March – Page 14 – Airscene News

RAF AIRPOWER ON SHOW AT AIR TATTOO

Two of the world’s most potent fast jets are among a stellar line-up of RAF aircraft joining celebrations marking the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee at this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo.

As well as displays by the RAF’s frontline fighting force, the Typhoon and the Tornado, visitors to the Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford on July 7-8 will be able to see a range of training aircraft including the Tutor, Tucano and King Air as well as historic RAF warbirds such as the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster.

Also taking part will be the legendary RAF Red Arrows, originally formed at RAF Fairford in 1965 who will be performing with seven rather than the usual nine Hawk jets in 2012.

There will be another special homecoming for the RAF’s solo Hawk display pilot Flt Lt Phil Bird who will be performing in his home town of Fairford. He said: “Becoming a fast jet pilot in the RAF was a life-long dream and the idea of displaying in front of the crowds at my home airshow is something I am incredibly excited about.”

It is also likely that the A400M, the new heavy transport aircraft that will supercede the C-130 Hercules in RAF service, will be put through its paces by its Airbus Military test pilot at the airshow.

Air Tattoo spokesman Richard Arquati said the level of RAF participation reflected the important role the Air Tattoo plays in enabling the Service to demonstrate to the public the capability of its aircraft and the professionalism of its men and women. He added: “We’re really looking forward to working with the Royal Air Force to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee with an exciting aerial tribute that will live long in the memory.”

Other Air Tattoo highlights this year include displays by the Vulcan bomber, a US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey and the European debut of the Al Fursan aerobatics display team from the United Arab Emirates. Special Air Tattoo ‘Earlybird’ tickets, priced £34, are available until the end of March from www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. All accompanied under-16s go free. Free parking.

Harrier GR9 arrives at IWM Duxford

Recently, BAE Systems Harrier GR9 ZD461 was transported from RAF Cottesmore to IWM Duxford, where it will undergo conservation work and a rebuild.

The acquisition of a second-generation Harrier with Afghanistan theatre history is hugely important to Imperial War Museums and enables us to communicate and interpret significant aspects of contemporary conflict. No other aircraft in the current IWM collection has Afghanistan service history so Harrier ZD461 presents an important addition to the IWM collection which develops our interpretation of modern warfare.

Harrier GR9 ZD461 was originally built as a GR5 model and was upgraded to a GR7 in 1992. In 1999, the aircraft served with No.4 Army Co-operation (AC) Squadron and moved with the squadron from Germany to RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, Great Britain.

During February and March 2003, the aircraft was deployed with No.4 AC Squadron to Operation Telic in Iraq. In August 2004, No.4 AC Squadron was deployed to Operation Herrick, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, followed by deployment to HMS Invincible in 2005. By May 2006, No.4 AC Squadron was once again serving in Afghanistan. This was followed by a tour of duty at Luqa, Malta before returning to RAF Cottesmore in August 2007. From there the aircraft was transferred to RAF Lossiemouth in September 2007 before being upgraded to a GR9 under the Joint Maintenance and Upgrade programme in 2008.

In January 2010, Harrier ZD461 was grounded at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, having suffered CAT.3 damage from brake fire during exercise Red Flag 2010-2. In March 2010, it was returned to RAF Cottesmore for repairs, where it remained following the withdrawal of the Harrier fleet from RAF service in December 2010.

IWM London is about to undertake a large-scale redevelopment, creating brand new First World War galleries as part of our plans to mark the First World War Centenary in 2014 as well as a transformed central atrium space. It is hoped that the Harrier GR9 will be able to be included in the reconfigured atrium, which will re-interpret and redisplay our iconic large objects, but we are still in the process of finalising our exhibits for this space.

www.iwm.org.uk

IWM Duxford shows newly conserved aircraft for the first time

IWM Duxford’s newly-conserved de Havilland Vampire WZ590 was presented to the media this Tuesday 13 March. Also part of a large gathered audience were members of Friends of Duxford and Duxford Aviation Society.

