RAF – Page 8 – Airscene News

Historic RAF aircraft to fly into Cosford

The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be taking delivery of its latest acquisition, an RAF Dominie T.MK.1, on Friday 11th February 2011 at 11.30am, when it makes its final flight into RAF Cosford. This particular aircraft is significant because it was the first Dominie to enter RAF Service.

The Dominie T.MK.1 was built as a navigation training aircraft and has been in RAF service since 1965. On arrival at RAF Cosford, the aircraft will undergo a short period of preparation and defueling before going on permanent display as part of the Museum’s extensive collection.

Al McLean, Curator at the RAF Museum Cosford says:

“We are very pleased to be receiving a Dominie. It is at present the longest serving aircraft in the RAF, having been in continuous use for more than 45 years. However, its timeless design means it looks far more modern and it will be an excellent addition to the Museum aircraft collection. ”

A total of twenty Dominies were built in the 1960’s to replace the Meteor NF (T) 14 and initially flew in a silver/day-glow colour scheme which later changed to the red, white and grey scheme and finally to today’s black, grey and white. They were used to train Navigators, Air Engineers and Air Loadmasters in systems management, air leadership, decision making and teamwork and could reach speeds over 320MPH. The retirement date for the Dominie was brought forward by two years due to cancellation of the Nimrod and the planned reduction of the Tornado fleet.

This is the first of a number of new aircraft expected at the RAF Museum Cosford this year. The RAF Museum Cosford is home to over 70 aircraft and the award winning National Cold War Exhibition. The Museum is open daily from 10am, admission is FREE. For more information on the Museum please call 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

RAF Museum to display City Hall Blitz Exhibition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tin Hats and Football Boots

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

St George Handover Historic Watchtower to RAF Museum

St George, London’s leading mixed-use developer, has refurbished and relocated the historic Grahame-White Watchtower building to the adjacent RAF Museum site.

The redundant Watchtower building built in 1911 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 since then the Watchtower had fallen into disrepair.

To celebrate completion of the relocation and renovation, St George and the RAF Museum are commemorated this further milestone in the buildings history by handing over the watchtower to Air Marshal R F Garwood on Monday
13 December.

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.

Ross Faragher, Managing Director, St George Central London: “We are delighted to celebrate completion of the works to relocate the redundant Grahame-White Watchtower. The historic building which was once the central part of the former Claude Grahame-White aircraft factory in Hendon, has been rejoined to the Grahame-White factory here at the Royal Air Force Museum and is set to become an important learning resource reflecting the achievements of this early aviation pioneer and the history of the local area, for the benefit of the nation.

Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day, Chairman of Trustees, Royal Air Force Museum: “This building provides a fitting tribute to Claude Grahame-White and the history of aviation in the local area. We hope the building will provide a new focal point for the local community and reinforce its importance in the history of British aviation.”

High Flying Christmas Gifts

If you’re searching for that elusive gift which will make their spirits soar once they have ripped open the wrapping paper on Christmas Day morning, why not visit the Royal Air Force Museum’s online shop – www.rafmuseumshop.com?

Here you will find a range of affordable, yet charming, gifts suitable for any member of the family at a price that won’t send your Christmas budget into a tailspin. Any young Amy Johnson will immediately fall in love with our RAF Pilot Teddy Bear. At approximately 8″ (seated), this cute RAF Mascot wears a World War 2 Officer’s uniform with life-jacket and retails at a very reasonable £12.00.

Alternatively, a Red Arrows Replica Flying suit will guarantee a month’s worth of good behaviour from your young dare-devils, in the run up to Christmas, for only £29.99. Money well spent. Suitable for both boys and girls, sizes are available for ages 1 to 13. So why not indulge their fantasies of flight and help them realise their dreams of one day becoming a Red Arrow?

Mothers and Grandmothers will be charmed by our exquisite RAF wings “sweetheart” brooch, which retails at £29.99. Manufactured in Great Britain in solid sterling silver, this charming adornment will perfectly complement any evening ensemble. Alternatively, if either lady is particularly health conscious, then our “Wartime Recipe” cookbook, retailing at £4.99, will provide them with a host of 40 healthy, mouth-watering meals that the entire family will love.

Based on the Ministry of Food’s advice on eating during WWII, dishes such as Scotch Broth, Dumplings, Savoury Onions and Coconut Orange Pudding recall the ingenuity and camaraderie of those wartime days.

