october – Page 6 – Airscene News

RNAS Yeovilton Air Day 2017 Date Confirmed

Pitts Special at Yeovilton Air Day

The annual Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton International Air Day in Somerset will take place on Saturday 8 July. Planning is well under way for this popular ‘Fly Navy’ airshow which will showcase the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm, its current capabilities and historic accomplishments.

2017 is set to be an exciting year for RNAS Yeovilton and the Fleet Air Arm as the first Royal Navy aircraft is set to touch down on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth, as she sets sail to begin sea trials. Operational evaluation and testing of the F-35B Lightning multirole fighter continues apace whilst aircraft maintainers and handlers are busily getting accustomed to the new type. The Wildcat helicopter takes over as the wings of front-line destroyers and frigates and the Commando Helicopter Force squadrons,now reunited at RNAS Yeovilton, take part in various exercises in readiness to deploy at a moment’s notice.

The Air Station’s gates will be open to 40,000 visitors, just as they were 70 years ago in 1947 at the first ever airshow at RNAS Yeovilton, providing the perfect opportunity to see our equipment and meet our personnel first hand.

Over five hours of amazing flying displays and an extensive static display will feature historic naval aircraft and their modern day counterparts in spectacular role demonstrations to acknowledge the Fleet Air Arm’s role in Protecting Our Nation’s Interests.UK and foreign military formation and solo display teams have also been invited to participate at the airshow.

www.royalnavy.mod.uk/yeovilton-airday

Alongside the magnificent flying display there will also be a huge array of ground attractions, from engineering fairs to the latest defence technology exhibitions, Service displays, trade stalls and arena displays. For the thrill seekers there will be simulators, fairground rides and helicopter pleasure flights to enjoy.

Air Day tickets are available to order from 12pm Tuesday 1^st November at a discounted ‘Earlybird’ rate with no booking fees for a limited period. These are priced lower than the usual advance tickets which will go on general sale in the New Year.

Winter maintenance on rare Lancaster aircraft can be seen by visitors to IWM Duxford

Duxford Lancaster in the Hanger

The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Avro Lancaster recently arrived at the Aircraft Restoration Company’s new Stephenson Hangar at IWM Duxford.

The Lancaster, the sole flying example in Europe of the most successful heavy bomber of the Second World War, will undergo major maintenance work in the Stephenson hangar over the winter months.

For the first time, visitors to IWM Duxford will be able to see the maintenance work in progress from a viewing gallery on the ground floor of the hangar.

Included in the major inspection is the servicing of all of the instrument systems and undercarriage.

At the conclusion of the major inspection, the aircraft will be repainted in a new scheme that commemorates the sacrifice of thousands of Bomber Command aircrew during the bombing campaign of the Second World War.

The major service is due to be completed in April 2017.

www.iwm.org.uk

Royal Air Force Museum secures National Lottery investment for RAF Centenary Programme

RAF Museum 2018

The Royal Air Force Museum is delighted to announce that it has been awarded £4,595,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the next phase of its RAF Centenary Programme at its London site.

2018 will mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and will be an occasion of national celebration and commemoration. As the oldest and longest serving independent air force in the world, the RAF has affected the lives of millions, driven technological innovations, pushed the boundaries of human achievement and become part of the UK’s cultural identity.

To connect a global audience with this remarkable story, the RAF Museum is delivering a series of ambitious capital changes to its London site, creating a world-leading visitor destination.

The first phase of this redevelopment, the ‘First World War in the Air’ exhibition, supported by HLF, opened to public acclaim in December 2014, winning Best Heritage Project in the National Lottery Awards 2015.

The Museum is delighted to announce that, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the next phase of the transformation will be delivered for 2018.

Two innovative exhibitions will explore the first 100 years of the RAF through the stories of its people and invite visitors to imagine its future contribution and technology.

A warm welcome will be provided in a new visitor centre with clear orientation, café, shop, Members’ room and flexible-use spaces. A new restaurant will revitalise a disused historic building, connecting visitors with the site’s RAF heritage.

Through ‘RAF Stories’, a digital project, people will contribute personal stories to enhance our understanding and sharing of RAF heritage, onsite and online.

A new learning programme will aim to inspire young people in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Additionally, new apprenticeships and volunteering activities will help the Museum conserve and display more of the incredible 1.3 million objects within its collection representing the national memory of the RAF at work and play, war and peace.

As a result, an expanded, more diverse audience will enjoy richer engagement with RAF heritage through our site, collections and people-focused interpretation.

