NASAM Update as of the 22nd Oct 2021

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From the Chairman

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More info on Dates and Events

Winter Closure of the Museum

It is unfortunate, but we will have the close the museum for a break over the winter months in order to carry out maintenance of the buildings and grounds. The closure date this year is the 15th November 2021.

We will however continue to be open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays up to and including the 14 of November 2021.

Also, continue to watch this blog for news on reopening and other information on Opening and Event Dates.

Additional Event Date 2022

In the last edition of the Online Flier, we gave out the list of Events dates for 2022. In the last week, it has been confirmed that the Norfolk Internal Combustion Engine Society will hold its annual open day at the museum on Sunday the 10th of April 2022. This will start our season of Special Events at the Museum.

The Special Events Dates List for 2022 now look like this:

Sunday 10th April 2022 – Norfolk Internal Combustion Engine Society day
Sunday 17th April 2022 – Air Ambulance Easter Egg Hunt day
Saturday 30^th April 2022 – Scout activities day
Sunday 8^th May 2022 – East Coast Pirates
Sunday 15th May 2022 – 40s themed day
Sunday 22^nd May 2022 – Aviation Art and Plastic Model show
Saturday 25^th June 2022 – Classic Car Rally
Sunday 24^th July 2022 – Family Fun day
Sunday 7^th August 2022 – RAFA and Veterans day
Sunday 18^th September 2022 – ROC day + Museums 50th Anniversary
Saturday 24^th September 2022 – Scout activities day

General Updates

Below are the updates received from the Volunteers during the last few days. These updates stretch back to the last Online Flier published on the 7th of Oct 2021.

Chippies Update

This regular update from Michael in the chippies workshop.

A long overdue update from the “Chippies” workshop, mostly nothing to do with carpentry. Because it’s been so long, I won’t summarise by date but by job’s and what we’ve done. Since the start of September, it’s mostly been finishing off work that has been pushed aside for more urgent things or those “roundtuits” which we never had time to even get going on.

Dave H put in a number of hours in September on the model Steerman. He finished putting it all together and completing the painting which made it look nice. All that is left to do is apply the markings, which are on order (Model Stearman 01 and 02).

The painters wanted a new trolley, so we donated the one the bric-a-brac no longer needed. Michael made them a compartment for their brushes and other equipment and a nice tight lid to keep out the rain they are always complaining about *Painters Trolley 01 and 02).

Another trolley that needed attention was the ex-DIY store trolley used by Ian S and his team. The deck was breaking up after years of hard labour and needed replacing. Michael stripped it down and prepared the new deck. While he was away, Ash reassembled it and delivered it back to its parking place behind the bric-a-brac (DIY Trolley 01 thru 03).

Meanwhile Tony and Morris have been beavering away at, respectively, building and painting bird boxes, bird tables, bat boxes and other various homes for wild creatures (Garden Boxes 01 thru 03). This is the time of year when they (the creatures, not Tony and Morris) start looking for nesting habitats for winter and spring. We have a nice stock of these so why not come to visit the museum and buy one of these handcrafted items for your garden.

Refurbishing trolleys has been a major theme. Ash and Dave stripped down the last of the trolleys due for a paint job as its deck was also getting rotten. Michael then painted it up in the blue and yellow livery we have adopted and repaired the draw handle which was very loose.

Dave, with a lot of help, got the third trolley onto the bench to replace its pneumatic tyred wheels with solid tyred ones. As the axle holes were different diameters, it meant new axles and Dave was out with his welding gear. All worth it, as the old wheel bearings were degraded and pulling the trolley is a lot easier now (More Trolleys 01 thru 06).

Earlier this year, Les brought in an ornamental bench that he asked the “chippies” to refurbish for him as a memorial to his wife, Patricia, and his sister, Jackie. So on a wet October day, we got out the side pieces and the back to see how we could make it special for him. The ornate back was crying out to be brought to life in colours instead of the uniform black. So Michael got to work with a small brush while Dave and Ash, with help from Les, put together the seat and the frame for the back (Bench Refurb 01 thru 06).

While tidying the workshop we came across some stools which nobody used as seats, had been splattered with paint but underneath all the grime looked decent enough that some might sell at the bric-a-brac stall. So Dave sanded the wooden one and gave it several coats of paint. Michael scrubbed and gently shaped the three metal and leatherette stools and they have turned out fairly well (Chairs Refurb 01 and 02).

The door of 446BG Museum wasn’t pulling to very well, so we fitted an additional lock to ensure it locked up tight. While we were doing that, we heard a heavy aircraft noise and over the trees flew an RAF Chinook. Deciding we were interesting, they circled round to have another look (Chinook Visitor 01 thru 03).

As part of the Museum’s stay friendly with our neighbours policy, we ask visitors to park within the Museum grounds and not on the pub car park as the pub is due to reopen soon. To remind our visitors, Dave D ordered a new sign, and on a rainy day (well it was sunny when we started) the “Chippies ” put it up above the main Museum sign (Please Park On-Site).

Finally, Dave H decided to sort the bits in his drill box (Drill Sorting). He said, “I think I have overspent on my drill bits”. Yes, Dave, there are rather a lot…

All the best

(Photos) Chippies Update

Engineering Update

This from John in the engineering workshops

The Auster has got to the point where the registration letters can be applied, and that leaves just two more parts to manufacture and fit.

