Newark Air Museum Briefing – 2012

And so we say goodbye to another of the popular ‘annual’ threads.

Roll on 2013 version.

Moggy

I have just returned from NAM, where I’ve been helping with the annual stock-take in the museum shop; my main focus was on the ‘model count’ and I was rather pleased to identify several items of stock that were missing from the display wall – it was also interesting to experience the high number of telephone enquiries for those illusive kits.

Despite the poor weather there was a good turn-out of visitors, many of whom took the opportunity to have a look in the Vulcan. I have been asked to remind people that the museum is open on Sunday and Monday; but closed on Tuesday 1st January; and then back open again on Wednesday 2nd January 2013. 🙂

Over the last couple of days some news updates have been added to the usual place these may be of interest to some people.

Season’s greetings from a damp Nottinghamshire! 🙂

I have been asked to post a gentle reminder about NAM’s Christmas opening times; here’s a quote from the relevant item on the News & Information Page!

“As per normal the museum closes at 4pm on Sunday, December 23 BUT reopens again at 10am on Thursday, December 27. All other days we’ll be open from 10am until 4pm, with last admissions at 3pm.

Before Christmas we hope that some of you might call in for those last minute presents, whilst after Christmas you’ll be desperate to spend that money you’ve been given. Don’t forget that we’ll also be closed on January 1, but open again on Wednesday January 2.”

Season’s Greetings from everyone at NAM! 🙂

The copies of Tim O’Brien’s new RAF Syerston book are now in stock at the Newark Air Museum Shop and for those people that pre-ordered copies they’re now available for collection – a few more details can be found in the usual place! 🙂

Over the last few days the museum has added a few updates to the News & Information page of its website – this includes details of the Christmas opening times etc. 🙂

Andy,

Sadly the museum did not get the chance to produce any lists and it is unlikely to be in a position to do so – sorry! However I have managed to get someone to take some photographs this morning of the ‘un-sold’ die-casts and these have been added as a mini album in here!

If these photos aren’t of sufficient detail then drop me a PM with an up to date email address and I will arrange for the original photos to be emailed over – that said they’re not really high res photos, just quick record shots to try and answer your query. You can also PM me if any items are of interest and I will endeavour to help you make the right contacts – please note that the person dealing with this at the museum is on holiday this week, so it may be the weekend before we can sort this matter out!

howard what is left from the die cast stuff? and can you give me a list of what is left

Sorry that I missed you – you ought to have ‘identified’ yourself and joined the Forum Meet (Northish); also thanks for the kind comments! 🙂

Everyone is still trying to work out what’s the next best move with regard to selling the remaining die-casts and kits – more news will follow on that front as and when any decisions are made. As you said the range of aviation types covered most aspects of aviation.

As a small aside I’ve heard a tale that some of the items from Saturday were on sale again this morning at the local Monday flea market in Arnold, Notts – the global market place eh!! 😀

Model Sale

Another great event, I managed to come away with a few goodies as usual. Safe to say the selection of models was huge pretty much covering most areas of aviation.

I’ve managed to get a few of my photographs from my visit to the museum yesterday added to the Restoration & Behind The Scenes album on the museum website! 🙂

Several updates have been added to the NAM website today, these items include:

Details of the Rallye coming out of its repaint and going back onto display; there’s a news item in here and a few photos have been added to the Restoration & Behind The Scenes album!

A few photos of the first of the die-cast & plastic models being delivered for Saturday’s sale have been added as an album in here – set up is still due to take place tomorrow and I will check to see whether any further photos get posted before the weekend!

Unfortunately the set up for the December die-cast and made up kit sale is having to be delayed until the day before, due to another school visit booking that has been received.

This means that the proposed photo album will not now be posted – the museum is sorry that people won’t now be able to see in advance what is available for sale on Saturday 8th December.

New Phantom book!

Fresh from the NAM news page:

“The Phantom in Focus – A Navigator’s Eye on Britain’s Cold War Warrior is a new book by David Gledhill and it features photographs of the Phantom cockpit at the museum taken in XV490 and the museum’s procedures trainer cockpit in Hangar 1.

The author has already been in touch with the museum and it is hoped that he will be attending Cockpit-Fest 2013 in June to do some book signings”.

Full details can be found on the news page!

A few more images have been added to the Restoration & Behind The Scenes album – these feature more Lightning stencilling; the new Cockpit-Fest displays; and new directional signage that is now in place to help direct visitors to the RAF Winthorpe Memorial on the Southfield Site.

Thanks for that insight Praesta – even more eagerly anticipated now!

I haven’t seen any drafts but I know that Tim has been working very hard on the project for several years. I’ve helped in a couple of minor areas and I also know that he’s used the Newark Air Museum Archive.

Ironically in the last few months I have personally got more involved with bits of research into 5 LFS and a couple of its crews, which has drawn out some fresh information.

Only last week I went down to the Hoveringham memorials to put up some small signs to help an Australian gentleman try to make contact with the relatives of his brother’s crew that were lost from Syerston in April 1944. During this summer the Australian gentleman visited RAF Syerston with me to see where his brother had taken off from, which was a very moving experience. Both Tim and Lady Helen Nall had provided some contact details to help make that visit possible.

If anyone would like to read about this latest 5 LFS research and visit, please PM me an email address and I’ll send over a PDF file.

Finally don’t forget to check out for details about Tim O’Brien’s book on RAF Syerston – ‘RAF Syerston: Praesta in Officiis’ look at this link to the NAM website!

Earlier today the museum was advised about the impending release of Tim O’Brien’s book about RAF Syerston – details about the book entitled, ‘RAF Syerston: Praesta in Officiis’ have been added here on the NAM website.

It is scheduled for publication on 12th December 2012!

I have seen the final draft in some detail and it is spectacular to say the least! I would implore anyone with more than a passing interest in Syerston to get a copy. Well… with Praesta in the title, why would you not?:)

Education, eduaction, education…

The world of aviation / education seems to have gone crazy (in the best possible way) in this part of the world – I acted as a facilitator today for 72 young people from South Yorkshire studying the principles of flight at Newark Air Museum. A brilliant group of knowledgeable youngsters; their enthusiasm for the topic; and the opportunity to enable them to go inside a Wessex made for a very rewarding day! 🙂

Three more school groups visiting next week and one more just booked in for the first week of December – great times for aviation / education in this part of the world! 😉

This Sunday

Attendees to the museum Service of Remembrance are being reminded to allow extra travel time this weekend due to the vintage tractor show that’s running on the Showground!

The last time I saw the owner of the ‘Movember’ it was of similar stature albeit slightly greyer in tone!

Back to NAM, details of a ‘Pre-Christmas Aviation Die-Cast & Model Sale’ on Saturday 8th December 2012 have been added to the news page – this relates to a bequest of 200+ military aircraft die-cast models and 200+ made up plastic kits that has just arrived and it may be of interest to some collectors / modellers. 🙂

Also three extra photos have been added to the Restoration & Behind The Scenes album – these feature the Rallye restoration, Jaguar cockpit and Lightning stencilling. 🙂