NASAM Update as of the 25th Feb 2022
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Chairman’s Update
Tuesday 22 Feb – Prison Prop
The first action of the day was to send a propeller to prison. Wayland prison had asked us if we had a spare propeller blade that they could convert into a memorial at the prison which is situated on what used to be RAF Watton. Watton was a medium bomber base during the war and we happened to have what we are told is a Wellington blade in store. It seemed a good opportunity to support a project so we offered it to them. Two staff turned up today to take the blade away. We have been promised update reports as they restore then mount the blade (see Prop To Prison 01 and 02).
Merlin Display
The next task was to sort the Merlin Display. This is now all in position and ready to go (see Merlin Display 12 thru 16). Unfortunately, other displays in the hangar aren’t yet ready so the corridor within the display can’t be opened to the public quite yet. I also need to get the labels for this display sorted out and printed.
Chess Moves in the Hangars
As part of a game of chess to gain temporary space to allow other moves to take place, we have moved a bomb trolley from Hangar 1 to the Ken Wallis hall. It will stay there for a while then move into its definitive position (see Chess 01).
The Provost has now been moved back into position allowing space for the NAAFI to be expanded back to its usual size (see Percival Provost 01).
Next question, how many cockpit sections can we fit into the freed space to allow access to inspect them?
Steve
(Photos) Chairman’s Update
General Updates
Updates this edition
The contributions to the blog have come from the Chair Steve, from Michael in the Chippies Workshop, Barry from the Paint Team, Malcolm from Model Maintenance and from Pam reporting on our first school visit since the Pandemic started. My thanks to the contributors for their input to this edition.
Open dates next few weeks
Now that Spring Half Term is over the museum will be opening on Sundays only from 1000 until 1600 through to the end of March.
Stay in touch via this blog or our Social Media sites to be updated when we publish the dates for April Onwards. Not forgetting our special event days in April which are:
Sunday 10th April 2022 – Norfolk Internal Combustion Engine Society Day.
As well as fun for the family, light refreshments in the NAAFI themed cafe, and picnic tables throughout the site, and there will be tabletop displays of models and crafts as well as working engines around the museum.
Sunday 17th April 2022 – East Anglia Air Ambulance Easter Egg Hunt
This annual family day out at the museum is in support of the East Anglian Air Ambulance. A donation will be made to the Air Ambulance after the event.
There will be stalls and games for all the family to enjoy. There will be a quiz on the day with an Easter Egg being the reward. Actually, everyone taking part will receive an egg 😊
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School Visit
On Tuesday 15th February we had our first real school visit for over two years. There were 49 children from Oulton Broad Primary School, Lowestoft who were studying World War Two.
It was the most dreadful day weather-wise with rain and high winds for most of the visit but it certainly didn’t deter the children.
The children were split into four groups which we rotated. The groups studied:
- The Home Front with Tony L and Ian S.
- 446th Bomb Group and Bomber Command with Bob C.
- Link Trainers and Flight Simulators with the Link Team.
- Evacuees with Pam in the Valetta.
It was really good to have these young visitors and my thanks go to all the volunteers who helped out on this day.
Pam V
Note: Due to the child protection policy we do not photograph children during these visits. If we receive permission and photos from the school we will publish those in a later blog.
Chippies Update
Thursday 10th February
Les W today showed that careful destruction reaps benefits. It was time to take apart the two old cupboards brought back from the NAAFI on Tuesday (see the last blog). We left him in his corner of the workshop through the morning surrounded by an ever-increasing pile of wood from carefully disassembled cupboards, most of which we can reuse elsewhere (see NAAFI Refurb 14 and 15).
Meanwhile, Ash and Michael F checked the space in the NAAFI where they planned to put the new cupboard. It would fit but it was tight if placed facing the main NAAFI area and would need raising 1″ (25mm for the youngsters) to clear the step. Access to an electrical cabinet was possible but again tight. What would happen if we turned it through 90°? There would be better access to the NAAFI, more room to use the cupboard but the electrical cabinet would be completely blocked. But if we put it on wheels the Leckies could pull it out of the way whenever they needed to.