Firstly, we need to make the perspex cover for the top of the cabin. This will be made in two parts because it is a compound curve. The front screen is, however, a curve too far for us at the museum, and it may well have to be made professionally. There is reportedly a chap in Brussels who has the moulds, and we will be in touch with him to see if he can help in this respect.

Secondly, we have to make lift struts. It may well be that we only have to make them for one side as the aircraft may end up displayed with only one wing because of lack of space. However, as the Spitfire replica has now been removed from display and transported to the Kent Battle of Britain Museum, we will have to wait on seeing what is to be displayed in this area, as it could accommodate the Auster with both wings on.

Watch this blog space for further updates on the Auster being put on display.

Painters Update

The Latest from Barry and the Paint Team

12/10/21 – The 56 Squadron ‘Meatbox’ is finished (no, it really is this time)!

The day started with a quick blow-dry of the Meteor, in readiness for EPS Transfers to fit the main decals. Paul and Tom from EPS then rocked up with all the vinyls pre-cut into various rounds and squares, plus the pre-printed lettering. Paul and Tom then set about building up the squadron markings, overlaying the red, white and blue, in order to create the roundels and chequers. The Paint Team looked on in awe as Paul and Tom deftly laid on the large pieces of vinyl with millimetre precision. After the shapes came the lettering with the ‘Meatbox’ reinstated to its 56 Squadron aircraft identifier of ‘P’ but of course remaining on the same registration number (WF643) as the previous 611 Squadron ‘camo’ colour scheme. The creation of the letters was quite a faff as the RAF use their own special font, which is not generally available, so in the end, we agreed that EPS would use Arial Narrow with a bit of customisation to achieve a close match.

Anyway, the end result is fantastic (see Meteor Refurb 37 thru 40)! The decals look really glossy and sharp; much better than anything we could have produced via hand painting and achieved in a fraction of the time it would have taken us to create the same markings. Only time will tell what the longevity of these transfers (as applied to a permanently outside exhibit) will be, but the vinyls have a typical life expectancy of 7 to 10 years.

While the Meteor was being fitted out, Gwen, Mark and Ian continued with the sanding and grinding of the Whirlwind. With so many rivets and very few flat panels, the prep of the Whirlwind is going to be another set of seriously hard yards for the Paint Team, achieved over the Autumn and probably well into Spring next year.

19/10/21 – A bad case of (Whirl) wind?

Au contraire mes amis! Early showers died away en route to Flixton and Mr UK Weather then served up a very warm, balmy and breezy day for mid-October. With temperatures nudging 22 degrees by early afternoon the paint team decided to make best use of the conditions by slapping on some grey primer over the panels that had been sanded over the past couple of weeks (see Whirlwind Repaint 04 and 05).

2 men down this week due to various ailments, it was left to Ian and Gwen to lead the charge on the Whirly Bird. Weather permitting, the plan is to continue to sand then prime; panel by panel; so that the Whirlwind (aka Sikorsky S-55 built under licence) is reasonably weatherproofed before winter sets in and paint team outdoor activity ceases for this year.

Meanwhile, up in the Metal Workshop, Barry ‘touched in’ a few areas on the leading edges of the Auster wings that couldn’t be reached when the wings were painted in the BP Hangar. The Auster is now pretty much ready for final display configuration assembly and the fitting of the registration decals (by EPS) (see Auster 01 and 02 previously published Ed) .

(Photos) Painters Update

Model Maintenance Unit

The latest update from Malcolm.

RAF Marham is the theme for this update

From a box of four B-29’s a fully refurbished B-29A Washington has just been rolled out. It is the old 1966 Airfix kit and now represents WF563 of 90 Sqn based at RAF Marham in the early ’50s, this particular example being one of the aircraft that the squadron flew in the July 1953 Coronation Flypast. This was the best of the 4 models in the box, it was missing the starboard outer prop, nose wheel, aileron and most of the guns. A fresh coat of paint and new decals brings it up looking almost new (see B-29A Washington 01 thru 03).

Previously I posted a photo of 2 tornados working through the production line, these are now complete, again both were missing various parts and the Dambuster needed a complete repaint. Here we have 27 Sqn ZA542/JA and 617 Sqn ZA559/L both at Marham 1989 (Cold War Display 02).

Still WIP are the Nimrod R1 and 54Sqn Jaguar

(Photos) MMU

Once again many thanks to the contributors for their input to this edition and to the dedication that they put into their Volunteer work.

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The Repeat Info

I make no apologies for keeping his section in our blog, as we are a charitable organisation relying on the public to keep us going. Any help we receive is gratefully accepted and enables the museum to continue in our mission “To conserve, preserve and promote the history of aviation in East Anglia, whilst providing a fun, family-friendly and interactive museum, promoting education and remembrance of the events of the past“.

Are you thinking of helping ??

We obtain most of our finances by donations and by membership fees. We save money by having a dedicated group of volunteers that keep the museum and the exhibits maintained. We hope therefore a few people may consider helping in the ways below.

There are three easy ways to help: Help by becoming a Museum Member, also by Volunteering to help at the museum, or by Donating to assist in our running costs. Please click on the appropriate button below to access the appropriate information:

Click to see how to becomeMUSEUM MEMBER Click to see how to becomeMUSEUM VOLUNTEER Click to make aDONATION

Keep Up To Date

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