Posts Tagged ‘February’

RAF Museum Midlands 2024 Events Diary

Monday, February 5th, 2024

Forthcoming events taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands in 2024:
RAF Museum Midlands 2024 Events

This year, visitors to the RAF Museum Midlands can expect to see some brand-new additions to the events calendar.

A D-Day Weekend in June filled with live music and entertainment will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Flying Theatre shows will dazzle audiences on the stage and in the air, with daily shows in a pop-up amphitheatre during the six-week summer break! And Spies Week during October half term will see families taking part in Cold War espionage activities and spy shows.

RAF Museum Public Events Executive, Amy Bertaut said:
‘We’ve got an exciting events programme planned this year. Families can enjoy themed activities during each school break in addition to exploring the Museum’s vast collection of aircraft and interactive displays. We’ll be kick-starting the events programme in February half term with Sky’s the Limit, where we’ll be exploring RAF stories through a series of shows, storytelling, and trails. Families visiting us during Easter can enjoy a fortnight of all things STEM with our Space, Race and Fly! event, featuring science shows, a planetarium, and drone races. There really is something for everyone.’

The Museum will hold the annual Remembrance Service in November supported by RAF Cosford personnel and the Cosford Military Wives Choir. In December, the Royal Elf Force will be returning to the Museum with more Elf Cadet Training, where new recruits will take on festive challenges and help Santa with his biggest mission of the year!

For further information on any of the events taking place at the RAF Museum Midlands throughout 2024, visit rafmuseum.org/midlands. Admission charges apply for some events and activities, tickets are available online. Events may be subject to change and additional events may be added during the year.

The Museum is open daily from 10.00am and admission is free.

 

www.rafmuseum.org

Students compete for place on aerospace residential

Tuesday, February 28th, 2023

RAF Museum STAAR Residential

Register online at www.rafmuseum.org/STAAR
Challenges must be completed by 31 March
Residential 17-21 July / 24-28 July

The Royal Air Force Museum, in partnership with Northrop Grumman in the UK, is offering UK students a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to stay on base at RAF Cosford and immerse themselves in aerospace engineering and technology.

Students with a passion for STEM can compete in a series of challenges with the chance to win a place on the fully funded, award winning five-day Summer Time Advanced Aerospace Residency (STAAR) programme in July.

The STAAR competition is open to Year 9 students, who must work together in teams of five to tackle four STEM challenges exploring aerospace concepts. Challenges will require students to decipher secure encrypted communications, complete a reconnaissance and drone building task, and let their imaginations fly when designing their own CAD model aircraft. Each challenge is aligned with the national curriculum and is to be completed by students together in the classroom, culminating in a final presentation.

Teachers can now register a team of students, who they feel have the ambition, aptitude, and interest in STEM subjects to take on the STAAR Challenge. The competition opens on 27 February and challenges must be complete by 31 March. The schools who most successfully complete each task will win their place on the five-day STAAR residential camp at RAF Cosford in Shropshire, where they will develop their skills further. The residential will run over two weeks between 17-21 and 24-28 July for up to 20 students each week.

Julie Brierley, Head of Access, Learning and Participation at RAF Museum Midlands said:
‘Our STAAR mission is to engage the next generation of young engineers and innovators by bringing classroom STEM studies to life. Students from across the UK will have the opportunity to develop their skills by solving real world STEM and aerospace problems, and gain a valuable insight into the exciting and diverse career opportunities available in this field. The top students who make it through to the residential week and STAAR class of 2023 are guaranteed to be inspired by first-hand experience in the aerospace industry and learning from the experts.’

Nick Chaffey, Chief Executive of Northrop Grumman UK, Europe and Middle East said:
‘It is a pleasure to continue our partnership with the Royal Air Force Museum on our groundbreaking STAAR Challenge, now in its seventh year. At Northrop Grumman our mission is to define possible every day. We are a global team of pioneers with a passion for science, engineering, and technology at our heart, and we are constantly working to share that passion with young people from across the UK.