Fathers will adore our Leather Flying Jacket which is modelled on the iconic RAF Flying Jackets of the 1940s but with a 21st Century twist. Retailing at £150 and available in sizes up to XXL this classic jacket is stylishly furnished in dark brown leather, with a detachable collar and emblazoned with RAF Wings above the chest pocket.

Our pack of Aircraft Spotter Cards, as used by the Observer Corps during WW2, will enliven any Poker night enabling the players to effectively spot Allied and Axis aircraft from the ground or the air. Retailing at £5.99, this affordable gift is ideal for children to give to their Fathers on Christmas Day – trust us he’ll love them more than a pair of socks or slippers!

If money is no object, the Royal Air Force Museum has available a unique item furniture specially commissioned for the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain – The Pilot’s Chair. Handmade by British craftsmen to your requirements from either maple, sycamore, oak or beech this limited edition chair boasts a host of refinements and details including a secret compartment containing a verified fragment from a WW2 Hurricane Engine destroyed in the Battle; propeller style under-frame; RAF Brevet and Spitfire carved into the chair; flying jacket leather upholstered seats with hand stitching; a carving of Winston Churchill’s, ‘ Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. ‘; plus a second secret compartment containing a silk flying scarf embroidered with your choice of Squadron Badge or Fighter Command emblem Retailing at £4,950 the Pilot’s Chair is the must have Christmas Gift for the aviation enthusiast that has everything and is delivered with a certificate of authentication signed by a Battle of Britain Veteran.

By purchasing any of the items above you will be helping the Museum maintain its unique collection of aircraft, medals, films and documents – preserving a vital part of our nation’s heritage for future generations. So this Christmas why not give your personal high-flyer a gift that will make their spirits soar and at the same time be confident that you are preserving our nation’s aviation heritage?

www.rafmuseum.org

Visitors to view Wellington Restoration

The award winning Michael Beetham Conservation Centre (MBCC) at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be opening its doors to visitors in November for one special week. From Monday 15th to Saturday 20th November 2010 a range of aircraft and other artefacts in various states of restoration will be on display, including the Centre’s latest arrival, the Wellington Bomber.

The Vickers Wellington was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of WWII. It is famous for its geodetic fuselage structure designed by Barnes Wallis. The fabric covering to this structure is in desperate need of replacement and following extensive conservation work on the structure, this will take place at the Museum’s Conservation Centre over the next four to five years.

Other conservation projects on view will include on-going refurbishments such as the Handley Page Hampden TB1, Farman F.141 and Range Safety Launch. This may also be the last opportunity to view the conservation efforts on the Mk1 Sopwith Dolphin which is progressing well.

Manager of the Conservation Centre, Tim Wallis says:

“The Open Weeks have become a mutually beneficial event for aircraft enthusiasts and interested members of the public alike and we are always delighted at the interest shown. Most are surprised by our work when they enter the hangar and hopefully all are delighted by the experience. We look forward to the exchange of information and hope that many accept our invitation to this brief, but rare insight into the preservation of aviation heritage. We are also ready to show-off the new MBCC Training Centre to our supportive public”.

Opened in May 2002 by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham, the MBCC is regarded as one of the world’s foremost centres of excellence in aircraft conservation and restoration. Its skilled technicians undertake careful, extensive work to prepare aircraft and other projects for display at both of the Museum’s sites in Cosford and London with the MBCC team responsible for the conservation and routine maintenance of some 300 aircraft. Earlier this year the Museum won ‘Small Employer of the Year Award 2010′ at The National Apprenticeship Awards 2010, which recognised the success of the forward thinking apprentice initiative and wider conservation training programme offered by the Museum’s Conservation Centre, which now successfully employs seven apprentices.

Admission to the Conservation Centre is FREE and from 10.15am to 1.00pm each day during Open Week. Cosford’s main Museum will open daily from 10am – 6pm (last admission 5pm). Admission is FREE of charge. For further information, please contact the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit www.rafmuseum.org

Podcast To Honour Polish Airmen

On Monday 11th of October the Royal Air Force Museum will honour those members of the Polish Air Force who fought as part of the RAF in the Battle of Britain with the launch of its latest podcast : ‘ “Repeat Please!”: Poles in the Battle of Britain’.

