Westonzoyland News

I dont think I could have said it better myself…

I think you are right Merkle, displaying artefacts and dig finds from actual WZ based aircraft in a small museum is the way to go.
The smaller collections have a great feel to them usually and it is nice to be away in an area and spend an afternoon in a local, small, airfield museum.

Ok its quits for the forum were going the same way as WON

Had enough of the forum and the people we shall try to carry it on

Thanks for the help guys

668
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The cigar boss

OOO

Thanks for that 🙂

Just a quick update me and chirs are going to relex things due to the politics etc

We shall still doing things behind the scense and reseacher etc but dont think that project has stopped

Thanks for the contiuned support

668
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Medical Cannabis

There is an article in the latest issue of Loop magazine by Dennis Kenyon about his time on Meteors at Weston Zoyland, and a very lucky escape that he had while night flying.

May be worth contacting him, as he will doubtless have more reminiscences about WZ, and is a well-known display pilot (albeit a bit bruised at present!).

Loop is free if you register.

YR

You’ve not been to see what the Dunkeswell museum has achieved then ?

.

no i havent, was told years ago there was a U/C leg from a liby there, thats about all i know about Dunks !

Must pay a visit if its a good little museum, 🙂

What you do have is the opportunity to create a superb little Museum focussing on Weston Zoyland and the units operating from there. Maybe something along the lines of the 100th BG Museum at Thorpe Abbotts. By focussing on the activities of those who served there a really useful and interesting Museum could be created. It wouldn’t take up too much room and it would be manageable. I think that being able to manage this as a sustainable project is one of the things you need to seriously consider. I think you need to learn to walk before you start trying to run.
kev35

Bingo! Absolutely spot on Kev35.

…As for wreckage ,i think if displayed properly this may be a winner as there is nowhere in the south west that has “Aviation Archaeology” on display,
😉

There are a few, of the top of my head Flambards, small collection outside St Mawgan camp, and Davidstow has two museums.

I’m not having a go, just pointing out that there are collections about in the SW. On the internet somewhere is a museums/collections guide, it is surprising what is about really.

I think you are right Merkle, displaying artefacts and dig finds from actual WZ based aircraft in a small museum is the way to go.
The smaller collections have a great feel to them usually and it is nice to be away in an area and spend an afternoon in a local, small, airfield museum.

I think we all know where just at the start of a very long road and we stil dont know things and its going to slow and this and that

But please cut us some slack im trying to draw up some aims and goals for the project so we all have an understanding of whats going on.
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Anime Videos

As for wreckage ,i think if displayed properly this may be a winner as there is nowhere in the south west that has “Aviation Archaeology” on display….

You’ve not been to see what the Dunkeswell museum has achieved then ?

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I think you’re really missing out on an opportunity here. Do you realise Matt that Weston Zoyland is only 18 miles from the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton? With the best will in the world there is absolutely no way in which you can compete with what is one of this Country’s greatest aviation Museums. In fact I’d probably rate it above the RAFM at Hendon as they stand now.

What you do have is the opportunity to create a superb little Museum focussing on Weston Zoyland and the units operating from there. Maybe something along the lines of the 100th BG Museum at Thorpe Abbotts. By focussing on the activities of those who served there a really useful and interesting Museum could be created. It wouldn’t take up too much room and it would be manageable. I think that being able to manage this as a sustainable project is one of the things you need to seriously consider. I think you need to learn to walk before you start trying to run.

One thing you have going for you is your enthusiasm. But temper it with some common sense. Start very small and slowly. You seem to misunderstand or misinterpret what I am saying about the press. I’m not talking about an announcement of a forthcoming Museum. I’m suggesting you use the press to make contact with those whose stories such a project as yours should be about.

Just my thoughts.Take them or leave them as you wish.

Regards,

kev35

Thanks Kev35

that is really what i was thinking about, a museum (small) about the history of WZ and with recovered wreckage from local incidents, and good write ups on the history of WZ, maybe at most one day a couple of air frmes, and a cockpit or 2 which wil more than likely be in private hands ,
it has to start small, and i imagine it will stay small, for many reasons,

As for wreckage ,i think if displayed properly this may be a winner as there is nowhere in the south west that has “Aviation Archaeology” on display,
in my mind there is no better a tribute to put it on display with full history of each incident, thn say to hae it laying around in someones shed ! with private collectors !

Its going to be a while before it kicks off anyway, and you are right,we could never compete wth FAA museum, and would not want too, just hope to display something a little different 😉

I think you’re really missing out on an opportunity here. Do you realise Matt that Weston Zoyland is only 18 miles from the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton? With the best will in the world there is absolutely no way in which you can compete with what is one of this Country’s greatest aviation Museums. In fact I’d probably rate it above the RAFM at Hendon as they stand now.

