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It was announced today that General Jean-Paul Paloméros, Chief of the French Air Force has become a Vice President of the Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial.The General joins Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of the Royal Air Force in this role, as well as the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu; RAF historian, author and Daily Telegraph columnist Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork and TV celebrity Jan Leeming, who recently accepted the same invitation, in this ‘ambassadorial’ role in support of the work of the Memorial to preserve the memory of allied servicemen and women. This is the first time that the Heads of two Air Forces have ever come together as Vice Presidents for a Museum.

Born in Paris in 1953, General Paloméros became the 49th Chief of Staff of the French Air Force on 25 August 2009. He gained his flying wings in 1976 and holds the Grand Officer de la Legion d’Honneur, Officer de l’Orde National Mérite and Médaille de l’Aeronautique. His Battle Honours include Operation Crécerelle and Operation Deny Flight. He was involved “on the ground” in Libya in support of the highly effective Anglo-French air operations.

In his letter, General Paloméros expressed his enjoyment of his recent visit to York for the Inauguration of the French Memorial at York Minster on 20th October last year, and that it was his great pleasure to accept this Honorary role for the Allied Air Forces Memorial.

Museum Director, Ian Reed said, “We are delighted that the French Air Force have honoured us in this way, which underlines the close aviation links between our two countries and the important significance of the work of the Allied Air Forces Memorial. The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial is one of the largest museum memorials of its type in Europe. It is located at Elvington near York and was the former base of the only two French Heavy Bomber squadrons within RAF Bomber Command.”

www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

We are delighted to announce that tickets for the 2012 IWM Duxford air shows are now on sale.Following another exciting air show season in 2011, we now look ahead to a fabulous year of unforgettable flying displays.

We’ve got a fantastic value Early Bird offer running until the end of February 2012 and we’ve also got a very special ticket offer in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Jubilee Air Show
Sunday 27May

Celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in style, The Jubilee Air Show brings together historic and contemporary aircraft fromthe past 60 years and beyond. Enjoy a fantastic display fit for royalty.

Jubilee Air Show Ticket Offer

To mark 60 years of the Queen’s reign, we are offering Senior visitors (aged 60 plus) a free ticket for the Jubilee Air Show when a full price adult or senior ticket is purchased. This offer is on advance ticket purchases only; it cannot be used on the day of the event. 

Flying Legends

Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July

Flying Legends - two words which instantly evoke the very best of classic aircraft displaying at IWM Duxford in one of the world’s most celebrated air shows. The Fighter Collection and IWM Duxford are proud to present Flying Legends 2012 - another unmissable fusion of power, sounds and nostalgia.

Please note that the Early Bird offer does not apply to Flying Legends (Saturday 30 June and
Sunday 1 July)

The Fighter Collection and IWM Duxford are delighted to offer a range of hospitality offers for this year’s unmissable Flying Legends event. Full details of the packages will be revealed in the Flying Legends press release issued shortly. 

The Duxford Air Show
Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September

The Duxford Air Show is the highlight of IWMDuxford’s calendar of flying events. In an outstanding aerial spectacle, the very best historic andmodern aircraft display in the skies over this famous airfield. Featuring civilian andmilitary aircraft, The Duxford Air Show always presents a fantastically varied programme with some distinctive and popular flying performances.

Autumn Air Show
Sunday 14 October

Closing the air show season for 2012, the Autumn Air Show presents a thrilling aerodynamic show with a relaxed, end-of-season atmosphere. Featuring aircraft past and present, the Autumn Air Show offers a fine selection of aerial demonstrations with something for all aviation interests.

Early Bird Offer

We’re offering a fabulous early bird discount of 15%on IWM Duxford 2012 air show tickets. The Early Bird offer is available untilWednesday 29 February 2012. After this date, the normal advance purchase discount of 10% applies.

Tickets can be purchased online at iwm.org.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01223 499353. The Box Office is open Monday to Friday from9.30amto 4.30pm. There is no booking fee but a postage and packing fee applies per transaction.

Please note that these offers do not apply to Flying Legends (Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July 2012).

