Tag: RAF Museum Cosford

Large Model Aircraft Rally – Tickets on sale now

Large Model Aircraft

Date: 18-19 July 2015

Time: Gates open 8.30am

Cost: £8.00 in advance

Hundreds of scale models of iconic aircraft will be taking to the skies over Shropshire next month for a weekend of flying entertainment. Model enthusiasts from across the country will travel to the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford for this famous air show in miniature.

Taking place on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July, the Large Model Aircraft Rally at Cosford is an absolute must see for any aviation enthusiast. This popular annual event attracts in excess of 10,000 visitors over the two day show and is one of the biggest events in the Museum’s calendar.

This year’s flying theme will be commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, considered the most important event in Royal Air Force history. Visitors to the show will see a spectacular anniversary display of World War Two aircraft with many international teams signed up to take part. The Legendary Fighters from Germany will be flying 1/3 scale fighter aircraft including Messerschmitt 109s and Spitfires in exciting mid-air dogfights, entertaining the crowds throughout the day.

Aircraft from the early days of aviation, through to the modern jets of today will be flying during the model show weekend. Models on show will range in size from small scale aircraft right through to a huge 1/5th Scale Avro Vulcan with 4 jet turbines. Famous for its delta wing shape, the 1/5th scale mighty Vulcan bomber is a spectacular flypast not to be missed. Many of the models have taken years of dedication to build and apart from the obvious difference in size, they look just like the real thing.

Dave Johnson, event organiser and Chairman of the Large Model Association said:

“I feel really excited about the show this year. We have a new layout which is on the opposite side of the airfield to usual, which I feel will benefit not only the pilots but our visitors as well, especially photographers as the sun will be behind the display line. This year we have put together a fantastic flying display of large models, with participants from across Europe and we hope with a little help from the weather it will be the best we have seen at Cosford for several years.”

The Large Model Aircraft Rally promises to be a great day out for modellers and families alike with more than 65 exhibitors signed up to showcase some of the latest model kits and aviation accessories. Families are guaranteed to enjoy the family fun lined up which includes a children’s entertainment area, packed with mini motorbikes, bouncy castles and inflatable slides, all on offer to youngsters. Plus, keeping visitors fuelled for the day, there will be a fantastic range of food and drink on offer and visitors will have access to the RAF Museum where they can see many of the aircraft flown during the show in full size. A free bus service will take visitors from the event to the Museum throughout the day.

Anyone wishing to attend the event can save money by purchasing tickets in advance at a discounted rate. Advance tickets are on sale at the Museum, priced at just £8 for adults, saving £2 per person on the gate price and children under the age of 16 are FREE. Gates open at 8.30am and flying starts a 9.00am.

Exclusively for the Large Model Aircraft Rally, visitors are able to camp on site, meaning you can make the most of the weekend’s flying and activities by being at the centre of all the action. On site camping, including entrance to the show both days is only £45.00 and any visitors interested in camping should email public-camping@largemodelassociation.com or call 07827 675665.

For further information on the event and how to purchase advance tickets visit the Museum website www.rafmuseum.org or call 01902 376200.

The RAF and Losing Air Superiority in the Far East

Trenchard Lecture

The loss of air superiority in the Far East during the Second World War will be the focus of a lecture at the University of Wolverhampton.

The event is part of the RAF Museum’s Trenchard Lectures in Air Power Studies series, organised in partnershipwith the RAF Museum Cosford.

Dr Peter Preston-Hough, from the University of Wolverhampton, will be delivering the next in the series of lectures on Thursday, 25 June 2015.

The lecture, titled “The Royal Air Force and Losing Air Superiority in the Far East” will take place at the University’s city campus in MC001 from 6pm-7.30pm.

It will focus on how air superiority was lost and will provide new insights into why the Far East was left unprotected against Japanese air attack in December 1941.

Dr Preston-Hough, of the University’s Department of War Studies said: “We’re delighted to be part of this prestigious series of lectures, which promises to provide an interesting insight into the fascinating area of history.