Studying STEM subjects offers students the chance to pursue a career that is inspiring, rewarding and hugely impactful – working on some of the most challenging and complex problems the world has to offer. Programmes like STAAR are vital in nurturing the pioneers of tomorrow, so that one day they too can help define possible.’

How to take part in the STAAR Competition:
• Register your team online at www.rafmuseum.org/STAAR
• 27 February – Competition begins
• 31 March – All four STEM challenges must be complete, and presentation submitted
• 17 April – Work will be judged and results announced. Winning schools will be notified

The STAAR programme is fully funded (including travel, food and accommodation for the residential phase) by Northrop Grumman. The residential week will be delivered at the RAF Museum and on base at RAF Cosford by RAF Museum STEM Ambassadors, industry experts from Northrop Grumman, Tablet Academy professionals and RAF STEM personnel.

All students participating in the STAAR competition will receive an Industrial Cadets Challenger level award. In addition, STAAR students on the residential week will receive an Industrial Cadets Silver level award, a widely recognised skills-based quality framework accreditation, enabling young people to gain industry-led recognition awards.

For more information on the STAAR programme visit www.rafmuseum.org/STAAR.

Open Days for 2023 at Bentwaters Cold War Museum

Thursday, February 16th, 2023

Bentwaters Cold War Museum

April – Sunday 2nd, Sunday 9th, Monday 10th, Sunday 16th and Sunday 30th

May – Monday 1st, Sunday 7th, Sunday 21st, Sunday 28th, Monday 29th

June – Sunday 4th, Sunday 18th

July – Sunday 2nd, Sunday 16th

August – Sunday 6th, Sunday 20th, Sunday 27th, Monday 28th

September – Sunday 2rd, Sunday 17th

October – Sunday 1st, Sunday 15th

Opening times: (10am – 4pm each day)

The museum is based in the former USAF hardened command post on the former Bentwaters airfield, we believe that currently this is the only such building open regularly to the public in the UK and Europe. The main “war operations room” and “Battle cabin” have been restored to original condition, the BT telephone exchange room, and decontamination showers and airlock are also as original. Other rooms within the building have been turned into exhibition rooms, covering the history of RAF Bentwaters from W.W.II until the base closed in 1993.

https://www.bcwm.org.uk/

Imperial War Museums celebrates 50 years of Duxford Air Shows with a new bookazine and two new Photography Collection titles

Tuesday, February 7th, 2023

IWM books

50 Years of Duxford Air Shows (Publication date June 2023)
Price: £15
Since 1973, Duxford has been delighting audiences with its annual Air Shows and 2023 will see IWM Duxford mark 50 years of inspiring flying events. To celebrate, IWM will publish the bookazine, 50 Years of Duxford Air Shows, featuring never-before-seen photographs and archive materials alongside first-hand stories from the partners and individuals who returned popular flight to Duxford. This bookazine assembles the best moments with past partners, participants and attendees recounting their favourite Air Show memories. 50 Years of Duxford Air Shows offers an official history of these much-loved events and cements their reputation as one of the world’s finest celebrations of aviation history and culture.

IWM Photography Collection: Bomber Command (publication date May 2023)
Price: £12.99
Bomber Command showcases 50 iconic photographs of the aircraft and crew that led Britain and its Allies to victory in one of the longest and most expensive Allied campaigns during the Second World War. This collection of photographs from IWM’s collection focuses on the lives of Bomber Command crew, in the air and on the ground.

IWM Photography Collection: The Blitz (publication date May 2023)
Price: £12.99
On the night of September 7, 1940, Britons saw the German air force unleash devastating bombing campaigns across the country. The Blitz tells the stories of those who lived through the bombings through a unique collection of images showing the early days of the raid to the re-building of cities in its aftermath. The haunting images featured in The Blitz highlight the true fears and the human cost of the bombing campaign for Britons during this devastating period of conflict.

All titles are available to buy from the IWM Online Shop

Second World War aircraft restored using original doping techniques

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022

Lysander at London

A Second World War Westland Lysander III (SD), the only surviving Special Duties variant of its type has been restored to its former glory and will be on display at RAF Museum London.