Advance tickets will be available until:

The Jubilee Air Show

For overseas postal delivery - 5.00pm on Friday 11 May
For UK postal delivery - 5.00pm on Wednesday 16 May

The Duxford Air Show
For overseas postal delivery - 5.00pm on Friday 24 August
For UK postal delivery - 5.00pm on Wednesday 29 August

Autumn Air Show
For overseas postal delivery - 5.00pm on Friday 28 September

For UK postal delivery - 5.00pm on Wednesday 3 October
Please call the Box Office on 01223 499353 should you require further assistance.

VIP Packages for The Duxford Air Show

Enjoy a very special air show experience with our range of hospitality passes which offer the best seats in the house at The Duxford Air Show (Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September 2012).

Our Platinum Pass offers seats at the heart of the flying action, together with access to a sumptuous hospitality marquee where you can enjoy a delectable two-course lunch before enjoying a thrilling flying display fromthe comfort of a private garden enclosure. PlatinumPass is perfect for corporate entertaining or a special family celebration.

Gold Pass offers relaxed entertaining at its best. Enjoy a fine view of the flying action and access to a fully equipped hospitality marquee.

Choose to dine fromour in-house Gourmet Deli Bar or bring your own picnic lunch and relax in comfort as you watch the flying display fromthe heart of the flight line.

New for 2012, Silver Pass has been created especially with families in mind. Enjoy all the atmosphere and activities that the air show has to offer fromthe convenience of the Silver Passmarquee. There will be special children’s activities to entertain all the family and a refreshment point selling drinks and snacks.

Book your Gold or Silver Pass tickets beforeWednesday 29 February 2012 and enjoy £5 off the standard ticket price.

Tickets can be purchased online at iwm.org.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01223 499353. The Box Office is open Monday to Friday from9.30amto 4.30pm.

Join us for a thrilling season of air shows in 2012 - the sky’s the limit for exciting aerial entertainment!

www.iwm.org.uk

The winning images from the annual Royal Air Force Photographic Competition will be on view to members of the public at the RAF Museum London from 15th January 2012.

The Royal Air Force is celebrating the superb achievements of its photographers following the judging of the annual RAF Photographic Competition. The winning entries are to be displayed at a unique exhibition at the RAF Museum in North London which opens on 15th January.

Subject categories range from ‘The Operational Experience’, an image that reflects the Royal Air Force conducting vital work on operations or training in support of operations, through to the ‘Equipment’ category which gives photographers the exciting opportunity to display their skill photographing the Service’s world-class equipment. The 2011 RAF Public Relations Photograph of the year was taken by Sgt Pete Mobbs of RAF Coningsby. His photograph ‘If the Glove Fits’ captured a 3 Squadron Pilot climbing into the cock-pit of a Royal Air Force Typhoon operating from Gioia del Colle in Italy in support of Operation Unified Protector, as part of the NATO-led, UN-mandated coalition to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 calling upon coalition forces to successfully protect the people of Libya from attacks made upon them by the regime of the late Colonel Gadaffi.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton presented the winners with their awards. He said ‘The competition entries this year are once again of the highest quality and showcase not only the professional abilities of our Royal Air Force Photographers but also the tremendous diversity and adaptability of our people and equipment. These dynamic images reflect the extensive breadth of Service life and the critical contribution that our personnel have made to global operations, in particular our support to operations in both Libya and Afghanistan.’

For 22 years, the Royal Air Force has held a photographic competition in recognition of the skills and high standard of work of their trained photographers and to highlight that the Royal Air Force remains a global force and is on operations around the world. The Royal Air Force’s successful mission in Libya alongside its continued commitments to operations in Afghanistan, the Falkland Islands, and the continued protection of UK air-space provided significant subject matter for RAF photographers during 2011.

Consequently, a large number of the entries in this year’s competition reflect the broad range of operational and pre-deployment training activities that are undertaken by the Service: such as Chinook and Merlin helicopters that provide essential mobility, moving personnel and equipment and undertaking medical evacuations crewed by Royal Air Force medical teams; those aircraft necessary for the successful supply of UK forces abroad; and the mission critical protection provided by the RAF Regiment.

Warrant Officer Mick Gladwin, who is responsible for the Photographic Trade Group said:” Royal Air Force Photographers have superb technical ability and take great pride in their work. As reflected in the entries this year, they strive to achieve the highest standards in areas as diverse as aerial reconnaissance, portraiture and video as well as completing tasks in support of the police, post crash management, engineering, medical and dental branches in their day-to-day duties.”