“The University has a strong relationship with the RAF Museum and we look forward to working closely with them on the lectures.

“This particular lecture will focus on why command of the air in Malaya and Burma was lost to the Japanese between December 1941 and May 1942.

“Furthermore, it will examine the inter-relationship between aircraft, aircrew, early warning facilities and superior Japanese aircraft and aircrew as the key reason for this situation.”

Ross Mahoney, Aviation Historian from the RAF Museum, said: “This lecture series marks an important step in the development of the RAF Museum’s academic aspirations.

“The series seeks to explore historical and contemporary issues related to the employment of air power.

“The series also seeks to bridge the gap between academic and public history by providing a forum for recognised experts to share and disseminate their research to a wider audience.

“We are pleased to be holding the series in conjunction with the University of Wolverhampton which has a world renowned reputation in the field of War Studies.”

This lecture, organised in conjunction with the RAF’s Centre for Air Power Studies, explores the importance of aerial based reconnaissance and intelligence gathering and its effect on war in all its facets.

It is part of the Trenchard Lectures in Air Power Studies which is a programme of lectures organised by the Royal Air Force Museum in conjunction with the University and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

This lecture is free of charge but people do need to pre-book a free ticket, as seats are limited. For more information visit www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/whats-going-on/events/the-royal-air-force-and-losing-air-superiority/

Those wishing to attend the lecture will need to complete an online booking form which can be found at: www.royalairforcemuseum.digitickets.co.uk/events/3967?catID=3462

Dornier Do 17 Two Years On Lecture

Dornier

Date: 10 June

Time: 7.00pm – 8.30pm (Doors open 6.15pm)

Cost: £7.50 per person

Wednesday 10 June 2015 will mark two years since the world’s last surviving Dornier Do 17 was successfully lifted from the bottom of the Dover Straits. The breath taking moment the aircraft surfaced from the water was captured live on TV and sparked interest from around the globe.

The project has captured the imagination of not only aviation fans and historians, but also scientists and engineers alike, fascinated in the process of conserving the airframe. The Museum has been inundated with questions from visitors wanting to know more about the project and this June there will be a chance for visitors to find out more about the project at the ‘Dornier Do 17 Two Years on Lecture’ taking place on 10th June.

The process so far has seen the aircraft systematically sprayed with a low concentration citric acid based solution inside purpose built hydration tunnels at the RAF Museum Cosford. This process helped to remove marine accretions and subsequently neutralised corrosion impurities in the aluminium aircraft structure. Confident that the citric acid solution has done its job, the fuselage was removed from the tunnels in September 2014, followed by the wings and engines in January 2015 and is now undergoing treatment inside the Museum’s Conservation Centre.

This evening lecture will be led by those involved in the recovery of the aircraft and will examine the challenges faced in raising the aircraft from the seabed, the science behind the hydration tunnels and the latest phase of conservation. Attendees will also be able to get up close to some of the smaller components found on the Dornier Do 17. The lecture will take place in the Museum’s National Cold War Exhibition starting at 7.00pm (doors open 6.15pm). Attendees will also have exclusive access after the lecture to view the Dornier fuselage and wings first hand inside the Conservation Centre.

Guest speakers include:

Darren Priday – RAF Museum Conservation Centre Manager

Darren was the leader of the team of RAF Museum engineers who stripped and prepared the Dornier for road transportation once raised from the seabed. He has managed the team of Technicians, Apprentices and Volunteers working on the Dornier since its arrival at Cosford in June 2013. Darren has travelled across the UK and Europe giving talks on the Dornier project.

Professor Mary Ryan – Imperial College London

Mary continues to offer guidance at each stage of the conservation process and has worked closely with the Museum from the project’s inception. Mary’s current research is in the area of applied electrochemistry and corrosion, with a focus on deposition of nanostructures and the study of self-forming nanocrystalline oxides; as well as fundamental work on degradation and stability of metal systems.