The aircraft has undergone conservation work including a new fabric outer skin and complete repaint in the Museum’s Michael Beetham Conservation Centre. Formerly displayed at the Museum’s London site in No. 225 Squadron markings, the Lysander is now painted in No. 161 Squadron Special Ops colour scheme, reflecting its service towards the end of the war in non-operational special transport services.

Beginning in November 2016, the aircraft underwent an in-depth inspection and condition assessment followed by a few minor structural repairs. The airframe’s damaged fabric covering was replaced while a team of volunteers cleaned and lubricated mechanical systems back to a functional state.

The aircrafts biggest transformation comes from the recovering of its airframe in a traditional Irish linen fabric, hand sewn by the Museum’s Surface Finish Technician and then strengthened using original doping techniques.

RAF Museum, Surface Finish Technician Clive Roberts said:
“Thousands of stiches were made attaching the linen to the fuselage, wings and tailplane followed by six coats of doping, a UV microwave protection layer, primer and then finally painted in its 161 Squadron Special Ops colour scheme. It’s a slow process but essential to preserving the aircraft for as long as possible. We sought the help of a Lysander expert based in Switzerland, who provided us with original photographs and technical drawings to help with the paint scheme. One of the photos shows that during R9125’s service with 161 Squadron the cooling gills were incorrectly fitted so the camouflage no longer lined up. Since this has been documented we will change ours to match that.”

The Museum’s example, serial number R9125 first became operational with No. 225 Squadron in 1940 as a coastal patrol and photo reconnaissance aircraft, based along the south coast of England. It took on the Special Duties role with No. 161 Squadron in 1944 and was operational for a further two years until they became obsolete from the RAF in 1946.

The Lysander was originally designed for Army Co-operation duties including artillery spotting and reconnaissance. However, its lasting fame is not in this role, but as a Special Duties aircraft ferrying Allied agents in and out of enemy occupied Europe. Despite some notable successes, the Army Co-operation units suffered extremely high casualties – over 170 Lysanders were sent to France in 1939 and only 50 came back. Following their withdrawal from France, Lysanders patrolled the coastal areas of south and east England as an anti-invasion reconnaissance measure and later, began air-sea rescue duties in the Channel and North Sea.

Visitors to the RAF Museum London will get the first glimpse of the aircraft in Hangar 5 this Spring.

www.rafmuseum.org

2022 Air Shows go on sale as IWM Duxford announces bumper flying season

Monday, February 7th, 2022

IWM Duxford Airshows

Running from May through to October, IWM Duxford’s flying season brings the historic airfield to life and, this year, a jam-packed programme of events promises plenty of thrilling aerobatics, roaring Spitfires and entertainment on the ground. Tickets to all flying events for 2022 will be on general sale from today.

Returning for 2022, the Duxford Summer Air Show will be taking place on 18-19 June promising fun for all the family with fast-flying, all-action aerobatics and spectacular sights in the air and on the ground. The annual Battle of Britain Air Show will return on 10-11 September offering visitors an immersion into the 1940s when RAF Duxford played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain, helping to defend the United Kingdom against Nazi air attacks. Expect plenty of Spitfire nostalgia as history is brought to life across the site for this much-loved weekend of flying entertainment.

Thanks to our friends at Aerial Collective, we are thrilled to be able to offer an exclusive prize of an unforgettable flight in a Spitfire. Any visitor who books a ticket to either Air Show before midnight on Tuesday 8 March will be automatically entered into the prize draw.
In addition to these two fantastic weekend events, the IWM Duxford Air Show team will also be welcoming visitors to its Duxford Flying Evening on 27 August to catch spectacular aircraft in flight as dusk descends over the airfield. Whilst Duxford Flying Finale on 8 October will bring together highlights from the year as we say farewell to another fantastic season of flying.

IWM Duxford’s flying season wouldn’t be complete without Flying Days and there will be six of these taking place between May-October 2022. From commemorating D-Day to celebrating the 25th anniversary since the American Air Museum opened at Duxford, each of these individually themed events will present aerial displays and specially curated ground activities.