So back in the workshop and, having checked Les was disassembling the right cupboards – after all, one blue cupboard looks like another – we changed the feet for lockable wheels and hauled it off on the trolley to the NAAFI. Perfect fit and, with the wheels locked, steady as a rock. With the contents of the old cupboards tucked away neatly inside, it was ready for reopening (see NAAFI Cupboard 10 and 11).
And where was Dave H while all this was going on? Well, he was doing a solo number on stage, sanding down the filler and giving the walls an initial coat of blue.
Tuesday 15th
Today Dave H had a supporting cast on stage – Tony came to give him a hand with finishing off the first coat. They then filled some more imperfections, also known as screw heads (see Stage Wall 23 thru 27).
Back in the lab, it was time to get the trolley/display stand built for the Henley wing. Two important decisions had been made for its design: we would reuse the “Naked Ladies” stand (see the last blog) and we would not add on any fancy bits – it is for the Henley wing and only the wing. That simplified everything! So Ash and Michael F started by cutting a third off the original stand and repositioned the side pieces and the wheels to make a smaller trolley base. We added short uprights at the front to stop the wing sliding forward. Then the main supports two-thirds of the way back so the weight of the wing doesn’t overbalance the stand. Tony, back from his number on stage, helped add a cross piece to lock the supports and the job was done. We took the completed stand over to the hangar where the paint crew were cleaning and painting for the Merlins at War display area. With their help, the wing went onto the stand and Mark from the paint crew gave the wing a good vacuuming (see Merlin Display 07 thru 11). Job done, time for tea!
Thursday 17th
Quick change what we originally planned to do today. Last thing Tuesday Dave D came in with a broken hinge from the door we had put at the end of the NAAFI counter. We were aware it wasn’t quite right as the hinges made quite a noise opening and the balance seemed out. Obviously, our design hadn’t worked. So today Dave H and Michael F took the old door and post away to rebuild it. We diagnosed that the weight was too much – 3/4″ (16mm) solid plywood for that size door is heavy. Also, the hinges needed repositioning to stop them opening so wide. So we cut the door in two to make it more of a barrier than a door and fitted it all together in the workshop. When we were happy it worked properly we reinstalled it back in the NAAFI and added a coat of undercoat (see NAAFI Refurb 16 and 17).
Meanwhile, it was time for Les W to do the solo act on stage – sanding down the filler from Tuesday and painting a topcoat of blue. Almost there now, who likes painting floors – the stage deck needs a lick of paint?
Michael
(Photos) Chippies Update
Painters Update
15/2/22 – Even more mucky Merlin matters!
It was a tale of two Merlins this week. Before the rain came down, Barry went outside to carry out Phase 3 of the Mosquito Merlin clean up (see blog entry from 8/2), which was to pressure wash it. Applying the pressure washer successfully cleaned off the grey saltwater sheen, exposing more of the original black paint of the cylinder block (see Merlin Display 05). If you compare this week’s image with last week’s image (see Merlin Display 04) you should see that the block is now looking cleaner and sharper and ready for transporting back into the Main Hangar next week.
As the rain came down, Barry beat a hasty retreat inside to finish cleaning up the port side of the Boulton Paul Defiant Merlin block. Barry also refitted the top side distributor rail and spark plug leads and re-mounted the port side rocker cover in such a way that visitors will be able to see the camshaft and valve springs in situ (see Merlin Display 06). Not to be outdone, Mark and Ian set about giving the other Merlin block (this time from a Spitfire) a quick clean up.
Ian also gave the Sea Hawk tail another coat of black paint following last week’s failed attempt. The team were also mightily impressed with the Chippies who knocked up a new stand for the Henley wing within just a couple of hours of taking a few rough measurements. With the wing on its new stand, Mark gave the Henley a quick vacuum although it may benefit from some form of deeper clean (to be continued…).
With no apparent interest in spending all day getting covered in engine degreaser, Gwen decided to take the week off to doggy sit, while Cliff was laid up with a bout of man flu. We hope to see them both back next week.
22/2/22 – Mucky Merlin Manouvres!
It was a case of ‘ensalada mixta’ at El Museo this week with a wide variety of tasks being undertaken by the Paint Team.