Martin Barker – Seatech – Director of Diving Operations (formerly)

Martin managed the team of divers from Seatech who salvaged the Dornier from the water. He was also the designer of the lifting frame that was used for protecting the delicate aircraft. Seatech Civil and Marine are an established under-water and multi-disciplined company offering commercial diving services.

Ian Thirsk – RAF Museum Head of Collections

Ian has played a major role in overseeing the Dornier project from the aircrafts discovery around 5 years ago. As Head of Collections, Ian is responsible for all aspects relating to the RAF Museum’s collection of ‘large 3D objects’, essentially the aircraft, vehicle and boat collections. This includes all aspects relating to their acquisition, disposal, restoration and display.

Places at the lecture cost £7.50 per person and parking on the night is free of charge. Tickets for the lecture are now on sale via the Museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford. Or for more information, please call the Museum on 01902 376252.

The lifting of the Dornier was made possible thanks to support from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. Additional support has come from EADS, 328 Support Services, the RAF Historical Society, the RAF Museum American Foundation and the generosity of the public. The exhibition and conservation of the Dornier is supported by Wargaming.net.

www.rafmuseum.org

VC10 XR808 prepares for final move to Cosford

VC10 Engines Removed

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is pleased to announce that its latest acquisition, VC10 serial number XR808 is now over half way through a successful dismantling process and is being prepared for its final move to Cosford in the Summer.

The dismantling is being carried out by GJD Services, a specialist maintenance and aircraft salvage company based at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire. The process has taken a team of 8 over 7 months so far and the next few weeks will see the final work carried out, which includes removing the rear fuselage, inner wings and main undercarriage.

The aircraft is scheduled to leave Bruntingthorpe in June, following the RAF Cosford Air Show and will travel by road. The route will see the giant fuselage on a low loader lorry travel along the M69, M6 and the M54 and is sure to attract a huge amount of interest from the media and aviation enthusiasts alike, as they capture this rare spectacle.

As the aircraft arrives in Shropshire, the VC10 will be positioned on the airfield at RAF Cosford whilst the wings, fuselage and landing gears are reassembled. The aircraft will then make the final few steps onto the Museum site to allow the fitment of the rear fuselage fin, tail plane and engines. Later in the summer it will go on permanent display to visitors outside next to the Lockheed Hercules C130K Mk3.

Gary Spoors, Accountable/Engineering Manager at GJD Services said:

“We, at GJD, have been given a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate our engineering skills and abilities during the dismantling and the eventual re building process of XR808. This is all made possible by the skill and dedication of the GJD staff and their overriding wish to make this happen. Personally I have a fond attachment to the VC10; she was the first aircraft I flew on, then subsequently ended up working on during my RAF Career and now again as the head of GJD.

Having this example of a VC10 in the RAF Museum provides the best opportunity for the long term preservation of the type ensuring an icon of British Aviation is secured for future generations to enjoy. Preserving our aviation heritage is important to me and I am extremely proud to be given the opportunity to be part of this project.”

The VC10 was a British aircraft originally built by Vickers-Armstrong and then later by the British Aircraft Corporation and entered service with Royal Air Force in 1966. Now at the end of its service career, this dual-role aircraft enabled the rapid deployment of troops and their weaponry and fast jet aircraft to many theatres of operations around the world. With the ability to carry up to 124 troops at a time with nine crew members or a freight load of up to 20,400kgs the VC10 has been one of the RAF’s most significant assets for nearly 50 years.

The Museum’s new aircraft, serial number XR808 was part of an initial order of five VC10s for the RAF and was to be used for VIP and Far East Routes. After an initial period at RAF Fairford, XR808 spent the next 46 years based at RAF Brize Norton. In 1968 all 14 of the RAF’s VC10s were named after RFC/RAF holders of the Victoria Cross and XR808 was named Kenneth Campbell, after the Flying Officer who made a precision torpedo attack on the German battle ship Gneisenau. The RAF VC10’s allowed true global mobility offering a combination of speed and range never previously attained by an RAF Transport Command aircraft type.

