Arming the Valetta?

On Tuesday 13th August 2019 four volunteers from the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum headed down to the old RAF Bentwaters to collect some new exhibits, well part of our new aircraft due to arrive sometime soon. The objects in question were four guided missiles and two launch rails. This required two trips with a very large trailer attached to the back of the chairman’s car.

The missiles comprised two Sparrows and two Sidewinders. The Sparrows weigh in at 250Kg despite being inert. In order to correctly simulate the real thing, the drill purpose rounds are filled to make the weights the same. The Sidewinders are rather lighter at a mere 100Kg each. The rails are how the Sidewinders are attached to the underside of the wing, the Sparrows being semi-recessed under the fuselage. On arrival at Flixton eight volunteers helped to unload and store the Sparrows (they were loaded by forklift truck).

The missiles are now stored under our Valetta whilst awaiting their host which will stand on the new hard standing.

See the previous link Construction @ NASAM