Update from NASAM as at 27 Nov 20 …

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Opening Again

Subject to any government restrictions that may yet come forth the museum should be open in December on Sundays 13th and 20th, then again on Wednesday 30th and Thursday 31st.  All of these days would see us open from 10 am to 3 pm.

We may be able to add a couple of dates to this as well, so please keep an eye on our Social Media Pages by clicking on the buttons below.

  

Sadly we will still not be able to reopen the NAAFI café as we anticipate that table service will still be a requirement.

Some reasons to visit the museum then:

• The shop has several suitable gifts for the aviation minded, so either a last-minute gift or an opportunity to spend money from Christmas.
• An art exhibition – refer below.

After these few days, we next plan to open in March.

Steve Bell

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Weekly Work

All the photos are at the foot of this section.

• Visitor

First thing Tuesday morning the museum had a visitor, an Apache helicopter from Wattisham flew low around the perimeter of the museum, presumably looking for threats.

• Missiles

As reported last week the Sidewinders are now back on the Phantom. The plan for the Skyflash missiles though is to display them underneath the aircraft so that they can be seen. Two suitable frames were found in our scrap area on Tuesday that have wheels. They are fairly robust and will be converted to make mobile stands for the missiles. As they are wheeled, on event days we can move them forward to allow even better viewing, then afterwards replace them under the aircraft for protection.

• Art Exhibition

The museum has a large number of paintings and prints in storage. Part of the lottery grant has provided screens that will allow us to reopen the NAAFI at some stage next year (hopefully as soon as we open). These screens make ideal places to hang artwork. For the days we are open in December there will be an opportunity to view a large number (our target is 100) of these pieces of art. Following the open days, they will be returned to storage for their protection.

Whilst we will display artwork on a regular basis in the future, this will probably be the only opportunity to view this particular collection. So do come along.

• Chippy Workshops

In order to keep up the maintenance in the museum, the volunteers have been going in to the museum on occasions to ensure all is well.  Whilst there, in addition to creating the screens for the NAAFI Café as previously reported on, they have spent some of their time creating cabinets for the museum.  The latest cabinet is now under construction and is shown below.

Hopefully, we will get a picture of the completed cabinet in time.

• Office Refurbishment Update

The Office refurbishment continues with the filler having been sanded smooth and the walls and ceiling thoroughly washed down ready for a coat of primer next week.

• Workshops (Metal)

The Auster AOP.6/T.10 VX123 (Beagle Terrier as G-ARLP) which has been in the Metal Workshops for some time has now been reskinned with fabric.  This will now be primed and painted as part of the restoration project.  The restoration of this aircraft was previously detailed in two blogs back in the Summer of 2017.  The blogs with photos can be found @ Restoration of Auster VX123

• Short History
• The incomplete remains of this aircraft were donated to the museum over a period of time from July 2016 as components were traced to locations in Felthorpe and Fakenham. Members led by John Self are now restoring it to its final military configuration as an Auster T.10 of the Army Air Corps.
• The aircraft was originally built as an AOP.6 and converted to T.10 in 1960. It had served with 661and 663 Army Air Corps Squadrons and the Army Air Corps College. Following its sale by the MOD, it was converted to a Beagle Terrier and registered G-ARLP, and first flew as such in July 1961.

Steve Bell and others

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The Shed

As well as the cabinets and the NAAFI screens mentioned above, on the days when the weather has permitted working on “the shed”, the chippies and other volunteers have been working on this Visitor Reception Point.  This is an update on this week’s progress on fitting out the building.

Tuesday, Dave H, Ash and Michael F cut out the insulation to fit while Ian and Mike coated the plywood for the walls and ceiling.

Thursday, a cold but clear and dry day, Dave, Ash and Michael F fitted the floor and all the insulation to the walls and managed to fit the first plywood panel.

Next week, weather and Covid-19 permitting, the volunteers should complete the walls and ceiling and maybe add the new window.  Progress is being made.

The volunteers who attend the museum have been asked to suggest which colour they would like to see the shed painted.  As well as the Green and Brown camouflage like an RAF guard room or Red and White checks like a runway control caravan, the further colour of RAF Blue has been added to the list as suggested by one of the readers.  Watch this space for an update once the brushed have been raised in anger

Thanks to Michael F for the photos

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Video Snapshot

This week we have a short video clip of the WESTLAND WHIRLWIND HAR.10 XR485.  This aircraft is in our lower compound and is shown in the summer of 2020 and looking in need of a little TLC.  A few pictures of it in a new coat of paint when last restored in late 2017 are tacked onto the end of the video.

XR485, is one of the last Whirlwinds built for the UK services and has the Gnome engine. The HAR.10 was slightly longer than previous versions of this helicopter with a jet pipe outlet on the port side.

This aircraft made its maiden flight in May 1963 and was displayed at the 1963 Paris Air Show.  It was then delivered to the RAF Central Flying School at Ternhill, and although built as an Air Sea Rescue HAR.10 version our aircraft was transferred to 2 Flying Training School (2 FTS) at Shawbury for use training helicopter pilots. It spent its entire career with this unit.

It was retired in 1980 and purchased by the Museum in 1981.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

• Year Built: 1963
• Manufacturer: Westland Aircraft Ltd
• Purpose: Search and rescue, troop transport, training
• Crew: 3
• Engine: Bristol Siddeley Gnome shaft turbine of I,050shp
• Maximum Speed: 110mph (170kph)
• Service Ceiling: 16,OOOft(4,877m)
• Range: 334 miles approx. (537km)
• Rotor Diameter: 53ft (16.15m)
• Length: 44ft 2in (13.47m)
• Gross Weight: 8,OOOlb(3,629kg)

The pictures of the aircraft came from the refurbishment which was carried out in 2017 and was blogged at the time.  That blog can be found @ Restoration of Whirlwind XR485 Part II

bloginfo

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Coming Next Week

Next week we will take a look at some more of the video shot by the two drone pilots that visited in the summer. 

This time it is the DASSAULT MD-452 MYSTERE IVA – 79/EG. The Mystere is shown in the colours of the Escadre de Chasse 2 of the French Air Force and has been at the Museum since 1978.  As well as the video and a few photos, we will provide the link back to the blog(s) detailing the move of the aircraft.

 bloginfo

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