Anti-Submarine Warfare and Search and Rescue, to the Air Tattoo on July 7-8 along with a maritime and reconnaissance variant of the Soviet-made Antonov An-28.

Both Hungary and Latvia have also confirmed they will be sending Russian-built aircraft, the former sending an Antonov An-26 transport aeroplane and the latter an Mi-8 helicopter. This performs a search-and-rescue role as well as transporting troops and supporting Special Forces. Other aircraft from Brazil and France have also been confirmed for the Air Tattoo.

Air Tattoo Chief Executive Tim Prince said: “Russian-built aircraft are very popular among UK enthusiasts because of their rarity on these shores. To have one making its UK debut is a real coup and one the enthusiasts will look forward to seeing.

“With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics taking place in the UK next year, I think there’s a feeling that this is the place to be in 2012. Although it is still early for most international air arms to confirm their participation we are already hearing whispers from Asia that might see some extremely rare and exotic aircraft heading for Fairford next summer. It’s very exciting.”

Next summer’s Air Tattoo, which is staged in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, will see the airshow join forces with the RAF to stage a special Diamond Jubilee celebration in honour of Her Majesty The Queen.

A limited number of special Super Earlybird tickets, priced £29, are available until January 4 by visiting www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. All Air Tattoo tickets must be purchased in advance. All accompanied under-16s go free.

A Hercules C130K Mk.3 has just become the latest aircraft to go on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, arriving just in time for Christmas. The aircraft was moved from the airfield to the Museum’s site yesterday and placed in its new permanent display space, outside overlooking the Museum site. This supersized Christmas present took a team of fifteen Museum Technicians and RAF Personnel three hours to safely move the aircraft into position, once the aircraft had been defueled.

Now one of the largest aircraft in the Museum’s extensive collection, the Hercules C130K Mk.3 made its final flight into RAF Cosford in August courtesy of No 47 Squadron, RAF Brize Norton. Since its arrival earlier this year, the aircraft has undergone a short period of maintenance carried out on the airfield.

The XV202 Hercules C130K Mk. 3 was an American aircraft built by Lockheed in Marietta, Georgia and acquired by the RAF in 1966, used mainly on longer routes and for paratrooping. This particular aircraft was one of 30 Hercules modified during the early 1980’s, with the fuselage being lengthened by 15ft. Work was carried out by Marshall of Cambridge (Engineering) Ltd, using fuselage plugs in front of and behind of the wing.

RAF Museum Curator, Al McLean says:

“We are very pleased to have this iconic aircraft, particularly as it has such a long record of service with the Royal Air Force and it makes a fine addition to the Cosford site.”

Visitors wishing to see the Hercules can now do so on a daily basis and over the Christmas period. The Museum will be open daily throughout December from 10am apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The Museum will then close again on New Year’s Day and will reopen on Monday 2nd January 2012 from 10am. Admission is FREE. For more information on the Museum please call 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

The Royal Air Force Museum is pleased to announce it has received a grant from the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust for the purpose of upgrading its interactive gallery for children.

The grant comes soon after the Charitable Trust supported the successful upgrade of the interactive gallery at the Museum’s Cosford site earlier this year, which refurbished the older exhibits and also added updated ones.

Between July and September 2012 Aeronauts will be transformed, widening the range and number of visitors able to take part in activities. The revamp will also create a new teaching space for school visits to the Museum.

The upgrade will create a new interactive activity area for younger visitors and families and allow the Museum to develop advanced scientific information displays for older visitors.

New exhibitions will include a balance machine to test pilot aptitude, an ultrasonic radar table and lifesized model aircraft for younger children to explore.

The Aeronauts Interactive Gallery in London was opened in 1998 by members of the popular BBC Children’s show ‘Blue Peter’. It currently contains over thirty ‘hands on’ exhibits which teach children about the scientific aspects of flight and aircraft design.

The gallery was designed for children aged from 7 – 12 years and is popular with both school parties and the general public. It is divided into 7 fascinating areas, each focusing on a specific flight related topic. Visitors can walk through the cloud wall into a world of flying machines, experience a Dakota that flew on the D Day operation or discover whether they have the “Right Stuff” with our pilot aptitude test. Technophiles can enter the “Hangar” to learn about engineering, or feel the thrust of a propeller and propel themselves down a track. Or, daredevils who are really ready for action can take their place in the “Mission”.

Andy McGlynn, the Museum’s Head of Fundraising:

“We are delighted that the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust is supporting the transformation of the Aeronauts Gallery. These changes will improve the experience we are able to offer visitors of all ages and create exciting new ways to discover the science of flight.”

www.rafmuseum.org

A FICTIONAL fast jet pilot named ‘Ace Mandala’ has been unveiled as the face of next summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, organisers have announced.

Ace will feature prominently on billboards, in advertising and on poster sites around the UK in the run-up to next summer’s airshow on July 7-8.

Ace is the creation of renowned artist David Bent, who was inspired following a trip to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in 2007 at the invitation of the Red Arrows. The Red Arrows first saw David’s work on display at the Air Tattoo and shortly after his visit to Cyprus, the artist was invited to become the Reds’ artist in residence.

It was whilst photographing one of the display pilots in his Hawk jet that the idea for Ace came. David said: “Although Ace made his first appearance on the 2011 posters we hadn’t given him a name or an identity. I believe he symbolises all the skilled, adventurous and brave airmen who fly. We decided we’d develop him as a character so that he could become the face of the Air Tattoo. Ultimately, I hope Ace will be to the Air Tattoo what The Stig is to Top Gear.”

Air Tattoo Marketing Deputy Director Helen Webb said when she first saw David’s artwork she was immediately struck by his vivid use of colours and his ability to convey all the excitement aviation has to offer. She said: “We felt that if David could apply the same eye-catching techniques to creating a poster image for the Air Tattoo then it could have a big impact. In the past, members of the Red Arrows have said their journey to becoming a world-class pilot was first inspired by a visit to the Air Tattoo. By bringing ‘Ace Mandala’ to life, we hope to convey the sort of excitement and thrills that can spark the imagination of a future fast jet pilot.”

Next summer’s Air Tattoo on July 7-8 will see the airshow join forces with the Royal Air Force to stage a special Diamond Jubilee celebration in honour of Her Majesty The Queen. A limited number of special Super Earlybird tickets, priced £29, are available by visiting www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. All tickets must be purchased in advance. All accompanied under-16s go free.