What you do have is the opportunity to create a superb little Museum focussing on Weston Zoyland and the units operating from there. Maybe something along the lines of the 100th BG Museum at Thorpe Abbotts. By focussing on the activities of those who served there a really useful and interesting Museum could be created. It wouldn’t take up too much room and it would be manageable. I think that being able to manage this as a sustainable project is one of the things you need to seriously consider. I think you need to learn to walk before you start trying to run.

One thing you have going for you is your enthusiasm. But temper it with some common sense. Start very small and slowly. You seem to misunderstand or misinterpret what I am saying about the press. I’m not talking about an announcement of a forthcoming Museum. I’m suggesting you use the press to make contact with those whose stories such a project as yours should be about.

Just my thoughts.Take them or leave them as you wish.

Regards,

kev35

Kev i hope i answer these correct and maybe chirs can exaplin better if i fail to pick up on something

1) yes, the number 1 goal is to have a museum telling the story of the airfield, the next goal is a general aviation museum to preserve airframs and tell there stories

2) The airfield will be active in a year or 2’s time we are working with the landowner on this and it will take sometime

3) We have no buildings or money for buildings to get planning permission for so that will come when we know where can get a building and we know the extact location we can put it

4) I am making good progress with the research, i will off to kew for a solid week soon

5) I have an estimate for 2 doccuments i want so far one was ?119 and the other ?170 i shall order them soon

6) I have spoken to sqn. historians and i am meeting up with some ex weston zoyland airmen soon to get personal accounts

7) We cant go to the press about this yet

8) As said before i am working on gettin an acount sorted

9) It will be a charitable organisation and not-for-profit

10) We dont have any (well a few) exhibits at the moment so we dont need to worry about that yet

11) The vampire (if i get it) is personal

I hope i have answered your questions any more?

668
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Lamborghini lm003 specifications

Matt,

I would reiterate the very wise words that Bruce has just posted.

You should also remember that before you are likely to secure any significant grants you will have to become a properly constituted body, organisation, museum, or call it what you will; so initially don’t stretch yourselves too much. Even formalising things would be a major achievement.

Kev also raises some very important points, just answering them honestly to yourselves would also give you great guidance regarding the best way forward.

Matt.

In a spirit of honesty and openness might I ask a few questions relating to this thread “Weston Zoyland News”?

1. Wasn’t it your original intention to open and operate a Museum at Weston Zoyland which centred around telling the story of the RAF’s patronage of Weston Zoyland?

2. Do you have permission to use any of the land one the site of the former RAF Weston Zoyland?

3. Do you have or are you in the process of acquiring planning permission for the erection of a structure or structures in which to house the Museum?

4. How much progress has been made into researching the history of the airfield and the units which operated from there?

5. Has your estimate come back from the NA yet for the documents you require? To produce anything like a comprehensive history of the airfield and those operating from it would, I suspect, run into many hundreds if not thousands of pages of documentation at a cost substantially more than acquiring a £500 Vampire.

6. What progress has been made regarding the acquisition of anecdotal and personal memories from those who served there?

7. Have you contacted the press, speciality and otherwise, regarding the retrieval and collation of memories of those connected with the airfield?

8. You mention setting up a Bank Account for the funding of your project. What guarantees are put in place to ensure that all donations received are in fact directed specifically towards the prospective Museum at and for Weston Zoyland?

9. Are you intending to run this venture as some kind of Charitable Trust? Have you received specific, and indeed legal, advice about such a move?

10. You have previously mentioned receiving items relating to Weston Zoyland for future display in the Museum. Might I ask whether the items were officially recorded as given to you personally or to the trustees of the Weston Zoyland Museum? If entrusted to the Museum, what provision has been made for the future safekeeping or return of such items should the Museum not come to fruition or close at a future date?

11. Is the acquisition of a Hunter and Vampire for you personally or is it for the Museum? If for the Museum, what relevance do these airframes have to Weston Zoyland?

Think that’ll do for now.

Regards,

kev35

I see where your comming from 100%

Personaly i feel were are going to have to get the money sorted
Im working with the mother on this as she used to be quite high in the bank and now sorts out the money for the local private school so shes giving me advice on whats out there.

Once i have the right set up, im going to get some money in there buy fundraising ie local events thats the first goal after which we can look at what else we can do.

As said it will take a year before we get anywhere

But i just dont like letting things like this go, im more of a live for today man and i try and take every oppertunity as it comes but sometimes you have to let things go.