In excess of 900 images were entered in the competition which made the selection of winners extremely difficult. Judging this year was conducted by Air Cdre (Ret’d) Barry Doggett, Mr Andy Whittle (Retired Warrant Officer Photographer), Mr Colin Inglis Commercial Business Manager for Jacobs Digital.

All were unanimous in their appreciation of the very high standard, quality and diversity of work produced by both Service and civilian photographers.

The photographs will be on display in the RAF Museum, electronically beamed onto glass screens located in the ‘RAF Today’ area of the Milestones of Flight Gallery. The exhibition will be on show at the Museum’s London site until 15th April when it will then transfer to the Museum’s Cosford’s site in Shropshire.

Entry to the Royal Air Force Photographer of the Year Exhibition is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. The exhibition will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until April 15th. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266.

 Forthcoming events taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford during 2012:

· Model Making Half Term - 13th-17th February

· Shropshire Modellers’ Show - 1st April

· Bike 4 Life Easter Egg Run - 1st April

· Cold War Trail - 1st-15th April

· 60th Anniversary of the Comets 1st Passenger Flight - 2nd May

· Open Cockpits Evening - 19th May

· National Service (RAF) Association Parade - 20th May

· Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations - 2nd June

· Half Term Diamond Activities - 2nd-10th June

· RAF Cosford Air Show (Admission Charges Apply) - 17th June

· Armed Forces Day - 30th June

· Bike 4 Life Summer Run - 1st July

· August Activities - 1st-31st August

· Exclusive Gala Ball - 8th September

· Battle of Britain Weekend - 15th - 16th September

· Open Cockpits Evening - 22nd September

· 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis - 15th October

· Search and Rescue Half Term - 22nd-26th October

· Remembrance Service - 11th November

· Conservation Centre Open Week - 12th-17th November

More details on each event will be issued closer to the time. (Provisional list of events, dates maybe subject to change)

For further information on forthcoming events taking place at the RAF Museum Cosford in 2012, please contact the Museum on 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org. The Museum is open daily from 10am. Entry to the Museum is FREE.

The Blitz, the aerial bombing campaign on London during the Second World War ran from 7th of September to 11th May 1941. During this period 50,000 bombs and millions of incendiary devices fell on the city bringing death and destruction to London’s civilian population. In total 30,000 Londoners were killed, entire communities destroyed and countless thousands left homeless.

To commemorate this turbulent period in the capital’s history the Mayor of London has specially commissioned an exhibition on the 70th anniversary of the London Blitz dedicated to those individuals involved in the emergency, volunteer, transport and specialist services who kept London going during the darkest days of the War. Previously displayed at City Hall, this exhibition will now transfer to the Royal Air Force Museum London where it will be on view to the public, free of charge, from 1st February until the end of May.

Central to this exhibition are the iconic war-time images and histories from the collections of various London organisations, each of which vividly portray the story of London’s people, their Blitz Spirit and determination. These rare and poignant images are provided courtesy of London Transport Museum, the Museum of London, the Metropolitan Police Historical Collection, the Fire Brigade Museum, London Ambulance Service, Barts and London NHS and the Royal Pioneer Corps Association. Each brings alive the story of a capital bowed but not broken and of a people quietly resolved to keep calm and carry on with their daily lives in the face of terrible war-time deprivation.

Ian Thirsk, Head of Collections at the Royal Air Force Museum, stated:

‘I would like to thank the Mayor’s Office and City Hall for granting the Royal Air Force Museum the opportunity of showcasing this exhibition during this 70th anniversary year of the London Blitz. We are particularly honoured to display this collaborative effort, from so many of the capital’s organisations, which narrates the story of how they were central to the on-going delivery of vital public services during late 1940 and early 1941.’ 

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson welcomed the exhibition being shown at the RAF Museum: ‘We must never forget the bravery and dogged determination of the men and women who battled to keep London going in the face of a terrifying and unremitting bombardment which sought to destroy our great city during the Blitz. This tremendous spirit and resilience remain at the very heart of the capital and we owe a huge debt of gratitude and respect to all those who helped secure London’s future.’

Entry to the ‘London Blitz 70th Anniversary Exhibition’ is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. It will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until Tuesday 31st May in the Museum’s Bomber Hall. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266. If you would like to learn more about the Blitz, the Museum has produced a podcast on this topic which may be accessed at www.rafmuseum.org/podcasts.