This date has been specifically selected to commemorate 70th anniversary of the withdrawal of 303 (Polish) Squadron from the front line after a successful tour of duty which recorded the destruction of 126 enemy aircraft in 42 days. This made ‘303′, the most successful of all the RAF Squadrons that defended Great Britain and its peoples during the Battle of Britain.

To enable a wider audience to understand the contribution that Polish airmen made to the RAF during this aerial campaign, a Polish language version of the podcast will also be available from the Museum’s website enabling those Poles who do not have English as a second language to learn about the debt that the British people owe to Poland and its brave airmen.

Peter Dye, Director General of the Royal Air Force Museum, states:

‘The freedoms that we enjoy today were fought for in the skies above Britain during the summer of 1940. The largest of the overseas contingents serving in Fighter Command came from Poland. These airmen had seen their country over-run but were determined to fight on. Some served with the French Air Force only to experience defeat again. Some reached England after a long and perilous journey. All had a burning passion to defeat the enemy. They offered their lives for an ideal, for a land from which they were exiled and for a country that was not their own. Their sacrifice and willingness to defend our nation provides an enduring example of selflessness that resonates down the years. In this podcast we describe a time when the peoples of Europe came to our aid at the time of our greatest peril. We express our gratitude for the bravery and dedication of those many Polish Veterans who served in the Royal Air Force to defend our freedom and to secure the future that we now all enjoy.’

‘”Repeat Please!”: Poles in the Battle of Britain’ forms part of a year long series of podcasts which examines the forgotten history of the Battle of Britain from the contribution that women made to the campaign to the strategic importance of Bomber and Coastal Commands to the RAF’s success; and addresses many of the myths and misconceptions that have grown around The Few, Churchill and the Spitfire. Future highlights in this series will include Sunday Times best selling historians Patrick Moorhouse and Roger Bishop examining ‘The Battle of Britain from Both Sides’, plus a podcast on the Blitz whilst past highlights include Sir Richard Branson narrating the biography of disabled Battle of Britain Veteran Douglas Bader and the BBC providing a selection of interviews from its archives from pilots who fought in the Battle.

To listen to this podcast series, please go to http://www.rafmuseum.org/podcasts.

For further details about the Museum’s Battle of Britain Hall and its collection of aircraft please visit http://www.battleofbritainbeacon.org or ring 020 8205 2266. The Royal Air Force Museum London is open daily from 10am to 6pm. Admission to the Museum is free of charge.

Many Commemorate the Few at RAF Museum london

Over 6,000 happy visitors flocked to the Royal Air Force Museum to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in a special weekend of activities and events.

The visitor numbers reached 6,330 over Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September as the Museum celebrated its Battle of Britain Anniversary Weekend. As well as the exciting aircraft exhibits, visitors enjoyed live action Scramble displays, living history tableaux, period re-enactors, vintage bus rides, ‘make your own Spitfire’ activities, special film shows, debates and talks, marching band performances, farm yard animals, a model show and more.

The highlight of the weekend was a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire which circuited above the Museum on Sunday afternoon. The display left the thousands of gathered visitors breathless and emotional.

Councillor Lisa Rutter, Deputy Mayor of Barnet was present on Sunday and after watching some outdoor displays, she enjoyed a tour of the Museum and also judged the best 1940’s child, fancy dress competition. Says Councillor Rutter:

“I believe the RAF Museum is a great asset in the Borough of Barnet and this is something which I believe should be maintained and treasured as it provides the stimulus for young people to understand the history of the Battle of Britain.”

Museum Director General Peter Dye:

“The Museum is committed to working for and within the local community and the Battle of Britain Weekend is our way of strengthening this relationship. We are proud to share the success of the weekend with all our visitors.”

The end of Summer theme weekends have taken their place as an eagerly anticipated annual event for the local community. Work has already begun on next year’s event which promises to be bigger and better.

The Battle of Britain Anniversary continues at the Museum with a special concert at 1439 on Saturday 18th September by the Hendon Chapter of the Salvation Army Band.

www.rafmuseum.org

German Bomber Located on Goodwin Sands

A rare German wartime bomber has been discovered on the Goodwin Sands, seventy years after it was shot down during the height of the Battle of Britain. With a crew of four and loaded with 2000lb of bombs, the aircraft, a twin-engined Dornier 17 – known universally as ‘The Flying Pencil ‘- was part of a large enemy formation intercepted by RAF fighter aircraft at midday on 26 August 1940 as they attempted to attack airfields in Essex.