Having travelled the world with No.10 Squadron including Colombo, Calgary, Hong Kong, Gutersloh and Bahrain, the aircraft was transferred to No.101 Squadron in 2006. During the early stages of the Afghanistan War the aircraft operated support flight for joint Czech Republic and UK exercises during ‘Operation Rhino’, a raid by the United States Army Rangers on several Taliban targets. As the number of VC10’s began to dwindle, the Museum’s latest acquisition led a special formation flight over seven UK RAF stations to mark 50 years of the VC10 and 95 years of 101 Squadron

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

“The BAC VC-10 formed the mainstay of the RAF’s long range strategic transport force for almost fifty years. For one aircraft type to have been in service for such a long period is remarkable in itself. However, when this is added to the variety of roles and worldwide scope of operations, it is clear this is a unique aircraft and it would not be possible to accurately portray the history of the RAF without an example of the type – therefore it is essential that such a pivotal and long serving aircraft is preserved by the RAF Museum.”

For further information about the Museum, please visit the Museum website www.rafmuseum.org or call 01902 376200. The Museum is open daily from 10am and entry to the Museum is FREE of charge.

Last few tickets available for Pilots view at Cosford

Cosford Open Cockpits Evening

Date: 15-16 May

Time: 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Cost: £12.50 per person

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be participating in the annual Museums at Night event next week, as they open up the doors to some of the historic aircraft in their collection. Visitors attending the ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ will have exclusive after-hours access on board the aircraft for a Pilots view of the cockpit.

Organisers have doubled the number of evenings for this popular event giving twice as many aviation fans the chance to sit inside some of the world’s most iconic aircraft. The event, which is held twice a year in May and September, now runs on both a Friday and Saturday evening. Just 300 tickets per evening are available for this exclusive event and tickets for the event on 15-16 May are almost sold out, with just a few tickets remaining for each evening.

A total of 14 aircraft will be available for close viewing on the night: including transport aircraft, jet fighters and unique research airframes. Highlights on the night will include the British Aerospace Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP). This experimental jet helped pave the way for the renowned Eurofighter Typhoon which has many of the same characteristics and capabilities and is in operation with the RAF and five other Air Forces, today. Visitors will also have access on board the de Havilland Chipmunk, one of the RAF’s longest serving aircraft types. It entered RAF service in the 1950s as an initial pilot trainer, offering relatively modern features such as flaps, brakes, radio and an enclosed cockpit. The Duke of Edinburgh learned to fly in Chipmunks and made his first solo flight on 20 December 1952 in the aircraft displayed at Cosford.

Museums at Night is the annual after-hours festival of arts, culture and heritage when hundreds of museums, galleries, libraries, archives and heritage sites open their doors for special evening events. It takes place from Wednesday May 13 – Saturday May 16. More details can be found at www.museumsatnight.org.uk

Rosie Clarke, Campaigns Officer, Culture24 Said:

“The Museums at Night festival is all about encouraging new visitors to discover the amazing culture and heritage on their doorstep, and what could be more exciting for fans of aviation history than to get up close and personal with the amazing aeroplane collection at RAF Museum Cosford? Their popular Open Cockpit nights always sell out quickly and get excellent feedback from everyone who comes along: we’re delighted that they’re part of Museums at Night again this year.”

The exclusive after hour’s event will commence at 6.00pm and finish at 9.00pm, with numbers onto the Museum site strictly limited to 300 people. Admission is by advance ticket only and the last few remaining tickets are available to purchase through the Museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford for just £12.50 per person. Lightning Members price £10.00 per ticket (please note membership cards will need to be shown on entry to the event). Parking charges are included in the ticket price. Minimum height restrictions of 1.07 metres will apply.