Further planned phases of the RAF Centenary Programme will bring to life the stories of the London Aerodrome and RAF Hendon – from which the first airmail, parachute jump, night flight and aerial defence of a city took place.

Maggie Appleton, CEO of the Royal Air Force Museum, said: “I would like to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund on behalf of all our staff, volunteers and Trustees for the generous support they have given us – we could not be happier! The story of the RAF is one of bravery, ingenuity and dedication which echoes within all our lives and will endure and enrich future generations. We are very excited to be given the opportunity to tell this story through the Museum’s collections and the voices of the individual men and women who served in the RAF and whose lives have been influenced by it.”

Stuart Hobley, Head of HLF London, said: “The RAF was one of the most significant legacies of the First World War and today, as we approach its Centenary of the organisation’s creation, millions of us have a direct family connection to the oldest and longest serving air force in the world. Thanks to National Lottery players, this investment will provide some fantastic learning opportunities and insight into the RAF’s heritage for people of all ages as well as give the stories and achievements of the men and women of the RAF a permanent legacy as part of the Royal Air Force Museum.”

www.rafmuseum.org

New aircraft arrivals heading to Cosford

PBY Catalina

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be welcoming a collection of new aircraft to the site later this year as it prepares to celebrate and commemorate the centenary of the Royal Air Force in 2018. New arrivals will include a Wolverhampton built Boulton Paul Defiant Mk 1, the last surviving example of its kind, plus a rare Messerschmitt BF109G-2.

As the RAF and family of RAF charities work towards celebrating a century of service, plans at the RAF Museum are already underway for a major transformation of its London site, with aircraft movements and some exciting new additions making their way to Cosford. The centenary plans will also include exploring the first 100 years of the RAF, the role it plays today and its future contributions by sharing this story online with a global audience.

In preparation for 2018 there are a number of aircraft moves due to take place at both the museum’s London and Cosford sites in order to deliver the interpretation planned. The planned moves will see the largest single influx of new aircraft at Cosford since the National Cold War Exhibition building was opened in 2007, as six new aircraft are scheduled to arrive before Christmas. As part of the centenary plans, Cosford will receive six aircraft from the collection in London, enabling the RAF’s story to be more comprehensively represented to museum audiences in Shropshire.

Over the coming months, visitors at Cosford will notice a number of aircraft movements and work is already underway to make room for the new arrivals. In September the Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina was moved out of the War in the Air Hangar and placed on temporary external display at the entrance to the ‘History of the RAF’. The museum has also begun looking into long term plans for the site at Cosford to ensure that all aircraft, including any future arrivals are displayed undercover.

In addition to the Messerschmitt BF109G-2 and the Boulton Paul Defiant Mk 1, other new aircraft heading to Shropshire before the end of the year include the Junkers Ju 88R-1, a sub-type of the most versatile German combat aircraft of the Second World War, and the Gloster Gladiator 1, the first enclosed cockpit and last biplane fighter introduced into RAF service. Following re-assembly, all four aircraft will go on public display in the museums ‘War in the Air’ hangar.

Also included in the new line-up is the de Havilland Tiger Moth II, one of the world’s most famous training aircraft which provided the majority of RAF pilots with their elementary flying training during the Second World War. The Tiger Moth will be displayed next to the de Havilland Chipmunk and Scottish Aviation Bulldog T Mk 1 in Hangar 1, demonstrating progression in training aircraft.

Finally, the Westland Lysander III, the only surviving Special Duties variant of this aircraft (which were used to ferry allied agents in and out of enemy occupied Europe) will be heading to the museum’s Conservation Centre for an in depth inspection and condition assessment. The Lysander will join other conservation projects which include the Wellington Bomber and the Handley Page Hampden and work will be carried out over the next few years to replace its fragile linen outer skin.

Head of Collections at the RAF Museum, Ian Thirsk said:

“The museum’s centenary plans have provided an exciting opportunity to relocate significant aircraft in the collection closer to our Midlands audience. I’m particularly delighted that our Boulton Paul Defiant, an aircraft with such strong local links to Wolverhampton, will be going on public display at Cosford for the first time. Additionally, the arrival of the Junkers Ju 88 R-1 and Messerschmitt BF109G-2 will enhance our existing display of Axis Second World War aircraft, several of which are the last remaining examples of their type in the world.”

To make way for the new arrivals, the de Havilland Venom FB4, FMA IA58 Pucara and Folland Gnat F1 have all been moved into the museum’s storage facility on the airfield.

