NASAM Update as of the 19th Nov 2021

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Chairman’s Update

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Additional Scout Activities Date

In the Online Flier 22/10/21 edition, we gave a calendar list of Special Event dates at the Museum. We have now added another Scout Activities day to that calendar on the 29th of October 2022. The Special Events dates 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
Saturday 29th October 2022 – Scout Activities day

Museum Now Closed

The museum is now closed for the winter break (apart from the two day Christmas Opening – see below). Please keep in touch via this blog or our Social Media pages for details of when we will reopen again in 2022. At the moment it is planned to open again in late February for regular visits.

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Christmas Opening

Empty Spaces and Opportunities

As I mentioned in the last Chairman’s Update, now that the Spitfire has moved off to the Kent Battle of Britain Museum the Volunteers had space to tidy up the exhibits and wash and paint the floor in that corner of the hangar (see Floor Space 03 thru 05). John from Engineering sent in three photos of the space with its new coat of paint and said that another area of the floor had been washed ready for painting in the next week or so.

Tuesday Flyby

Anyone at the Museum on Tuesday 9th Nov may have noticed a light aircraft flying at about 1500′. My flying partner executed a single left-hand orbit around the museum whilst I took these (Tuesday Flyby 01 thru 09). I’m a bit disappointed with the results mostly down to leaf coverage and the inability to point the camera any further down through the small window in the Pa28.

The Big Move

Last Tuesday saw several big moves at the museum. Following our last open day before Christmas, all of the pictures that have been on display were removed into the store where they will be in a far drier place.

One hang glider was rehung from the ceiling, and the Spitfire moved yet again so that the floor could be painted. The next section has now been completed and that is looking good. Whilst the painting kit was out the floor in the workshop extension was given another coat (Hangar Floor 01 and 02 + Engineering Floor 01).

The plan over the winter is to restore the ejector seats, and more importantly the area that they stand-in. To that end, the Auster wings which are now finished were moved from the workshop into the centre of the Boulton Paul hangar for storage until it (the Auster) can go on display (Auster Wings 01). The ejector seats were then all moved into the workshop ready to be worked on (Ejector Seats 01 and 02).

A highly successful day.

Steve

(Ed – And there is no truth in the rumour that the Chairman was just keeping an eye on the Paint Team (Tuesday Flyby 09).

(Photos) Chairman’s Update

General Updates

More updates from around the museum and the Volunteer Teams. Including a photo from John in Engineering of the Auster G-ARLP with its “ghost” markings on the tail of the rebuilt aircraft. This is a nod to the original Army AOP6 registration, VX123.

Painters Update

9/11/21 – When the going gets tough, the tough go and paint the Javelin!

With 4 chaps encircling the Whirlwind brandishing various types of sanding machines, Gwen (the tough one) decided to break out and refresh the markings on the Javelin (see Javelin Refresh 01).

Meanwhile, Ian (the smiley one) decided to sit down on the job again (see Whirlwind Repaint 09), concentrating on priming the lower reaches of the Whirlwind that were previously prepared by Mark (the absent one).

Also enjoying the November sunshine and unseasonably pleasant working temperatures was Cliff (the ‘boss’ one) who set about some of the ‘fiddly bits’ on the starboard fuselage that required sanding by hand (see Whirlwind Repaint 10).

Barry (the behind the camera one) spent most of the day sanding then priming the ‘white bits’ around the cockpit windows on the starboard side. He also finished off cataloguing all the Whirlwind markings. There are at least 3 or 4 different fonts in use on the Whirlwind plus different sizes and spacings to consider. The most challenging marking to replicate, however, will be the ‘torch and wings’ squadron motif on the starboard crew door (see Whirlwind Repaint 11). This is understood to be the motif used by RAF Training Schools at Shawbury and/or Ternhill.

If anyone has access to a high-quality jpeg of a fresh out of the box version of this motif, together with detailed dimensions then these would be gratefully received by the Paint Team.

16/11/21 – Groundhog Day!

Yes, ‘same old same old’ on this week’s Paint blog update. The weather was favourable yet again so Mark, Ian and Barry continued prepping the Whirlwind and turning even more of it ‘grey’. By the end of the day, about 90% of the Whirlwind had been prepped and primed, with just a small section on the port side and rear undercarriage legs to do, plus the rotor gear and rotor blades up top. This of course, is before any repairs are undertaken; and believe me, there are some to do, as the machine leaks like a sieve.

Gwen also continued with the refresh of the markings on the Javelin, finishing off the starboard side fin flash, moving on to the forward fuselage roundels, as well as giving the Skyflash missiles a fresh lick of paint.

In an attempt to provide you with some different visual entertainment this week, there follows a rather gratuitous shot; especially for Mark; of the Meteor closing in on a Recycled Messerschmitt, that appears to be cutting across the Meteor’s bows at very close quarters (Meteor Closing 01). And for those of you who can’t do without their weekly fix of grey helicopter shot there is also a pic; from a slightly different angle. This pic was taken from on top of the Javelin starboard wing; with Gwen’s freshly painted fin flash sitting proudly in the foreground (Whirlwind Repaint 12).

At the end of the day, there was a discussion over a cuppa of how best to tackle the full Valetta repaint next year (answers on a postcard – Ed.), as well as how to fill the winter months once the weather finally puts pay to outside paint activity. There seemed to be some suggestion of repainting the collection of Ejection Seats that are now lying on the floor of the Metal Workshop (maybe it’s time to overwinter in Florida? – Ed.).

Barry

(Photos) Painters Update

Model Maintenance Unit

12/11/21 Ongoing Work

Here is an update on some of the aircraft being worked on at the moment

Early Jaguar GR.1 in 54 Sqn markings prior to receiving the “laser nose” (Jaguar GR1 01). This finished model was updated from the first issue Airfix kit, a replacement tail, wing pylons, central tank and modified nose wheel door being salvaged from 2 other scrapped jets. Having finished the restoration I did realise that the Jet is not entirely accurate but it was deemed too late to modify it further. I’m sure some bright spark will work out what is wrong with it!

The Nimrod R1 build has slowed down due to painting. The wings have had 4 coats of light grey and this afternoon I added a 3rd coat of white to the fuselage. I suspect that at least 2 further coats will be needed to get nearer to a reasonable finish. Have had problems with similar schemes before, it’s just a case of being patient and keeping going (Nimrod Build 04 and 05).

F-111. A complete repaint of an Airfix F-111E to eventually represent a Lakenheath F-111F (F111 01). The painting stalled a bit today as I discovered that of the 100 or so tins of Humbrol paints I have, the only tin of Humbrol 116 US Dark Green held was dry as a bone when I took the lid off. A trip to Model Junction (my local) is called for tomorrow morning!

Other WIPs include Meteor F4 (257 Sqn Horsham St Faiths), Vampire FB3 (601 Sqn North Weald) and Hunter F6 ( 65 Sqn Duxford).

Malcolm

(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:

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COVID Restrictions

For the days when we are open, we still have COVID restrictions in place at and around the museum. These restrictions can be found by clicking on the button below.

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