Boulton Paul Defiant fighters attacked the Dorniers at 13,000 ft over Deal in Kent before they had reached their intended target. They claimed at least six Dorniers destroyed and one damaged for the loss of three of their own aircraft and two air gunners killed.

One of the Dorniers, flown by Feldwebel (Flt Sgt) Willi Effmert, attempted a wheels-up landing on the Goodwin Sands. He touched down safely and the aircraft sank inverted. Effmert and his observer were captured but the other crewmen died and their bodies were washed ashore later.

The aircraft is in remarkable condition – considering the events surrounding its loss plus the effects of spending so many years under water. Other than marine concretion it is largely intact, the main undercarriage tyres remain inflated and the propellers clearly show the damage inflicted during their final landing.

Since the Dornier emerged from the sands two years ago, the RAF Museum has worked with Wessex Archaeology to complete a full survey of the wreck site in preparation for the aircraft’s recovery and eventual exhibition at Hendon where it will form a centre-piece in the recently-announced Battle of Britain Beacon project.

Work to conserve and prepare the Dornier for display will be undertaken at the RAF Museum’s award-winning conservation centre at Cosford. Here the Dornier will be placed alongside the Museum’s Vickers Wellington which is currently undergoing long term restoration.

Air Vice-Marshal Peter Dye, Director General of the RAF Museum said that “The discovery of the Dornier is of national and international importance. The aircraft is a unique and unprecedented survivor from The Battle of Britain. It is particularly significant because, as a bomber, it formed the heart of the Luftwaffe assault and the subsequent Blitz.”

The RAF Museum, with the support of English Heritage and the Ministry of Defence, is now developing a recovery plan to protect the aircraft from any further damage and to provide for its long term preservation. There is concern, however, that material has recently been removed illegally from the wreck site – although a number of items have now been retrieved.

Air Vice-Marshal Dye stated that “The Dornier will provide an evocative and moving exhibit that will allow the Museum to present the wider story of the Battle of Britain and highlight the sacrifices made by the young men of both air forces and from many nations.”

More information about the recovery plan, together with film of the aircraft, will be available at the RAF Museum’s Battle of Britain weekend to be held at Hendon on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 September 2010.

http://www.rafmuseum.org

Battle of Britains Hidden History To Be Revealed

Free Event 11th and 12th September

The Royal Air Force Museum London, the former site of RAF Hendon, is to examine the hidden history of the Battle of Britain, this September, as part of an open air living history festival dedicated to ‘The Few’.

As part of the weekend’s programme of events Sunday Times bestselling historian Patrick Bishop will explore the myths and realities of the Battle of Britain, examining the legends that have grown around ‘The Few’, the Spitfire and Winston Churchill; with members of the public welcome to join in the debate and question Patrick about mistaken common beliefs held by the public.

On the Saturday, he will be joined by Roger Moorhouse, the author of ‘Berlin at War’, to debate ‘The Battle of Britain – From Both Sides’. Here both historians will explore whether it was RAF determination and the ingenuity of British scientists that prevented invasion against a numerically superior enemy force or whether it was a lack of comprehension by Luftwaffe Commanders of the strategic importance RADAR and the RAF that enabled British Forces to claim victory in this campaign.

Further talks given by members of the Museum’s Department of Research and Information Services will explore the many challenges – including language – that had to be negotiated by the most successful Squadron of the campaign, 303 (Polish) Squadron in the talk ‘Repeat Please’. Whilst in ‘September 15th’ the museum explores this tumultuous day in 1940 and asks whether it was a pivotal to the outcome of the campaign as some historians believe.

Members of the public are invited, after each talk, to ask questions and to further debate each talk’s conclusions with each presenter. Additionally, the museum will be showing throughout the weekend, in the museum’s cinema, rare archive footage from the Battle of Britain – including ‘ White Eagle’ which examines the Polish contribution to the campaign and ‘Fighter Pilot’ which follows the day in the life of an actual Battle of Britain Squadron, during the campaign.

As part of the weekend activities, members of the public will be able to interact with re-enactors and question them on their roles and to witness a Scramble, as it would have been executed at RAF Hendon in 1940.

The Battle of Britain Weekend runs at the Royal Air Force Museum 11th and 12th of September from 11am to 5pm. The site itself is open from 10am to 6pm. Admission to the museum and to the Battle of Britain Weekend is free of charge. For further details, visit www.rafmuseum.org/whatson or call 020 8205 2266.