Work is already underway at the museum’s London site to disassemble the aircraft and prepare them for their journey by road to Cosford. Aviation fans can keep up to date with the centenary aircraft moves and on-going developments by signing up to the museums free e-Newsletter http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/contact-us/newsletters.aspx

Visitors will be able to see five of the new arrivals fully reassembled and in their new display positions by early 2017. Entrance to the museum is free of charge and the museum is open daily from 10am until 5pm. For further information, please visit the museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford or call 01902 376200.

Appeal for RAF memories

Falklands postcard

Calling all Penguins, Bluebirds & ‘Erbs – Your Museum Needs You!

2018 marks the centenary of the Royal Air Force.

The award-winning Royal Air Force Museum will celebrate and commemorate this anniversary through a major transformation of our visitor experience sharing the RAF story on site and online. New, innovative galleries will explore the first 100 years of the RAF, its roles today and invite visitors to imagine its future contribution and technology. A new digital sharing project will promote a conversation with a global audience and help connect people to the RAF story.

For the past two years the Museum’s curators, have been researching our world-class collections to select stories and objects that will best enable our visitors to engage with the story of the Royal Air Force. As a result, gaps in our collections have been identified and we are calling upon current and ex-Service personnel, who served in the RAF from 1970 to 2015, their families and members of the public to assist us in filling them.

If you served with the RAF during this time, and particularly in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the First or Second Gulf Wars, Libya, Afghanistan or on any humanitarian mission since the 1970s, we would love to hear from you.

We are focussing on collecting personal papers, photographs, recent campaign medals from RAF sources, and any operational kit or clothing which can be linked to specific operations or stories – particularly any ‘Black Bags’ received from Operation HERRICK or TELIC.

Nina Hadaway, Archive Library and Research Manager for the Museum, explains:

“We are aware that our current holdings are quite thin for the most recent 40 years of RAF history. As we look towards the RAF’s Centenary in 2018, now is an ideal time to try and fill these gaps. With the help of the public, former and current serving personnel we hope to strengthen the Museum’s collections. This will enable us to share more fully the experiences of those serving in the RAF from the 1970s to the present day with all our visitors.”

We would also welcome contact from volunteers who would be happy to be interviewed about their RAF experiences.

If you are able to assist us, please email us in the first instance at: collections.donations@rafmuseum.org

This will enable us to arrange for a member of our curatorial team to contact you. Alternatively, please complete a ‘Donate an Artefact’ form in the Support Section of our website.

For a full list of the items that we are searching for, please visit the Museum’s website at:

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/support-us/donate-an-artefact.aspx

Experience the virtual skies at Cosford

Flight Sim at RAF Museum Cosford

Date: 8 October 2016

Time: 10:00am to 5:00pm

Cost: £7 in advance / £10 on the door

Aviation fans can experience the virtual skies in Shropshire next month as the Flight Sim 2016 event heads to the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. Taking place on Saturday 8 October, aviation enthusiasts will enjoy a day packed with all the latest flight simulation software and the chance to test out their virtual flying skills.

After three very successful shows held at the museum, the UK’s largest Flight Sim show will be returning to Cosford for an even bigger and better event. Just Flight, one of the UK’s leading flight simulation software publishers, will be hosting this major gathering in association with PC Pilot magazine to show visitors the very best in desktop flying. Building on the success of previous events, organisers are anticipating in excess of 1,500 visitors will attend the one day show.

Visitors will be able to get hands on and fly the latest flight simulation aircraft, preview ‘in development’ projects, check out the latest hardware and chat with leading developers, publishers and other enthusiasts in addition to the many exhibitors at the show.

This show will take place in the museum’s Hangar 1 from 10am until 5pm, giving visitors plenty of time to enjoy the wide range of entertainment on offer. So whether you’re a veteran desktop pilot, flight simulation novice, or someone thinking of getting airborne in the virtual skies for the first time, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

Visitors attending the Flight Sim 2016 event this autumn will experience the best of both, the virtual world and the real world of aviation, as they explore the world class collection of aircraft and exhibitions on display at the RAF Museum Cosford.

Advance tickets for Flight Sim 2016 are now on sale online for just £7 per person and can be purchased up until 6 October, with free entry for under 16s accompanied by an adult. Advanced ticket holders will also receive a free goody bag on arrival which includes; a boxed add-on from Just Flight, a Dovetail Games code for a free add-on, an Aerosoft code for a discounted product, a copy of PC Pilot and a Pro-Sim Air stress ball!

