NASAM Update as of the 7th Jan 2022

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Chairman’s Update

CLICK on heading to GO

As an experiment this year we decided to open for two days between Christmas and the New Year. It would be understating things to say that on the Wednesday the weather didn’t play ball, it was cold and wet. The Thursday was much better with record temperatures for late December. It was dry and one volunteer manning the gate commented that it was actually quite pleasant sitting outside (in a coat).

Over 100 people visited across the two days, and as ever many positive comments were received. Many visitors stated that there was so much to see they would be back. We look forward to welcoming them again.

Steve

General Updates

Welcome to the first Online Flier of 2022 from the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. Updates this time from the Chairman, from the Chippies and the Painters.

NASAM BLOG in 2021

I would like to thank all those people that read the blog at some stage during 2021 for doing so. The volunteers who send me articles give up their time both volunteering at the museum and in writing updates and taking photos. It is good to see that their efforts in the blog are well-read both here in the UK and throughout the world.

The stats for this last year show that we had hits on the blog site from 61 countries, with a good dispersal around the globe (see below) and with over 9000 viewers.

(Photo) NASAM BLOG Stats

Hits on the NASAM BLOG from around the world

Closed for Maintenance

Whilst we are closed now to the general public until the end of February we still have Volunteers going into the Museum to carry out essential maintenance work and also project work on tidying up areas of the Main Hangar, improving displays and carrying out projects that can only be done in winter months when we are closed. Some of those projects and maintenance tasks will be reported in the blogs published over the next few months.

In this edition, we catch up with the Chippies and Michael has given us an insight into the work carried out just before Christmas to tidy up the NAAFI area amongst other projects.

Also an update from Barry and the work of the painters in the first few days of 2022

For details on our reopening dates, please stay in touch via this blog or via our Social Media sites which can be found by clicking on the buttons at the foot of this post.

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Chippies Update

Tue 28th Dec 2021:

Continuing on from the last update is the NAAFI Refurbishment. Having got the basic structure of the new ceiling – polycarbonate panels and supports – cut out and put up, we (Dave H, Ash, Michael and Les) then took sections out! This was so we could put back the panels with tinfoil covered bubble wrap stuck to their upper surfaces. This does three jobs: increases the insulation, reflects more light and hides a multitude of sins above the ceiling.

We left out one panel so the electricians (Brian, Dave and Pete) could put up the new LED lights. The leckies wanted to mount the fittings on the ceiling framework but this is not strong enough so we, over yet another cup of tea, came up with a plan. Raiding the stores, Dave found two pieces of aluminium exactly the right size and section to do the job. Once again Ash and Michael climbed on work surfaces while other volunteers tried to make their cups of tea. Job done, and the leckies got to work. By the end of the day the ceiling was finished and the NAAFI looked bright but still incomplete (NAAFI Refurb 06 thru 10).

As everyone knows (do they?) the hangar roof is corrugated and inside finished with an artex-type paint. There is a gap of about 1 foot (30cm for the modern world) between the new ceiling and the existing tiles in the NAAFI. The corrugation would let in drafts from above and the finish is hard to clean. So we infilled with some of the polystyrene insulation leftover from the VRP (Visitor Reception Point) and with some off-cuts of melamine supplied by Betts, this gap now is suitable for a food handling area.

So far this has been a story with little woodwork for us Carpenters to do. But our carefully honed skills did not entirely go to waste in this refurbishment. We were asked to put a door at the end of the NAAFI counter to stop visitors from taking a shortcut walking through to the, usually open, NAAFI door. Having found a suitable piece of plywood and discussed, over the inevitable cup of tea, ways of mounting the door. We decided on a swinging door so volunteers could carry things in and out of the NAAFI easily (NAAFI Refurb 11 thru 13).

It is a single door and hinges only on one side because we thought a pair of bar-room doors would lead to too many fights (see any Western!).

All the structural work is complete but it does need a lick of paint – a job for the New Year. A big thanks to Brian and John the Gardeners who gave the NAAFI a clean up after we finished on the Thursday before Christmas, ready for the opening after Christmas.

As we were so busy on the NAAFI, Big Paul helped us out by assembling the Memorial Bench for John Reeve that had been delivered (John Reeve Memorial Bench 01). When Spring comes it will go outside in a suitable place. (Ed … see our Obituary to John Reeve in our blog back in 2020 ⇒ John Constable Reeve )

As we had some time left on the Thursday before Christmas and had the materials to hand, we started on the next job – a display mounting/cabinet for the Henley wing, the Hurricane panels and some models. It will go in the new Merlin Display Area. Having got the basic structure, on wheels (Merlin Display 01), built we decided to call it a day and resume in the New Year.

Michael

(Photos) Chippies Update

Painters Update

3/1/22 – All I want for Christmas is a high viz jacket!

Yes folks, it was a bright start to the year at El Museo, especially at lunchtime when Workshop John rocked up in his (previously modelled) fluorescent yellow high viz jacket. John was then completely upstaged by Gwen who appeared at the lunch table in an even brighter (is that possible? – Ed.) fluorescent orange jacket! I would have taken a picture of the scene for the record, but I was worried about damaging my camera’s sensor in the process!

Before the lunchtime dose of retina burn, Mark and Ian had primed the steelwork in the Main Hangar, where the re-vamped Ejection Seat display will go (see Hangar Refurbs 02). Over in Bomber Command, Cliff and Gwen had set about cleaning some of the display cabinets (see Display Cab Cleaning 01). Meanwhile, back in the Main Hangar, Barry started a light restoration of the two crash recovered Mosquito oleos (aka undercarriage legs). The oleos had quite a few rust spots on them but after some ‘tickling’ with a wire wheel, it transpired that the rust was largely superficial surface rust only (see Mosquito Oleos 01 – the right oleo shows the original condition, the left one has been wire wheeled).

After lunch, Gwen and Cliff continued with their cleaning exercise in Bomber Command, while Mark and Ian carried out a quick ‘wipe over’ clean of the Vampire. Having prepped both Mosquito oleos, Barry then painted the left-hand oleo with a coat of silver Hammerite (see Mosquito Oleos 02). The right hand one, plus the frame, should be done next week; along with a top coat on the Lancaster pilot’s seat. Thanks to Cliff for ordering up the correct Lanc internal paint colour during the festive break. Onwards!

Barry

(Photos) Painters Update

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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