Steve Woolford, Head of Interpretation and Collections, made a welcoming speech, thanking IWM Duxford staff and volunteers for their dedication and commitment to the conservation of the aircraft, which has taken four years to complete.

Conservation team staff and volunteers were in attendance for photographs, including Dr Rohan Nelson, who travelled all the way from Canberra in Australia to assist with the conservation of the Vampire and who was in attendance at the aircraft presentation.

The aircraft was then rolled out of the Conservation Hall in AirSpace and onto the airfield jet pan for further photographs.

The Vampire will be transferred to the Battle of Britain exhibition this week, where it will go on permanent display to the public.

Chris Knapp, Conservation Manager, said “This is another successful project completed to our high conservation standards. It demonstrates the dedication of our staff and volunteers and helps us to uphold our reputation for excellence. We are particularly proud of the Vampire as it has involved more detailed conservation than we are usually able to undertake. Many components within the aircraft are still in the original paint and condition that they were during the aircraft’s time in service.”

Basil Gowring, who flew Vampires during the 1950s, recently reminisced on his experiences, “I flew a lot from Duxford, having joined 65 Squadron in December 1953, flying Meteors from there until mid 1956. I was posted away, to 233 Operational Conversion Unit at Pembrey, as a staff instructor and it was there where I flew most of my Vampire time – mostly in the single-seat Marks 5 and 9, and also the two-seat trainer version, the T11 – initially without ejector seats but later with the ejector seat equipped version. I did keep flying the T11s on subsequent tours, usually on gunnery instruction or occasionally when conducting instrument rating tests on other pilots. I returned to No 65 Squadron at Duxford for a further tour of flying, this time in the Hunter Mark 6 version. My subsequent fighter tours were all on various versions of the Hunter.

Returning to the Vampire, I always found her to be a pleasure to fly, both in the twin- and single-seat versions. When taxying on the ground, one sat much closer to the tarmac than in , for example, the Meteor or Hunter and , when landing, one had to “get right in” to the observed runway to avoid an over-high round out. Considering the limited power of the single-engined Vampire, compared with the twin -engined Meteor or more potent Hunter, the “Vamp” nonetheless leapt off the ground with fair alacrity and showed a reasonable rate of climb. We used to do formation training at 30,000 feet and above and, provided you kept the engine power up, the Vampire proved pleasant to fly. It had a good rate of turn, at high and lower levels, provided one kept plenty of power on. When doing simulated combat training some good hassles with the simulated enemy could be had – provided again that you retained plenty of power on. Needless to say, continued use of higher power settings had an effect on the fuel state, particularly at the lower levels, so sometimes training sorties were relatively brief!

The Vampire was a good gunnery platform, when firing at a towed banner target over a firing range. The aircraft’s general agility allowed you to safely get into the optimum range from the target to get good results. For air to ground firing, similarly the aircraft could be flown into an optimum firing position before the need to pull out, to clear the ground and avoid loose shrapnel from one’s own firing!

Although my experience on the Vampire was much less than on my “main” aircraft – the Meteor, Hunter, and Vulcan bomber, I still look back to those pleasurable days flying the mighty Vampire.”

www.iwm.org.uk

Gigantic Delivery for RAF Museum Cosford

The RAF Museum today took delivery of a Nimrod fuselage, which arrived in style on a low loader lorry. The fuselage of Nimrod R.1 XV249 was escorted from Kemble, Gloucestershire with the load measuring some 38 metres in length.

The wings and some remaining components of the aircraft will be delivered in the near future and the Nimrod will then be re-assembled on site, before going on static display at the museum later on this year.

RAF Museum Curator, Al McLean says:

“It was amazing to see such a large aircraft transported by road to Cosford and we are pleased to be receiving a Nimrod aircraft into the RAF Museum collection. The aircraft has flown over 11,000 hours during its service with the RAF and we anticipate it being very popular with our visitors. The Nimrod will be re-assembled on site and will go on display later this year.”

Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R.1 XV249 was one of 46 aircraft used by the RAF for maritime reconnaissance and signals intelligence work, and was in service for nearly 40 years. It has a wing span of 35 metres and could reach speeds of up to 416mph. It was withdrawn from service in 2011.

The Nimrod is the latest addition to the aircraft collection along with a Hercules C-130K and Harrier GR.9A. The Museum is open from 10am – 6pm (last admission 5pm). For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org.

Rare Osprey to Swoop at Air Tattoo

A unique-looking aircraft that is both a helicopter and an aeroplane will make a very rare appearance in the UK when it takes part in the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford this summer.

Having stolen the show at the Air Tattoo 2006 where it marked its UK flying display debut, the US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey – the world’s first tilt-rotor aircraft – will be making a welcome return to Fairford on July 7-8.

A cross between a helicopter and a fixed-wing aeroplane, the Osprey’s rotor blades can tilt mid-air enabling it to take off vertically and then reconfigure to fly like an aeroplane. Not only does this allow it to reach speeds twice as fast as a helicopter but it also enables it to carry heavier payloads and fly at higher altitudes.

In 2007, the aircraft was deployed operationally for the first time, supporting routine cargo and troop movements in Iraq. Two years later, the aircraft performed its first offensive combat mission, Operation Cobra’s Anger, transporting US Marines and Afghan troops into Helmand Province to disrupt the Taliban’s communications and supply lines. In 2010, Ospreys performed their first humanitarian mission, operating in Haiti as part of Operation Unified Response following an earthquake in the country.

The US Marine Corps plans to send two MV-22Bs, one for the flying display and the other for the static park.

An Air Tattoo spokesman said few other modern aircraft have been so revolutionary in terms of their design and operational capability. He added: “In musical terms, adding the Osprey to the flying display is a bit like Glastonbury adding Jay-Z to the bill – it’s sassy, has lots of good moves and looks downright cool.”

This year’s Air Tattoo will see organisers join with the RAF to stage special aerial tributes celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Special Air Tattoo ‘Earlybird’ tickets, priced £34, are available until the end of March from www.airtattoo.com or by calling 0800 107 1940. All accompanied under-16s go free. Free parking.

Announcing Flying Legends 2012

The Fighter Collection and IWM Duxford are delighted to announce Flying Legends 2012 with the release of a thrilling clip of a trailer which will whet your appetite for this year’s extravaganza event. See the clip at http://www.iwm.org.uk/events/flying-legends

This year, Flying Legends will be held on Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July.

A knowledgeable worldwide following has ensured that Flying Legends is the air show event in the aviation calendar.

Each of the historic aircraft on display at Flying Legends is a living tribute to the outstanding skills of the people who designed, built,maintained and flew themand to the dedication of those who have restored these stunning aircraft back to life.

Flying Legends presents these iconic aircraft in a spectacular display that honours their history and aerial achievements.

The flying display promises an unmissable fusion of power, sound, excitement and nostalgia as a series of rare and unique piston-engined propeller aircraft performtheir breathtaking flights over the historic airfield at IWM Duxford.

On the ground, there will be a whole section devoted to vintage nostalgia with a fabulous forties wartime atmosphere. There will be livemusic, including a welcome return by The Manhattan Dolls, who will be bringing their Andrews Sisters-style show direct fromNew York. The Manhattan Dolls were hugely popular at Flying Legends 2011, performing those instantly-recognisable songs of the 1930s and 1940s.

The whole museum will be open to explore throughout the day, with eight fantastic exhibition spaces and over 200 aircraft to see. Our award-winning exhibitions take you on an unforgettable journey through aviation from the earliest flights to present-day jets – all part of a rich and unique collection.

For just a hint of what to expect at Flying Legends 2012, watch the filmclip at http://www.iwm.org.uk/events/flying-legends

Buy your tickets in advance and save 10%. Hurry, the offer ends at 5pm on Friday 15 June for overseas postal delivery and at 5pm on Wednesday 20 June for UK postal delivery.