The Museum will close at 5.00pm on each ‘Open Cockpit Evening’ in order to set up for the event. A detailed list of aircraft open on the September evenings (18-19 September) will be issued nearer the time.

www.rafmuseum.org

Award for Pilots of the Caribbean Exhibition

The RAF Museum is proud to announce that its exhibition ‘Pilots of the Caribbean: Volunteers of African Heritage in the RAF’ was given a Highly Commended Award in the ‘Best Temporary Exhibition’ category at the Museums and Heritage Awards 2015 held in London on 29th April.

Pilots of the Caribbean: Volunteers of African Heritage in the RAF tells the story of Black servicemen and women from the Caribbean, Africa and Britain who volunteered to serve in the Royal Air Force in two World Wars and the subsequent peace. These volunteers fought and died for their mother country and for freedom, and the exhibition commemorates and celebrates their vital contribution to the defence of Britain, her Empire and Commonwealth.

The exhibition also highlights the RAF’s success in embracing diversity, demonstrating how the rich, cosmopolitan nature of modern Britain owes much to the Black men and women who wore air force blue.

 

‘Pilots’, was curated in partnership with Black Cultural Archives with an initial call out to the Black British community which encouraged a dialogue, engagement and sharing of stories. The exhibition display incorporates these stories along with archive materials, video footage and photographs.

The temporary exhibition was opened in November 2013 at the Museum’s North London site by Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE. In 2014 it was on display at the Mitchel Library in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games and it is currently on display at the Museum site at Cosford in the West Midlands. It has been an incredibly popular exhibition with visits from Black History Groups across the country, local dignitaries and celebrities such as JLS and Reggae icon Eddy Grant.

An online version of the exhibition is in development and plans are now afoot to tour the exhibition across RAF Stations around the UK.

www.rafmuseum.org

Local Rotary Club acknowledges Museum Apprentice

Cosford Apprentice Ella Middleton

As events and businesses across the country celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (9-13 March 2015), an Apprentice at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford has been acknowledged by a local Rotary Club for their work conserving some of the nation’s most historic aircraft.

The award was presented by the Rotary Club of Wolverhampton at the fourth annual awards evening held at Perton Park Golf Club on Thursday 5th March. Museum Apprentice Ella Middleton aged 21 from Walsall, was named ‘Rotary Club of Wolverhampton – Apprentice of the Year’ and was presented with the George Sidebotham Memorial Award.

The awards evening was attended by the RAF Museum’s Apprentices, accompanied by their Training Manager as well as the Museum’s Conservation Centre Manager. During the evening, Apprentices gave a presentation to Rotary Club members and their guests, about their recent visit to the National Air & Space Museum, a division of the Smithsonian Institute, based in and around Washington DC, USA. During their trip the apprentices worked on a number of unique aviation based machines such as the Breitling Orbiter 3 which completed the first non-stop flight around the world with a free balloon in 1999 and a massive propeller fan shroud from NASA’s hypersonic wind tunnels. Ella was then presented with her ‘Apprentice of the Year’ trophy and an additional prize and cheque.

Ella was nominated by RAF Museum Training & Development Manager, Mick Shepherd for her hard work and dedication over the last twelve months. Her main training has involved working in sheet metal but Ella has proved to be a diverse and capable individual who has worked on a variety of projects. Ella was part of the team based at Ramsgate, Kent during the salvage operation of the Dornier Do 17 and played an integral part in the first phase of its conservation. She has worked with colleagues across the Museum assisting with Museum events, educational workshops for schools and has even coordinated a work experience programme with students interested in engineering.

RAF Museum Apprentice Ella Middleton said:

“During my apprenticeship with the Museum I have been given some fantastic opportunities to develop my skills, working on projects including; the Handley Page Hampden, Dornier Do 17, Vickers Wellington and the First World War in the Air exhibition. A highlight of my apprenticeship was an exchange to America in 2014 where I worked for three weeks at the Smithsonian Institute at the Udvar Hazy Conservation Centre in Virginia.”

National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration of Apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. This annual Apprenticeship Week aims to increase the awareness, understanding and demand for Apprenticeships, as well as celebrate the wealth of talent, skills, achievements and successes.