IS this one of them? Maybe but i like to do all i can to not let this go.

Personaly once we have the money side set up everything will come alot easier as everything is about money.

Ive contacted somerset council who havent replied so with them it will be hard but once we get some of the foundations layed it will be much better.

With the site at weston zoyland its all going slow and it will do, we arnt the owners at the end of the day and were on amber waiting for green. Once we get the green light we can launch into it 110% with adds and articles in papers and magazines and a nice new website.

Im willing to pour my own money into this but that wont go on forever.

This will happern but itll be slow and me and chris dont know where to begin so thanks for the advice 🙂

All the best
MF
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Expert insurance

Matt,

Whatever you do, dont go around acquiring as many airframes as you can, and then work out what to do with them.

Start with one or at most two aircraft, and work slowly and carefully through them. If you just acquire a big pile of aircraft, you will get (and deserve) the ‘scrapyard’ nickname that so many have before.

Its time to come up with a sensible, achievable plan, and work out exactly what you can and cant achieve with the money and time you have.

You may not have a lot of money, but remember that to get it to a point where others will support you financially WILL take a fair chunk of your own money and time. You really cant expect people to support you without a clear plan, and an achievable goal.

I understand that you have just left school – its time for a dose of real life to get in the way – you really need to understand how things work before going too much further.

Bruce

Well i wanted to keep things quiet so we can have abit of a re-launch soon.
But i need some help and guidance

We have been offered a number of airframes i wont give exact numbers and locations as its not right at this moment

We have been given a hunter and that will be ours in a few months, we have also been offered a canberra with a discount taken off for us as a deal and im personal considering the a vampire (and maybe a similar cockpit)

Now the canberra were thinking about but al of these airframes are in a sorry state but at the mo we dont have a site to store them on or money.

Now im doing the rounds to look at getting a back account set up for us so we can revieve donations and grants as well as having the money to buy things.
Money is personaly tight for me and chris so i think this is the only way forward if we want to achieve our goal.

Its going to be a year before we get anywhere but im going to relaunch everything with a new log, website and some products for you to buy (watch this space)

But i was wondering is there anyway that we can get help in storing these airframs for a few months (dismantled) and hopefully a small bit of space to we can slowly do work to them.
Does anyone have any ideas as im out, as im not at school anymore i have lots of time and ive been busy making contacts and sorting bits.

So can anyone suggest something or offer us a small plot somewhere, id rather things were kept in one place but maybe we can work around it

Thanks for your help so far
Matt
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Colorado Dispensaries

Ooo big news soon 🙂

Well its been about a month since we properly got things going and we have come along way to thanks to all abother 11 months like this and well be well on our way to scuess. Thanks to everyone whos supported us so far but continue. This forum has been the best text book for me and merkle giving us some good advice dont think weve stopped asking tho theres many more question we need to ask =)

As said on other foums i hope this time next year we both have a fantastic museum to invite you all to our open day. Its a dream but we will get there. Might even make in the top 10 somerset attractions, tho they dont have alot down there 🙂 haha

Well thank you all and if you can help in any way shape or form or give us some interesting artefacts of stories now matter how small then contact us please.
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Herbal Health Shop

Just a quickie the website has been updated for this week

http://www.freewebs.com/westonzoyland

Thanks
M French
Weston zoyland project
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The Cigar Boss

Just a quickie, after searching weston zoyland i came accross this, i dont know who posted it or what but i hope its of someinterst and explains things in a better way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoyAl9NDJ7o

The main job this summer is to clean up the airfield, i shall hopefully be going to to wz in the next week or two to see the state of it my self and take a few pics.

Then i shall try and help out as much as i can with the cleaning side, then i shall post pics in a before and after stage.

I have ordered doccuments from kew and recieved a diary of 268 sqn from there historian which is most helpful and he will be working with me to gather 268 sqn info.

Also a pic came from the doccument and i thought it would be interesting to post.

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.I ? AH784 NM-P of 268 Sqdn RAF, Weston Zoyland/Oatlands, November 24 to December8, 1941
Aircraft is finished in dark and dark green over sky grey paint scheme and carries the Squadron identification code NM-P in sky, with the spinner and rear fuselage band in sky. At a later date this aircraft is recorded as being observed painted in the later RAF Day Fighter Scheme of ocean grey and dark green over medium sea grey camouflage and revised national markings using type C and Type C1 roundels and fin flashes. (Photograph courtesy of the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon. Negative Number RAFMH P3183NC)

Website will be updated in the comming week

Thanks to one and all

668
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LovelyWendie