Tickets purchased on the day cost £10 per person. For further information on the event or to purchase your tickets in advance, please visit the show’s website www.flightsimulatorshow.com .

To cope with the additional visitors, a free park and ride will operate from Cosford train station with regular pickups throughout the day. Entry to the museum is free of charge and on-site parking is available (charges apply). Entry into Hangar 1 on Saturday 8 October will be for Flight Sim 2016 ticket holders only.

www.rafmuseum.org.uk

Air Tattoo Thrills Captured On DVD

RIAT 2015 DVD cover

Everyone enjoying the BBC2 documentary series ‘Britain’s Ultimate Pilots: Inside the RAF’ can savour even more aerial thrills following the release of the Royal International Air Tattoo’s official 2015 DVD featuring the world’s top aviators in action.

The Air Tattoo DVD is expertly shot with high definition and 4K cameras by aviation film specialists PlanesTV and includes extensive in-cockpit footage, behind-the-scenes features, arrivals and departures and pilot interviews.

All the excitement of the world’s greatest airshow has been captured – including an evocative massed flypast of vintage warbirds to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain – and featuring a moving, private salute by ‘The Few’.

There’s extensive footage of Vulcan XH558’s dramatic – and memorable – final Air Tattoo appearance with on-board cameras adding to the dramatic coverage of its display and joint flypast with the RAF Red Arrows.

Other highlights featured on the DVD include the first ever European display by a Japanese military aircraft – the Kawasaki P1 and the UK display debuts of the Hellenic Air Force Demo Team Zeusand the French Air Force Ramex Delta.

Viewers will be able to experience the pilot’s eye view during many of the thrilling aerial displays including the Royal Netherlands Air Force Apache; the Czech Air Force Mil Mi-35 Hind; the Finnish F/A-18C Hornet and the Airbus A400M.

All the stars from ‘Britain’s Ultimate Pilots: Inside the RAF’are also featured – the high-octane RAF Typhoon role demo, the versatile and manoeuvrable RAF Chinook, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and, of course, the RAF Red Arrows.

Sold in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, the official Royal International Air Tattoo 2015 DVDa must-buy for aviation fans of all ages and is available on DVD (£20) or Blu-Ray (£25) formats. A digital download version, featuring the main display programme of the RIAT 2015 DVD only, will be available from November 9 priced £15. For details visit www.planestv.com/riat2015

To order, visit www.airtattoo.com or call 0800 107 1940.

Museum commemorates The Fallen on Remembrance Sunday

Date: Sunday 8 November

Time: 10.45am

On Sunday 8 November, the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will hold a Service of Remembrance, paying respect to those service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during their tours of duty.

Visitors who wish to pay their respects and reflect on the sacrifices made by our brave service men and women are invited to join the service, led by Padre Richard Clement, Station Chaplain RAF Cosford. Those attending will also be treated to renditions from the Cosford Military Wives Choir, who will perform for visitors on arrival and during the service.

The service will take place in the Museum’s Hangar 1 and visitors are politely requested to assemble no later than 10:30am ready for the Service to commence at 10.45am. As well as readings and hymns, a Bugler will sound ‘The Last Post’, followed by a two minute silence.

RAF Museum Cosford Events Manager, Abi Betteridge says:

“The RAF Museum is a fitting location for this poignant occasion and we hope that local residents will choose to join us on remembrance Sunday so we can remember together. I would like to thank the Station Chaplain and the Cosford Military Wives Choir for their involvement in this years’ service, I’m sure visitors will enjoy the special service we have planned as well as the performances from the choir.”

If you would like to find out about Service Personnel who fell serving the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force during the Great War of 1914 to 1918 please visit the RAF Museum’s online story vault: www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk

The Museum is open daily from 10am and entry to the Museum is FREE. For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website www.rafmuseum.org.

Popular spy plane tours set to return

Date: 24 Oct-1 Nov and 9-14 Nov 2015

Time: Tours run between 10am and 1pm, each tour lasts 15 minutes

Cost: £5 per person

Due to the popularity of the summer Nimrod tours, the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is re-introducing tours on selected dates in October and November. Tours on board the aircraft proved so popular with aviation fans that the Museum wants to repeat the offer, offering a limited number of tours for those who missed out first time round.

Visitors during October half term and the Conservation Centre Open Week in November will have the opportunity to climb on board the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R.1 XV249 and learn about its intelligence gathering role in the Royal Air Force. Intimate tours for groups of up to six people last approximately 15 minutes and visitors will learn about the history of the aircraft, hear about the crews on board and view some of its sophisticated surveillance equipment up close. Plus, tour guides will be on hand to answer any questions.