VIP Hospitality

Go For Gold at Flying Legends

Enjoy a very special Flying Legends experience with our Gold Pass, offering admission to Flying Legends with priority car parking, access to a luxury hospitalitymarquee with cash bar, café-style seating and a private garden enclosure. Gold Pass also offers access to the thrilling flight line walk, giving closer access to those wonderful historic aircraft, and a complimentary souvenir programme.

A pre-bookable two course lunch is also available as part of Gold Pass.

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.

The Flying Legends Bremont Flight Lounge

Experience Flying Legends fromthe VIP Bremont Flight Lounge hospitality suite.

The Flight Lounge offers priority parking, private luxurymarquee and garden located on the flight line, morning coffee and biscuits, garden access to the flight line walk (9amto noon only), champagne reception with canapés, gourmet buffet lunch served with red and white wine, Flying Legends souvenir programme, luxury toilets within the private enclosure, luxury indoor seating area with television viewing , daily newspapers and magazines, event hostess and bar table service, finishing with a traditional English afternoon creamtea.

To discuss your Bremont Flight Lounge individual requirements please contact Jane Larcombe at The Fighter Collection on 01223 834973 or larks@fighter-collection.com

All flying is subject to weather, serviceability and operational commitments.

www.iwm.org.uk

Large Model Air Show Set To Fly High With Discounted Advanced Tickets

16-17 July 2011
Advanced tickets on sale from 1st April
On site camping
Gates open 8.30am

Advance tickets for the annual Large Model Aircraft Rally taking place at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July 2011 will be on sale from Friday 1st April 2011.

This famous air show in miniature is an absolute must see for any aviation enthusiast. Last year it attracted in excess of 12,000 visitors over the weekend, with hundreds of scale models of iconic aircraft taking to the skies during the two-day event. Large Model Association organisers are hoping this year’s event will prove just as popular and are now offering the chance to beat the rush and buy tickets early on at a discounted rate.

The main theme of this year’s show will be marking the 75th Anniversary of the first Spitfire flight, with scale models of this iconic aircraft flying both days. The event also includes a family fun fair, trade and food stalls, access to the RAF Museum and full size aircraft displays. Gates open at 8.30am.

Advance tickets for the Large Model Aircraft Rally at the RAF Museum Cosford are priced at just £9 for adults, £5 for children and £7 for senior citizens with a family ticket of 2 adults and up to 2 children retailing at £20, saving £5 on the gate price.

On site camping including entrance to the show is only £40.00 for the weekend when booked in advance. Contact Dave Bailey for more details on camping at dave.bailey08@tiscali.co.uk or call 07827 675665.

For further information on how to purchase advance tickets and for on the gate prices, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org

Get Ready 4D Feeling of Flight

If you have ever wondered what it actually feels to soar amongst the clouds or to participate an intense aerial battle wonder no more. Visitors to the Royal Air Force Museum will be able to experience the all thrills and exhilaration of powered flight by entering the Museum’s newest exhibit – its 4 Dimensional Theatre.

The 4D Theatre is a fun interactive experience that takes you right into the heart of the action! It combines cutting-edge 3D computer animation with the added dimension of dynamic seating and special environmental effects like water spray, smoke machine and shaking seats. Visitors are transported directly into each story as they become a young crew member of a B17 Bomber; or a jet pilot with lighting quick reactions careering along a desert canyon in a frantic race against your bitterest rival; or passenger in a airship surveying the history of flight a various aircraft swoop around you.

Get ready for turbulence as you dodge enemy fire; feel an aerial battle explode around you; and experience the chill on your skin as you parachute through the clouds. Each stunning film is delivered to you through exciting stereoscopic 3D with 4D special effects.