IWM Air Show Event Manager, Phil Hood, said “Last year, our Air Shows were the biggest in the country and we were thrilled to welcome thousands of visitors back on site for these two fantastic weekends. For 2022, we have been working hard behind the scenes to create even more events to pack into our six-month flying season. Over the coming months there will be more announcements, including display acts and showground content, but we can say for certain that it will be a flying season to remember.”

www.iwm.org.uk/airshows

RAF Museum celebrates Jewish and Indian Hidden Heroes

Sunday, February 6th, 2022

Hidden Heroes

On Thursday evening the Museum invited guests from the Indian and Jewish communities to commemorate the immense diversity within the RAF in its 100+ years.

The RAF Museum is committed to sharing the RAF story with everyone and the evening included a Jewish Hidden Heroes talk by the Jewish author and historian Joshua Levine, and an Indian Hidden Heroes talk by the Indian journalist and author Shrabani Basu, both Ambassadors for the RAFM. Special guest AVM Simon Edwards (ACAS) was also in attendance, along with a group of RAF officers from the both the Jewish and Indian communities.

The event was sponsored by Advinia Healthcare (Main Sponsor), Mizrahi Tefahot Bank and the Asian Jewish Business Network.

The RAF Museum Jewish Hidden Heroes project gathers and shares untold stories, both online and in our galleries, of the Jewish personnel in the RAF during the Second World War. The project is supported by Roman Abramovich and the CFC Foundation for its Say No to Anti-Semitism Campaign.

• Joshua Levine, RAFM Ambassador – Jewish, bestselling author who has written seven critically acclaimed histories. Most recently he worked as Historical Consultant on Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Dunkirk. His book, Dunkirk: The History behind the Major Motion Picture spent five weeks at the top of the Sunday Times bestseller list.

• Shrabani Basu, RAF Museum Ambassador – Indian journalist and historian who is a Sunday Times best-selling author which include the critically acclaimed: ‘Victoria and Abdul: The Story of the Queen’s Closest Confident’ (an Oscar nominated film starring Dame Judy Dench and Ali Fazal) and ‘Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan’.

www.rafmuseum.org

RAF Museum acquires Goodman medals

Sunday, February 6th, 2022

Benny Goodman medals

Expert Medal Auctioneers, Dix Noonan Webb have arranged the sale of the Second War campaign group of six awarded to Lancaster pilot Squadron Leader L. S. ‘Benny’ Goodman to the RAF Museum. Goodman, who died in July 2021, aged 100 and his memorial service will be held at St. Clement Danes Church, this Friday (February 4, 2022) was the last surviving RAF pilot of 617 (Dambuster) Squadron to attack the German battleship Tirpitz. He went on to be one of the few pilots to drop the 22,000lb ‘Grand Slam’ bomb, the heaviest ever dropped by the Royal Air Force, and by the end of the war he had flown on 30 bombing operations.

The medals were sold with Squadron Leader Goodman’s brown leather Irvin flying jacket, five Royal Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Books plus several photographs and photographic images of the recipient as well as a variety of books.

Christopher Mellor-Hill, Head of Client Liaison (Associate Director), Dix Noonan Webb commented: “DNW are pleased to have facilitated the sale of “Benny” Goodman’s medals and memorabilia to the RAF Museum by mutual agreement before the auction. They will be part of a major exhibit being planned by the museum.”

Squadron Leader Goodman’s son, Robert, also added: “I’m very pleased that my father’s medals and artefacts will be purchased by the RAF Museum with the proceeds of the sale benefitting the Royal Air Force No 617 Squadron Association. I’m sure that he would have been thrilled that his legacy will be kept alive for the nation and shared with the world at the RAF Museum while giving back to No 617 Squadron, with which he fought so valiantly during the Second World War.”

