Update from NASAM as at 11 Dec 20 …

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Opening Again – Still on Schedule 

As mentioned above and subject to any last-minute government restrictions that may come into play, the museum is planning to OPEN its doors again on the following dates:

• Sunday 13th December
• Sunday 20th December
• Tuesday 29th December
• Wednesday 30th December
• Thursday 31st December 

All of these days would see us open from 10 am to 3 pm.  There is no advanced booking required.  Simply turn up on the day from 1000 onwards.   

Please keep an eye on our Social Media Pages for any changes to the planned dates by clicking on the buttons below.

  

Sadly we are still not able to reopen the NAAFI café due to the requirement that table service is still mandatory.

When visitors arrive at the new Visitor Reception Point (VRP), they will be checked in and given a new leaflet which gives the COVID rules and a map of the site showing the buildings and areas in use.  Please follow these instructions for both your safety and the safety of the museum volunteers.

After these few December days, we next plan to open again in March, so stay tuned to the blog for the 2021 plans and dates.

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Weekly Work

• Auster Update

John from the Metal Workshops sent an update along with some photos of the restoration of Auster AOP.6/T.10 VX123.

• He had applied two coats of white Dulux vinyl matt on the fuselage and then grey on top working up to the silver that the painter team will use. The cutting in is on the seam joints to make sure that they are well coated and in any awkward places that the roller can’t reach.

A previous blog on the restoration can be found @

Auster VX123 Restoration Part II

• Visitor Reception Point

At the end of last week, (too late to put into last Friday’s blog) I received an update from Michael, with photos (see below), on the progress of getting the potting shed …. sorry, the Visitor Reception Point ready for this coming Sunday to act as the welcome point for the museum visitors.  Michael also sent me a further update on Tuesday this week. 

Discussions are still ongoing with the Volunteers as to what colour the VRP is to be painted, with the Red and White Squares competing wth the RAF Blue.

• Friday 4th Dec Update

The new window frames are now sealed and watertight; the end window frames have been trimmed so they now open. The door has been lined and raised so that it opens smoothly.  The plywood walls are almost finished, with just a couple of small sections to be cut and fitted.

• Tuesday 8th Dec Update

Today we completed the fitting out the VRP, having finished the interior cladding of the walls.

• Frosty Start

Last week we had a couple of photos from Lottie as she started the day Volunteering at the Museum.  This week, Ian, another Volunteer at the Museum, had a frosty start to his morning on Tuesday.  It looks like Sergeant Flyer and his faithful companion were not only cold but the subject of a few spiders attention.  Roll on the summer when the dog becomes the abode of a nesting bird.

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Gallery Section

Photos from the various articles above are now all shown in one Gallery for ease. To enlarge an image, please click on it.

Thanks this week go to Ian, John and Michael for the photos.

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Video Snapshot

This week we have a short video clip of Hawker Hunter FGA.9 XG254.  This is composed of two sets of videos shot by each of the drone pilots that came on a closed day in July this year, together with some still photos taken at the time of the repaint in 2018.

Having said in last weeks blog, that we would feature the Hunter this week, the owner of the aircraft contacted me to explain that the aircraft looks more like a GA11 than an FGA.9 because he had not been able to purchase an ADEN gunpack with the link ejector port covers (“Sabrinas”); also, the port wing pitot has not been fitted for safety reasons.  The safety reasons being that the aircraft is so close to the public and the pitot is so long that it would be sticking out into the road providing a hazard and also an inviting swing for the children (it is easily bent).

Hawker Hunter FGA.9 XG254

Previously Hawker Hunter FGA.9 XG254 featured in a number of blog postings.  The more extensive one was after the repaint in September 2018.  This blog can be found @

Hunter gets a repaint

Information Board

The information board for the aircraft can be found on one of the blog pages @

HAWKER HUNTER FGA.9

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Coming Next Week

Video Snapshot

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 GLOSTER JAVELIN FAW.9R – XH 892. 

The Javelin sits at the entrance to the museum on Buckeroo Way opposite the Super Sabre that we featured three weeks ago in the Online Weekly Flier – 20/11/20.  More information on this aircraft will be given alongside the video clips.

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Would You Like To Help

There are several ways you can help the museum, from becoming a Museum Member, by Volunteering to help at the museum, or by donating to assist in our running costs.  To become a Museum Member or to Volunteer Member, please click on the appropriate button below to see the details on our main website.

      

To donate, please click the donate button below to be taken to our donations page.

 

For all other details on the museum, please go to our main web page by clicking on the picture below.

Follow us on Social Media, email us or visit our Main Website.

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