On January 22nd the Royal Air Force Museum London will be unveiling its latest temporary display ‘Tin Hats and Football Boots’. This display explores the contribution made by various members of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal Football Clubs to the Royal Air Force and Air Raid Precautions during the Second World War whilst examining how important regular competitive football was to the upkeep of the capital’s morale.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, the world of football changed. Hostilities affected clubs in every league all over the country. The Football League was suspended and then re-instated in a new guise with many professional players joining the armed services and being called upon as ‘guest’ players by clubs near their billets.

North London rivals, and RAF Hendon’s major local clubs, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur found themselves sharing Spur’s ground at White Hart Lane; Arsenal’s Highbury ground having been requisitioned by the government as an ARP centre.

Not only did these two neighbouring giants have to work together to ensure that both teams catered for their fans but also that they did so through the provision of nail-biting and stimulating games, quite often without the key players or support staff who had been so central to each team’s success before the War.

Ellen Soall, football fan and Curator of the display said:

‘ It was only whilst conducting research into local history for a Museum project that I realized how integral both Clubs were to London’s war effort. For 90 minutes both players and spectators could escape the horror of war and life would, for a brief period, assume an air of normality - all important for maintaining morale and a reminder of more peaceful times.

The aim of this display is to highlight the hidden history of both clubs. Success should not only be measured by the amount of silverware in trophy cabinets but also by the contribution made by football to the war effort.

My thanks go to the following people for their assistance: Samir Singh (Arsenal Football Club), Andy Porter (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club), Peter Cooper and the RAF FA and finally the Abelheim family for use of family photographs. ‘

Entry to ‘Tin Hats and Football Boots’ is free of charge to visitors; as is entry to the Museum. It will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until Monday 4th July in the Museum’s Historic Hangars. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266.

Dr Michael Fopp, Director General of the Royal Air Force Museum for the last 22 years, will retire in June 2010, but will be retained by the Museum to assist a fund-raising campaign for a new visionary project to commemorate and celebrate the enduring legacy of the Battle of Britain.

“Michael Fopp has led the Museum for many years with a commitment and energy which is unsurpassed”, said Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day. “The Trustees and the Royal Air Force owe him a great debt of gratitude for making the RAF Museum the success it has become.”

“I am delighted that he has agreed to maintain his involvement in the Museum in his retirement in order to help with our next major visionary project”.

“I have worked for the RAF Museum for more than half my life and I am delighted that, even in retirement, I will still have a role to play in its success and development”, said Dr Fopp, who is also looking forward to his year as Master of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators during 2010/11.

Dr Fopp’s career has been marked by an energetic approach to all aspects of curatorship and development with, for example, the Museum’s collection management systems making millions of objects held by the Museum available to the public via the internet.

In recent years, major projects at Hendon have included the “Milestones of Flight” and Grahame White factory buildings and at Cosford the opening in 2007 of the immensely successful National Cold War Exhibition, shortly to welcome its one-millionth visitor.

Although remaining in the employment of the Museum until June 2010, Dr Fopp will hand over his post at the end of January 2010. His duties will be undertaken by Peter Dye, currently Deputy Director General, who will be appointed Acting Director General from 1 February 2010. The process of appointing a permanent successor to Dr Fopp will start immediately.

www.rafmuseum.org

The winning images from the Royal Air Force’s Photograph of the Year Competition will be on view to members of the public at the RAF Museum from 16th January 2010.

Start date: January 16th

End date: April 16th

Entrance: FREE

The Royal Air Force is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain this year and, as their finest visual communicators prepare for their skills to be in high demand covering a summer of national activity, the RAF Photographers are showing off their latest winning pictures at a unique exhibition of RAF Photography at the RAF Museum in North London opening on 16th January.

The Royal Air Force currently has approximately 180 trained photographers all of whom have undertaken a 28 week training course at the Defence School of Photography at Cosford, which provides them with the skill and expertise to gain an NVQ Level 3 standard in Photography.

RAF Warrant Officer Andy Whittle, said: “These men and women have superb technical ability and take great pride in their role, striving to attain the highest standards of work in areas as diverse as aerial reconnaissance, portraiture, video, digital imagery, and ceremonial as well as completing tasks in support of the police, post crash management, engineering, medical and dental branches.”