Find out why this aircraft and its missions were so secret that even the existence of 51 Squadron who operated it wasn’t mentioned in official documents until 1992, after the end of the Cold War. Learn why, of the twenty six mission specialists on board, up to eight of them were language specialists and how the equipment on board allowed them to pass tactical, minute by minute information to allied aircraft during a raid. The aircrafts capabilities were such that even flying through friendly and allied nation airspace required diplomatic clearance. Mixed with a few light hearted stories of the crew on board the Nimrod, these fascinating tours led by Museum staff will have visitors wondering what really goes on in the skies above us.

RAF Museum Public Relations Executive Michelle Morgans said:

“We ran Nimrod tours during an initial trial period in July and following really positive feedback from visitors we extended them throughout the summer. The demand to have access on board our aircraft is always high and almost every tour sold out. Those who missed out in the summer have been asking when the Nimrod will re-open so we have added new dates, giving visitors two more opportunities this year to enjoy an intimate tour of one of our most sophisticated aircraft.”

The Nimrod flew in both the Maritime patrol and electronic intelligence gathering role. Maritime surveillance, anti-submarine operations and intelligence gathering have been key tasks for the Royal Air Force for much of its long history. When the Nimrod was finally retired from service in 2011, the type had operated with distinction for over forty years in all these roles, and more.

Nimrod R.1 XV249 is one of only four R.1’s from a total of 46 Nimrod’s delivered to the RAF. The R.1 was an electronic-intelligence gathering variant, three of which originally entered service with the RAF in 1971. They carried up to 29 crew members and were involved in several major conflicts in the latter part of the 20th and early 21st centuries. When an original R.1 aircraft was lost following an accident in 1997, XV249 was selected as a replacement and, after conversion, served with No 51 Squadron from RAF Waddington. The aircraft amassed over 18,000 flying hours during its service life and took part in operation Ellamy over Libya in 2011, thus remaining operational until its withdrawal from squadron service on 28 June 2011.

Nimrod Tours are available daily throughout October half term week (24 October – 1 November) and during the Conservation Centre Open Week (9-14 November) 2015. Tickets cost £5.00 per person and tours last 15 minutes (max 6 people per tour). As the number of people per tour is limited, organisers are advising any interested visitors to pre-book their time-slot now via the Museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford. All children must be accompanied by an adult, tours are not recommended for children under the age of 5.

For further information please call the Museum on 01902 376200. The Museum is open daily from 10am and entry to the Museum is FREE of charge.

Airbourne Bucket Collectors Raise Thousands for Local Charities and Future Flying Displays

The busiest ever year at Airbourne has brought in the largest amount of public donations from generous givers, in the seven years since Airbourne introduced bucket collections at the international air show.

The final total raised by Rotary Club volunteers was an impressive £36,415.82, part of which will assist in the funding of future flying displays at Airbourne, with another thirty percent of the total being donated to three local charities.

The charities being supported by this year’s Airbourne bucket collections are Friends of Eastbourne Hospital; Kent, Sussex and Surrey Air Ambulance and Riding for the Disabled Association who will each receive £3641.58. In the last seven years a total of £45,989 has been donated through funds raised at Airbourne, to various charities connected to the local area.

Eastbourne Borough Council’s Leader, Councillor David Tutt and Don Perman of Sovereign Rotary will be presenting each of the charities with a cheque during a special presentation held at the International Lawn Tennis Centre at 5.30pm on Monday 19 October, in which Rotary volunteers will also be thanked for their time and efforts in raising these vital funds.

The Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, Cllr David Tutt said “Without the generous donations of the public, future Airbourne displays wouldn’t be possible, so a very big thank you goes out to the thousands who donated whilst at the air show. This year the total donations collected exceeded the amount raised in 2014 by £1,107, despite the air show being torrentially rained off on 13 August, which is rather astounding and demonstrates a great public desire to keep Airbourne going.

“I would also like to thanks the organisers of the collections campaign, Sovereign Harbour and Hailsham Rotary clubs who were joined by volunteers from Eastbourne, Eastbourne AM, Eastbourne Sovereign and Beachy Head Rotary Clubs, who all helped to raise funds throughout the four day air show from 13-16 August.”

Organisers of Airbourne are encouraging people who attended the free air show in August to vote for Airbourne in the category of ‘Best Free Air Show’ in this year’s Airscene Awards. Votes can be placed at www.airscene.co.uk/airscene-awards-2015 until 29 November.