Vinit Mehta, Merchandising Manager, for the museum states:

“The most common question that our Tour Guides, particularly those who have served in the RAF, are asked by the public is ‘How does it feel?’ to be in a particular aircraft or part of a crew in a high octane situation. With our 4D Theatre we can now offer our visitors a unique opportunity to understand the actual experience that RAF Pilots undergo in combat or as part of their training. By entertaining them, the experience becomes more real and so does their appreciation of our unparalleled collection of aircraft and the men and women who flew them.”

Tickets for each ride retail at £4 per person. Whilst a Family Ticket at £12 entitles two adults and two children for a ride. A single ticket entitles the bearer not only to a rise but also to a free tea or coffee from the Museum’s Wing’s Restaurant or Wessex Café ; a family ticket, two complimentary teas or coffees. Terms and conditions apply. Tickets for each ride may be purchased from the Museum’s Main Entrance, Shop, the Museum’s simulators and the 4D Theatre itself. Each ride lasts between 5 and 10 minutes, depending upon the film being shown.

Entry to the Royal Air Force Museum is free of charge to visitors. The museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm with last admission at 5.30 pm. For further details about the Museum’s 4D Theatre and its individual films please visit www.rafmuseum.org/london or dial 020 8205 2266

Bikers Ride Out For The RAF

Sunday 8th May 2011

£5.00 per person

A charity motorcycle run will take place again this year in aid of the RAF Association and RAF Museum. Motorheads from all over the UK are invited to join the third annual RAF ride out from Shrewsbury Meole Brace park & ride to the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in Shropshire on Sunday 8th May 2011.

Thousands of bikers from across the country are expected to join together for a massive ‘Ride Out’ in support of the RAF. Registration costs just £5 per person, with all proceeds being shared equally between the RAF Association’s Wings Appeal and the RAF Museum.

Following its major success over the last two years, organisers are hoping this year’s event will see a record number of bikers taking part, smashing the previous year’s totals. The events held over the last two years have attracted thousands of bikers and proved to be an incredible visual spectacle. Hundreds of members of the public lined the bridges of the M54 to watch almost 3,000 bikers make their way to the RAF Museum.

Participants are asked to arrive at Shrewsbury’s Meole Brace Park and Ride from 10.00am, where they will be able to catch up with bikers from across the country, enjoy a warm breakfast and speak with the Shropshire Road Safety Team. Departing for the RAF Museum Cosford at 11.30am, bikers will travel ‘on mass’ by police escort along the M54 motorway. On arrival at the Museum there will be the opportunity to view the award winning National Cold War Exhibition, visit the trade stalls and auto jumble or take a ride on the family fun fair. Catering stalls will be selling hot and cold food, plus Costa Coffee is available in the Museum restaurant.

For more information or to register for this fun charity ride out, book your place online now at: www.rafmuseum.org/cosford or call 01902 376252.

HRH The Duke of Gloucester opens new exhibition hall

Date: Tuesday 15th March

The refurbished and relocated historic Grahame-White Watchtower building has been given a Royal public opening by HRH The Duke of Gloucester

The redundant Watchtower building built in 1915 was once the centre piece of aviation pioneer Claude Grahame-White’s aircraft factory in Hendon, home to the British aircraft industry and the birthplace of British aviation. Flying from Hendon ceased in the late 1960’s and use of the building ceased with the closure of RAF Hendon in 1987. Since that time the building had fallen into disrepair.

Now relocated and renovated, the building sits next to the Grahame-White Factory on the main Museum site. The Watchtower will exhibit displays on the life of Claude-Grahame White, the history of the Hendon Aerodrome and the pioneering years of flights. The upper floor will also feature a recreation of Claude Grahame-White’s original office as well as a learning centre.

Air Vice-Marshal Peter Dye, Director General, Royal Air Force Museum: “This building and new exhibition provides a fitting tribute to Claude Grahame-White, one of this country’s most important aviation pioneers. We intend to sustain his legacy through an exciting education programme that will provide a community resource as well as allowing visitors to understand the vital role of the local area in the history of British aviation.”