Subject categories range from ‘The Royal Air Force Experience’, production of a single photograph that depicts personnel conducting their day-to-day work to ‘Equipment’ which gives photographers the exciting opportunity to display their skills by capturing the Royal Air Force’s world-class kit. The ‘Sport’ category reflects the Royal Air Force’s commitment to provide opportunities for personal development, leadership and teamwork through both social and competitive sports. There is also a category for the amateur military photographer.

More than 1400 images were entered in the 2009 Competition which made the selection of winners extremely difficult. Judging this year was conducted by Mr Adam Sorenson, Daily Mirror Photographer, Mr Dennis Nicholls from Nikon UK and Mr Stan Stabler, a retired Royal Air Force photographer. All were unanimous in their appreciation of the very high standard, quality and diversity of work produced by both Service and civilian photographers. In total over 50 photographs will be on display in the RAF Museum, electronically beamed onto glass screens located in the ‘RAF Today’ area of the Milestones of Flight Gallery. The exhibition will be on show at the Museum’s London site until 16th April when it will then transfer to the Museum’s Cosford’s site in Shropshire.

The Royal Air Force Public Relations “Photograph of the year”, the picture which best represents the image, reputation and profile of the Royal Air Force, was taken by Cpl Scott Robertson of the Mobile News Team, Headquarters Air Command. His photograph reflects the recent deployment of the Tornado GR4 in support of operations in Afghanistan.

“It’s fantastic to win the most coveted award of the competition! It’s not every day this happens but you aim for it every day. You want every photograph you take to be Photograph of the Year. It’s good feedback for what we do at Headquarters Air Command as this is our bread and butter.”

Presenter of the awards, Air Vice-Marshal Carl Dixon: “The imagery is inspirational. The RAF is a Service which is opportunity rich in potential and all areas of RAF life have been well represented.

They have clearly spotted the moment and grabbed it through their lenses - my message to them is “keep them coming” because photography is one of the most important ways of keeping today’s RAF in the public eye.”

Entry to the Royal Air Force Photographer of the Year Exhibition is free of charge to visitors; as is entry and parking to the Museum. The exhibition will be shown daily from 10am to 6pm until April 16th. For further details please visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or dial 020 8205 2266.

Designed by the legendary Sir Sydney Camm in 1934, the Hawker Hurricane played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain, downing more enemy aircraft than the more widely known Supermarine Spitfire. This year, the Yorkshire Air Museum’s full size replica of the Hawker Hurricane will be transported to the magnificent setting of Windsor Castle, where it will form a centrepiece display for the Windsor Tattoo, taking place between the 12 and 15th May.

This display not only celebrates the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain but also supports a campaign instigated by Sir Sydney Camm’s only grandchild, Elizabeth Dickson, to establish a scholarship fund to mark Camm’s towering achievements as one of Hawkers most prolific designers. At one time, during the 1930’s, eight out of ten aircraft within the RAF were designed by him, including the Hawker Hart, Hind and Fury. However, despite being described within the aviation industry as the ‘Isambard Kingdom Brunel of aeronautical engineering’, Camm’s contribution to victory in WWII and post war defence has not received the recognition from the British public that he richly deserves.

Elizabeth Dickson describes her grandfather as a quiet and reserved man, not given to ‘blowing his own trumpet’ and actually had to be persuaded to accept his knighthood. Camm, who was born in Windsor and joined Hawker in 1923, continued to develop aircraft such as the Hawker Hunter, which in 1951 was the fastest aircraft of it’s time, and then became the pioneer of vertical take off and landing jet flight with the revolutionary Hawker Harrier, which is still in service more than 40 year’s after Camm’s death in 1966. The Harrier became famous for its impressive role during the Falklands War and an example of the aircraft can be seen at the Yorkshire Air Museum.

Ian Reed, Museum Director, comments: “We are very proud to have been invited to support the Windsor Tattoo and bring our Hawker Hurricane to Sir Sydney Camm’s hometown. The scholarship fund that the event will also promote is an excellent way to ensure Camm’s achievements can inspire future generations of aeronautical engineers. Work is now in progress to repaint the Hurricane and bring it into pristine condition for this superb event.”

http://www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk/