After four months the scaffolding has now been removed from the nose and forward fuselage of Avro Shackleton WR977 at Newark Air Museum (NAM).

The bespoke scaffolding system was installed to allow teams of museum volunteers to work on this significant restoration and repainting project in safe conditions.

This work has included:
– replacement and re-sealing of the main cockpit glazing
– in-depth cleaning and lichen removal on the upper fuselage surface
– re-sealing the upper escape hatch just behind the cockpit
– conservation of, and the painting of this area of the aircraft

During the work period, WR977 remained open as part of the museum’s open cockpit offer. The modest contributions for accessing this iconic aircraft contributed towards the cost of scaffolding hire, materials and paint/chemicals. The museum is also thankful to those who contributed to its Just Giving Campaign, which is now closed.

In future further restoration work will be undertaken on the remainder of the airframe. A scheme will also be evaluated to raise the aircraft nose wheels from their current position. This will involve the analysis of data from the jacking pads that were constructed underneath the aircraft and the refurbished jacks to be installed under both wings of the aircraft.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Just under four years ago, in January 2020, the proposed transfer of Eurofighter Typhoon DA4 (ZH590) from the Imperial War Museums (IWM) to the Newark Air Museum (NAM) was put on hold. Information is now available about that transfer and sadly, the disappointing news is not what the NAM trustees, volunteers and staff have worked long and hard for.

We anticipate that a joint Press Statement from IWM and the RAF will be released that explains the situation, we will share this with everyone when it is available. Apart from thanking the staff at IWM Duxford for their support throughout the project to transfer DA4 to Newark; at this time the NAM trustees do not wish to make any further statement about the complex and at times baffling situation.

That said, the trustees are mindful that a number of people have made financial contributions towards the costs associated with planned move of DA4 to our site here in eastern Nottinghamshire.

Whilst all of the funds raised were used towards the cost of laying an additional hardstanding area behind the museum café that would have allowed for the safe reconstruction of DA4, the NAM trustees appreciate that some people may not feel that their donations from the original fund raising appeal were used as intended.

Anyone who wishes to seek the repayment of their donation is asked to make contact with the museum via this EMAIL link and provide details of their contribution.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

The date for Newark Air Museum’s Autumn Day-Night Photo Shoot event has been set for Saturday October 28, 2023.

Spaces are still available and booking forms can be downloaded from the museum’s website by following the advice on this page of the museum website: http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/Museum-Events

Night-photo shoot activities will formally commence after the museum closes to the public at 1700 hours; however anyone signing up for the event will be eligible to arrive at the museum from 1000 hours onwards on October 28th so that they can enjoy a whole day taking pictures around the museum site.

The event will feature themed ground equipment; uniformed personnel; and illuminated aircraft; alongside the following museum aircraft: MiG-27; T-33; Meteor NF.14; Lightning T.5; Jaguar T.2A; Canberra T.19; Wessex; Vulcan.

Admission cost for Day-Night Photo Shoot event is £40 per person and places will be limited to 50 people. Various payment options are detailed on the booking form, or you can call in at the museum in person; or by telephoning 01636 707170.

On the weekend of 16th/17th September 2023 it will be sixty (60) years since Avro Vulcan XM594 entered operational squadron service with the Royal Air Force Vulcan Wing at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire.
To mark the anniversary, the Newark Air Museum (NAM) is hosting an Anniversary event at its site in eastern Nottinghamshire, close to the county border with Lincolnshire. The event is giving members of the museum’s Cockpit Opening Team the opportunity to provide FREE cockpit access to the Vulcan, to those people on the Reserve List for the 40th Anniversary event in February 2023.

Participants for the free cockpit access to XM594 are being notified of their timed ticket arrival time for going on board the aircraft, where they will be hosted by several former Vulcan personnel.

Throughout the weekend various Vulcan related displays are being hosted around the museum site and in the display hangars. On the Saturday NAM have an Aeroboot/Aerojumble aviation sale taking place, where people can search for various aviation items that will be on sale.

In addition, a series of talks by ex-Vulcan aircrew is planned to take place throughout the weekend in the Dambusters Hut; whilst various former Vulcan air and ground crew will be hosting walk-round tours of the XM594.

During the weekend various other museum aircraft and cockpits will be opening for viewing, as per normal, a small additional fee/donation is charged for access to these aircraft.

The event is open to the public and normal museum admission rates will apply.

www.newarkairmuseum.org/2023-24_Special-Events

Good progress is also being made on two aircraft repainting projects at Newark Air Museum.

During the summer most of the surface preparation work has been completed on the MiG-23, 024003607 ‘07’ and the main surfaces are now being primed and top coat paint applied.

Work on Gloster Meteor T.7 VZ634 has also been carried out during the summer, with the final detailing work and application of the markings now underway. It is hoped that the work on VZ634 will be completed in time for the Day/Night Photo Shoot that is taking place on Saturday 28th October, 2023.

With more good weather in the forecast other projects are expected to progress well into the autumn.

Things also look nicely set for the final outdoor Aeroboot event of the year on Saturday 16th September, 2023; and the associated event to mark the 60th Anniversary of Vulcan XM594 entering squadron service in September 1963. This event will run on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th, September, 2023.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

On 25th July, 2023 installation work started on a bespoke scaffolding system around the nose and forward fuselage of Avro Shackleton WR977 at Newark Air Museum (NAM). This will allow teams of museum volunteers to work on this significant restoration and repainting project in safe conditions.

In 2023 NAM successfully installed jacking pads underneath the aircraft, which allowed refurbished jacks to be installed under both wings of the aircraft. This allowed NAM to make the aircraft safe; helped to mitigate issues with the main undercarriage structures; and allowed the visiting public to once again have some access inside the aircraft.

The installation of the new scaffolding by Inspired Scaffolding Services from Bilsthorpe near Newark will allow for restoration work to be undertaken on the front section of WR977 in a safe and secure manner. This work will include: sealing the main cockpit glazing; in-depth cleaning; conservation of, and the painting of this area of the aircraft.

For most of the work period, WR977 will remain as part of the museum’s open cockpit offer. The modest contributions for accessing this iconic aircraft (when possible) will contribute towards the ongoing fund raising campaign to cover the scaffolding hire costs and the cost of the weekly safety inspections.

The current anticipated timeframe for the work is ten weeks; from the end of July through to the first week of October.

In these challenging times NAM is seeking support to help fund the costs associated with the hire and regular safety inspections of the scaffolding. This NAM fund raising campaign can be accessed via the following Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/wr977-scaffolding-2023

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Cockpit-Fest 2023 proved to be another great event at the Newark Air Museum site in eastern Nottinghamshire. Once again the Cockpit-Fest and Aeroboot display areas were located alongside each other on the Southfield Site, which works well by integrating both aspects of the weekend.

The two-day event was well attended and drew a lot of positive feedback from exhibitors and visitors alike. Amongst the attendees were visitors from Hawaii, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and from across the UK. One young school girl chose to attend Cockpit-Fest with her father who was exhibiting at the event, rather than go to her Year 6 Prom!
The museum trustees were particularly thankful to a host of people: all of the Cockpiteers and Exhibitors, their friends and families; the Aeroboot stall holders; the museum staff, aircraft openers and volunteers who helped during the build-up, during and after the event.

Support for this year’s event came from the following people and organisations:

Ken Ellis (‘Wrecks & Relics – Spirit of Cockpit-Fest’ Awards)
The Museum Shop
Jane Knox-Kiepura & Kiepura Aviation

As now seems to be the case with Cockpit-Fest there was a diverse range of cockpits and supporting displays on show and everyone who displayed at the event was a winner and a credit to this wonderfully diverse hobby. Below are this year’s official results:

Grand Champion (Visitors Award) – Bill Fern (SYAM), Jaguar GR1, XX736

Visitors Award Non-Cockpit – Richard Fryer, Flying Helmets display

Cockpiteers Cockpit Award – Ritch & Max Blood, Provost T1 cockpit

Cockpiteers Award Non-Cockpit – Richard Fryer, Flying Helmets display

Wrecks & Relics Spirit of Cockpit-Fest Award (Ken Ellis) – Bill Fern (SYAM) –
Vickers Valetta cockpit

Wrecks & Relics Spirit of Cockpit-Fest Award (Ken Ellis) – Ian & Gary Morton –
Dove, G-ANAP cockpit

Cockpit-Fest will be back next year, on Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd June, 2023

www.newarkairmuseum.org

The recent spell of good weather has allowed the staff and volunteers at Newark Air Museum to complete the long-overdue move of the Reid & Sigrist Desford VZ728, G-AGOS into its final display position in Hangar 1. Here the aircraft will reside alongside contemporary airframes such as the General Aircraft Monospar, de Havilland Tiger Moth and Avro Anson.

Good progress is also being made on the repaint of Gloster Meteor T.7 VZ634; and the final top-coat has now been applied to the repaired spine panels on Avro Vulcan XM594.

With continued good weather in the forecast other projects are expected to progress at a steady pace.

www.newarkairmuseum.org

Arrangements for the 2023 Cockpit-Fest are well advanced at Newark Air Museum’s site in eastern Nottinghamshire; close to the border with Lincolnshire. The museum is a registered charity located on part of the former site of RAF Winthorpe; this year’s Cockpit-Fest is once again taking place in its traditional June time-slot; on Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th June, 2023.

This will be the twenty second (22nd) time that like-minded enthusiasts have displayed their aircraft cockpit sections at the museum. Cockpit-Fest has become a fixture on the aviation calendar and each year attracts many visiting cockpits and associated displays. Cockpit-Fest allows the owners the chance to display their prized exhibits to their fellow enthusiasts and the general public.

At this year’s event a diverse range of aviation will be represented; this incorporates a range of military jet cockpits and civilian types; plus, several of the on-loan cockpits that resident at the museum; some cockpits will be displayed at the event for the very first time.

In addition, a diverse range of visiting cockpit related exhibits are also expected to be displayed around the 16-acre site; alongside an Aeroboot / Aerojumble aviation and avionics sale. Here enthusiasts and the public can search out those aviation artefacts, books and models.

The event is supported by a range of organisations and individuals; with the visitors being encouraged to have a say in deciding, which is the best cockpit by voting on their favourite display and from these results, prizes are awarded.

Cockpit-Fest also attracts other visiting displays like local history groups; re-enactors; and even more aviation related displays such as clothing and historical artefacts.

Full details about the events and a full list of visiting cockpits and displays can be found on the Museum Events page of the museum website at www.newarkairmuseum.org

At Newark Air Museum along with the restoration work being undertaken on Fairey Gannet XP226; further museum volunteers have recently started work on a partial repaint of de Havilland Sea Vixen XJ560.

As with the Gannet, this work had been planned for 2022, but it was delayed by the major repaint work required on Vulcan XM594. In recent weeks some surface preparations work has been carried out on the upper surfaces of the Sea Vixen and in recent days the first primer has now been applied to the nose.

www.newarkairmuseum.org