The RAF Museum’s Apprenticeship scheme began in 2005, due to a shortage of people with the hand skills required to look after its historic aircraft collection. The Museum began running apprenticeships for heritage aircraft engineers who soon proved to be a source of enthusiastic, reliable, trustworthy, capable and safe pairs of extra hands. Nurtured by the Museum’s Aircraft Technicians, master craftsman in their trade, the Apprentices rapidly developed their hand-skills and their work is now enthusiastically incorporated into Museum exhibits for future generations to admire. The Apprentices are a vital asset in the Museum’s team and have enabled the Museum to be less reliant on outside contractors and to keep more work in house under its direct control.

www.rafmuseum.org

New air power lecture series launched

Official squeamishness and the Bomber Offensive of the Second World War will be the focus of a prestigious lecture hosted by the University of Wolverhampton. 

The Trenchard Lectures in Air Power Studies is a new programme of lectures organised by the Royal Air Force Museum in conjunction with the University and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

The first lecture at the University of Wolverhampton will be presented by Air Commodore (ret’d) Dr Peter Gray on Thursday, 19 March 2015 on the subject of ‘‘Official squeamishness’ and the Bomber Offensive of the Second World War.’ Dr Gray’s lecture will take place in MC001 at the University’s City Campus Wulfruna at 6pm.

Dr Peter Gray retired from the Royal Air Force in June 2008, having reached the rank of Air Commodore. He took up the position of Senior Research Fellow in Air Power Studies at the University of Birmingham on 1st September 2008. Dr Gray is also a member of the RAF Museum’s Research Board and his latest book, Leadership, Direction and Legitimacy of the RAF Bomber Offence from Inception to 1945, was published by Continuum in 2012.

Dr Gray’s lecture will examine the attitudes prevalent in the Air Ministry during the Second World War towards the Strategic Air offensive Against Germany. Using the Bomber Command Campaign Medal saga and the publicity the campaign received at the time as case studies, the talk will look at the thinking at all levels and seek to establish just how ‘squeamish’ they were.

Ross Mahoney, Aviation Historian from the RAF Museum, said:

“This lecture series marks an important step in the development of the RAF Museum’s academic aspirations. The series seeks to explore historical and contemporary issues related to the employment of air power. The series also seeks to bridge the gap between academic and public history by providing a forum for recognised experts to share and disseminate their research to a wider audience. We are pleased to be holding the series in conjunction with the University of Wolverhampton which has a world renowned reputation in the field of War Studies.”

Dr Peter Preston-Hough, from the University’s Department of History, Politics and War Studies, said:

“We’re delighted to be hosting this prestigious series of lectures, which promise to provide an interesting insight into this fascinating area of history. The University has a strong relationship with the RAF Museum and we look forward to working closely with them on the lectures.”

Six lectures will be held as part of the Trenchard Lectures in Air Power Studies. The University of Wolverhampton’s Department of History, Politics and War Studies will host three, while the others will take place at the Headquarters of the Royal Aeronautical Society in London.

This lecture is free of charge but people do need to pre-book a free ticket, as seats are limited. For more information email ross.mahoney@rafmuseum.org or to book a ticket please visit the RAF Museum website www.rafmuseum.org.

Thousands of miniature models to be displayed at Cosford

Shropshire MOdel Show

Date: 12 April 2015

Time: 10.00am to 4.00pm

Cost: FREE entry

After a busy February Half Term week at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, which has seen over 1,000 children take part in a model making activity, families with a new found interest in the hobby can explore it further at the Shropshire Scale Model Show, taking place on Sunday 12 April.

This annual event which attracts over 4,000 visitors each year will take place nestled amongst the world-class collection of aircraft and military vehicles on display at the Museum. Thousands of intricately detailed models of aircraft, cars, bikes, trucks and science fiction items will be spread across the whole site, filling the Museum hangars with a world of model making. With over 100 modelling clubs signed up to exhibit their creations, many of which have taken years to perfect, this year’s event is set to be bigger than ever.

Everything any dedicated modeller could ever want or need, will be on sale during the one day show. Over 40 traders, will be selling a range of modelling materials and kits to suit modellers of all ability’s, from young children who are just discovering their passion for modelling, right through to the avid modellers who have been building kits for many years. There will be everything from plastic kits in various sizes along with glues, paints and other detailed sets available to purchase on the day.

Event organiser, Gary Stevens Secretary of the Shropshire Scale Modellers and The Telford Branch of The International Plastic Modellers Society says:

“This year for the first time we will have live entertainment during the show from singer Tiffany Lunn who is a musician and composer of unique and uplifting electronic and instrumental music. I am also pleased to announce the return of a club from Germany named Interessengemeinschaft Plastikmodellbauklub 84 (or IP84 for short) giving the show an international feel. With 108 club displays and 40 traders, this year’s show will be larger than ever.”

To make reaching the Museum even easier, organisers have introduced a free park and ride for the day to cope with the additional visitors. The show will be open to the public from 10am until 4pm and entry to the event is free of charge. For further information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the Museum website at www.rafmuseum.org. Entry to the Museum is FREE of charge.

Open Cockpits Evening tickets go on sale

RAF Cosford Open Cockpits Evening

Date: 15-16 May and 18-19 September

Time: 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Cost: £12.50 per person

Tickets for the popular aviation enthusiasts’ event ‘Open Cockpits Evening’ at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, are now on sale through the Museum’s website. Just 300 tickets per evening will be available for this exclusive event, where a wide range of aircraft will be available for close viewing on the night: including transport aircraft, jet fighters and unique research airframes.

The event has been a complete sell out for three consecutive years and to help cope with demand, organisers have doubled the number of evenings. The event, which is held twice a year in May and September, will now run on a Friday and Saturday evening giving twice as many aviation fans the chance to sit inside some of the world’s most iconic aircraft.

Visitors will be able to get a feel for what it was like to fly these much loved machines by entering their cockpits and, in addition to this, will have exclusive after-hours access to the Museum which displays a collection of over 70 aircraft, military vehicles, engines and aviation artefacts within three wartime hangars and the award-winning National Cold War Exhibition.

Aircraft confirmed for close viewing in the May event include the Gloster Meteor F8 Prone Position. This post-World War Two fighter jet was used to evaluate the advantages of coping with the effects of gravity while flying lying down. In practice the difficulties of operating the controls of the aircraft outweighed the advantages. Other highlights include access inside the giant Lockheed Hercules C130K Mk3. This troop transport, disaster relief and aerial tanker aircraft has been a mainstay of the RAF transport fleet since the late 1960s and has seen extensive operational use including the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. Visitors to Open Cockpits Evening will also have the rare chance to sit inside the General Dynamics F-111F-CF, the first variable-geometry combat aircraft to enter service. This two-seat fighter-bomber saw extensive service during the Vietnam War and also served with US forces and the Royal Australian Air Force.

RAF Museum Cosford Curator Al McLean said:

“We are pleased to be able to provide this opportunity to see inside the cockpits of several of the museum’s unique aircraft as well as some of the ones that are more familiar and that, for some, may bring back memories.”

The evening will commence at 6.00pm and finish at 9.00pm, with numbers onto the Museum site strictly limited to 300 people – providing enthusiasts with three hours to examine the Museum’s historic and wondrous aircraft in an exclusive environment. The Museum is advising aviation fans to book early to avoid disappointment. Admission is by advance ticket only; tickets cost £12.50 per person and are now available to purchase through the Museum’s website www.rafmuseum.org/cosford. Lightning Members price £10.00 per ticket (please note membership cards will need to be shown on entry to the event). Parking charges are included in the ticket price. Minimum height restrictions of 1.07 metres will apply.

The Museum will close at 5.00pm on each ‘Open Cockpit Evening’ in order to set up for the event. A detailed list of aircraft open on the September evenings will be issued nearer the time.