The day started off with Barry blow-drying recent precipitation off the cleaned up mangled Mosquito Merlin (outside) with the air compressor. Gwen then fired up the Quattro (no er, I think you mean Reliant Mercury Tug – Ed.) in order to haul the Merlin back toward the Main Hangar (see Merlin Display 17). Gwen then proceeded to carry out a piece of precision towing, driving the tug into the Main Hangar (see Merlin Display 18) in order to get the Merlin onto a solid surface at which point manpower could take over. By 10 am the Mosquito Merlin had been wheeled into position in the new ‘Merlins at War’ exhibition area.
Meanwhile, Ian picked up where he left off last week giving the Sea Hawk rudder a fresh coat of paint on the starboard side (see Sea Hawk 01).
After the mangled Merlin manoeuvres, Mark went on to give the Hawker Henley (a forerunner of the Hurricane) wing section a clean up with the pressure washer. Having emptied quite a lot of water onto his feet and onesie, Mark then decided to blow dry the Henley wing (see Henley Wing 01) with the compressor before manhandling it back into the Main Hangar.
Later in the morning, Barry finished the clean up of the BP Defiant Merlin by propping open the port side rocker cover so that visitors can see the inner workings using a combination of cable ties, chopsticks and wine corks!
Lunchtime turned into some sort of confessional with various members of the team ‘fessing up to several international smuggling incidents featuring chickens, bike tyres and contraband peaches.
After lunch, the Team poddled down to the boneyard to assess the prospect of digging up the Fairey Battle Merlin and moving it to the ‘Merlins at War’ area in the Main Hangar. The general consensus was that it was in pretty bad shape and any that attempt to move it may result in it breaking into several pieces, which is a shame because the surviving early 2 into 1 ‘fishtail’ exhaust stubs are quite an interesting feature (isn’t that a bit nerdy? – Ed).
Mark and Barry then went back into the Main Hangar to vacuum out the Spitfire Merlin ‘V’ below the main supercharger distribution pipe, which had accumulated quite a lot of debris over the years.
Having pretty much run out of Merlin cleaning activities, the Team then looked around for new work. The next target was soon identified, being the separate Lightning Nose Wheel exhibit that can be found at the back of the full Lightning. After some head-scratching, the boys worked out how to shift the nose wheel (on its frame) from its current resting place to outside, so that it could be cleaned. Having jacked it up onto one of the big trolley jacks it soon became clear that the top-heavy wheel was going to need some counterbalancing on one side in order to get it transported out of the hangar. Seeking some ‘heavy ballast’, thoughts immediately turned to Ian who duly obliged by hanging on to the side of the Lightning nose wheel in the style of some sort of motorcycle sidecar racing enthusiast.
Having eventually got the wheel outside, Barry set about giving it a quick vacuum as a stage one clean (see Lightning Nose Wheel 01). The plan is to clean the wheel assembly, black up the tyre and repaint just the frame. However, before going any further we will need a bit of help from the Metal Workshop as a couple of the frame welds appear to have given out. To be continued…
Unfortunately, the ‘Skipper’ was missing again this week having tested positive… for having too many boxes of unmade aircraft models in his dining room. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Barry
(Photos) Painters Update
Model Maintenance Unit
20/02/22 Cold War East Anglia Display
The final 10 refurbished models for the new Cold War East Anglia display were delivered to the museum last Tuesday 15th Feb. This makes a total of 40 models completed.
Representing the 494 TFS at Lakenheath is F-100D 0-52794 LT from 1971, an aircraft type flown from the base from 1960 to 1972 in various paint schemes. The model is a 1970 Frog kit. The F-100’s back end is always a challenge paintwise to look right and let’s say it could look better (see Cold War Display 04).
C-47 Dakota Display
Although probably the most recognised station, Mildenhall has been one of the most difficult bases to find representative model aircraft. In the end, I restored a C-47 Dakota which had a complete repaint and new decals portraying an aircraft flown by the based unit 513TAW in the ’60s and ’70s (see C-47 Dakota 01 and 02). In fact, this aircraft featured in the 1971 Mildenhall Open Day (when it was free to enter!). The Daks were replaced the following year by Convair T-29B’s.
An interesting project which should form an informative new display.
Malcolm
(Photos) MMU
The Repeat Info
The repeat information is still here I’m afraid, and I make no apologies for keeping his section in our blog. We are a charitable organisation relying on monies from 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 both manned and 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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