Dr Peter Johnston (Head of Collections and Research, the RAF Museum) explained: “The Museum is delighted to have acquired this wonderful piece of history which enables us to tell a unique part of the Royal Air Force story. “Benny” Goodman had a fantastic relationship with the Museum and was featured in the Jewish ‘Hidden Heroes’ project that was launched in 2018. We are planning that his medals and log book will go on display in the Bomber Command Hall as part of its redevelopment in 2023.”

www.rafmuseum.org

GAF Jindivik being transferred to Newark Air Museum

Tuesday, February 16th, 2021

GAF Jindivik being transferred to Newark

Despite the Newark Air Museum being closed due to the latest Covid-19 Lockdown and the museum staff being furloughed, work behind the scenes has continued. The museum trustees are pleased to advise that thanks to a collection review by Aerospace Bristol, the museum will soon be taking ownership of GAF Jindivik, A92-708.

The Jindivik is currently in store at Aerospace Bristol’s site at Patchway, Bristol. When Covid guidelines allow, this example of the famous reusable pilotless target aircraft will be moved to Newark’s Gateway Aviation Site in in eastern Nottinghamshire, close to the county border with Lincolnshire.

As an Accredited Museum, the trustees of Newark Air Museum were able to facilitate the transfer of this exhibit in quite a simple manner. The trustees are grateful to the assistance provided by Stefanie Vincent AMA, Collections Manager at Aerospace Bristol throughout the decision making process.

“We are extremely grateful to Aerospace Bristol for helping us to complete this latest acquisition”, commented museum trustee Colin Savill, he continued. “From its use a target drone the Jindivik lies within two of our collecting remits; it will also complement the museum’s UAV display. The UAV display was established as a collaborative exercise with the Institute of Engineering and Surveying and Space Geodesy (IESSG) at the University of Nottingham and the RAF Museum, Hendon.”

“Firstly, it fits within our training collection where we have a considerable aircraft collection and other training aids. Secondly it complements our developing munitions display including Blue Steel, Yellow Sun, various missiles and bomb disposal equipment.”

He concluded, “The current plan is to display the Jindivik outdoors, with a longer term aim of displaying it under cover. We are really looking forward to adding this to our collection.”

www.newarkairmuseum.org

COVID UNCERTAINTY GROUNDS AIR TATTOO

Tuesday, February 16th, 2021

RIAT 2021 Cancelled

This summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo, which was due to take place at RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire on July 16-18, has been cancelled by organisers, the RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises (RAFCTE).

RAFCTE Directors concluded that the ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 meant there were too many risks associated with pressing ahead with the airshow. It is the second year running the event has been unable to take place.

Air Tattoo CEO Paul Atherton said he and his team had been working hard during the past six months to explore ways in which the Air Tattoo could take place against the backdrop of the pandemic but, with five months to the event, there still remained too many unknowns.

“If we knew, with some degree of certainty what the situation would be in the summer,” he said, “we’d be able to plan ahead but, the truth is, we simply don’t know. We have reached a point where, to plan further, would involve us committing large sums of money to secure the event infrastructure. Without any insurance being available this year, this money would be lost if the airshow had to cancel nearer the time. It was simply too big a risk to take.

“I know how disappointed all those who are involved in the airshow will be, from our incredible army of volunteers and loyal ticketholders to our valued corporate guests, suppliers, traders and sponsors, as well as the many military air arms from around the globe, but I also know they will understand and support our decision. Public safety is paramount, and we also have a duty to protect the future of RIAT. By making this decision in a timely and controlled manner, we will be in a far stronger position to bounce back in 2022.”

Mr Atherton added that it was particularly disappointing to have to announce the cancellation of the airshow this year, the Air Tattoo’s 50th anniversary.

He said: “Everyone was looking forward to marking the Air Tattoo’s 50th at RAF Fairford in July and we had some great ideas as to how best to celebrate the incredible achievements of this much-loved event since it was first staged in 1971. We remain determined to identify new opportunities to mark this important milestone this year, both by building on the success of last year’s inaugural Virtual Air Tattoo as well as other exciting activities, where possible.”

All ticketholders for this summer’s Air Tattoo will be contacted by the end of February and offered either a refund or the opportunity to roll over their tickets to the 2022 Air Tattoo, which will take place on July 15-17.

www.airtattoo.com