NASAM Update as of the 15th Apr 2022
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Chairman’s Update
Lesser-Known
One of the lesser-known things about the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum is that we have a number of trained First Aiders amongst the volunteers. Those qualified have to renew that qualification every three years. This was the year so seven of us undertook a refresher course on Thursday 31st March with Andy Davidson of EOE Training (see First Aiders 01 thru 03).
You Turn This and Press That
Our retired Buccaneer pilot instructing a potential future pilot on how to get the Gnat procedures trainer started (see Future Pilot 01). This is just one of the cockpits that can be open to being sat in or viewed in the main hangar at the museum.
Late Visitor
On Tuesday the 12th of April 2022, we had a late visitor to the Museum when an Apache paid us a visit and took a look around the Museum. We are always pleased to see such visitors (See Late Visitor 01 and 02).
Ready For Summer
As is usual at this time of year, the volunteers took the time to remove all the wooden hard seated chairs from the NAFI and replace them with comfortable cloth-covered seats. The wooden chairs are used throughout the winter months so as not to pick up any dampness in the main hangar. The padded chairs are then brought out of storage for the spring and summer months (see NAAFI Seating 01 thru 05).
The NAAFI is now ready to welcome visitors into a comfortable environment.
Also refurbished seating was moved back out onto site (see Seating Replaced 01).
Whoops
It was decided to remove the pilot of the Lightning in order to be able to get to the panel to fit replacement instruments. The first task was to remove her helmet, sadly her head came with it (see Lightning Pilot 01).
Whoops.
Steve
(Photos) Chairman’s Update
General Updates
We have had a bumper crop and a wide variety of updates from across the museum in this edition, starting with a number of updates from the Chair and from the shop, featuring a member of the team that does not want to remain nameless. Moving on, we have other updates, including one from Brian on accompanying two ex RAF aircrew who came to look at their old aircraft. More from the Painters and from the Chippies as they get the Museum ready for the Spring and Summer influx of visitors. Finishing with the MMU, who for a change was not fixing historic aircraft models, but an up-to-date drone aircraft.
Easter Egg Hunt Event Day Reminder
If you are looking for an inexpensive and family fun day out in East Anglia, then this is a reminder of an upcoming event day at the Museum this coming Sunday. Free to enter and free parking, come along and enjoy the day.
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Sunday 17th April 2022 Open From 1000 through until 1600 |
East Anglia Air Ambulance Easter Egg Hunt This annual family day out at the museum is in support of the East Anglian Air Ambulance. 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 😊 A donation to the East Anglia Air Ambulance will be made after this event. |
Pete S
Shop Model
With the museum opening for more days a week the shop team have been re-arranging things (see Shop 01) to make space for new stock and other items. They just have one problem, the new member of the team who is modelling the tee shirts (see Shop 02) doesn’t seem to have a name. Has anyone got any suggestions?
Marion B
(Photo) Shop Model
Visitors to the Museum
Two special visitors to the Museum, over the last couple of weeks, have been ex RAF aircrew who came along to see the previous aircraft in which they have flown.
Whilst working at the Museum on Thursday the 24th of March 2022, I had the pleasure to let into the Museum a visitor to look at the McDONNELL DOUGLAS PHANTOM FGR2 – XV497. The visitor was Wing Commander Chris Reid RAF Retd who, as a Navigator flew 26 sorties in this aircraft. The visit was on the occasion of the Wing Commander’s 80th birthday (see Phantom Visitor 01).
On Saturday the 9th of April 2022, I had the pleasure to be with Roger Marchant who visited to see the Javelin. Roger was a Navigator/Radar operator on our Javelin. He and the aircraft were with 23 Sqn during 63-64 at Leuchars, and then with 29 Sqn in 64-66 at Akrotiri and Zambia. All flown on our GLOSTER JAVELIN FAW.9R – XH892 (see Javelin Visitor 01).
Brian
(Photos) Two Visitors
Membership Renewals
As we move into the spring, it is a helpful time to remind readers of the blog who are active members of the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum that membership renewals are due for any memberships taken out before 1st December 2021.
There are four ways you can pay your membership dues as follows:
By Post
Post a cheque to the museum with a note containing the following information:
- Your Name
- Your Address
- The cheque should be made out to “Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum“
The address to send the cheque and the note is:
- Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum,
- The Street,
- Flixton,
- Bungay, NR35 1NZ
In the shop (on any Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday)
Pay by cash, cheque or card in the museum shop (on any Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday when we are open); if you use this method, we will ask you for your name and address so we can match the records.
By Phone with a Credit Card
Pay by card over the phone to the museum (again when the shop is open) on 01986 896644. The person taking the call will complete a slip with your name and address, this will be used to match the records.
Pay Online
Pay via our online system at https://www.aviationmuseum.net/Membership.html. There is no need to complete a slip as the online form contains all the details we need.
A reminder too that membership is fantastic value at £10 for individuals, £15 for families and £5 for junior (under 18) membership. All methods do, of course, allow you to pay more than the minimum. If you are registered with us for gift aid, then any donated amount can increase your donation by 25% extra from the Government.
If you are not already a member but would like to join us, then this can be done online @ Become a Member
Pete S
Painters Update
5/4/22 – Under Pressure!
With the Skipper (Cliff) away the mice came out to play. No not really. We were under strict instructions to crack on with (annual) pressure washing of the external exhibits. So, Gwen, Ian and Mark tooled up with pressure washers and put on their ‘full wets’ ready for action.
Starting down in the front paddock, Gwen, Ian and Mark worked their way through the F100, the Meteor (see Meteor Washdown 01) and then the Javelin (see Javelin Washdown 01 and 02). Some over-spraying was inevitable during the process, with Ian making his feelings known to the slightly careless Mark who had failed to adequately control the direction of his wand at one point during the Javelin cleaning, resulting in some unwanted splashback!
Back in the dry, Barry did some touching in of the green paint on the Hunter T12 that had been inadvertently removed when the white stripe masking tape came off last week. While not an exact colour match, the casual observer shouldn’t notice from outside the chains (see Hunter T12 03).
After finishing the T12 job, Barry moved on to give the Harrier Pegasus engine stand a nice topcoat of Sapphire Blue (see Engine Support Frame 02), covering up the grey primer that had given Mark so much of an ear-bashing from passers-by last week. While not an exact colour match (here we go again), the colour of the frame is sympathetic to the blue floor paint used by the Chippies in the adjacent Ejection Seat area.
To fill a spare hour at the end of day, Barry then went off to the Metal Workshop to start the process of removing the stuck-on oil and grease covering parts of the Bf109 starter generator. By cup of tea time, about a third of the generator had been cleaned up using engine degreaser…..to be continued.
12/4/22 – Blades of Glory!
Yes, Mr UK Weather served up a beautiful day on Tuesday which facilitated the continuation of the pressure washing of the aircraft in the front paddock. So, Gwen and Cliff put on their ‘full wets’ again and set about pressure washing the Sea Vixen first.
Next door, doing his best Will Ferrell impression, Mark erected the ‘scaff’ tower so that he could then pressure wash the rotor blades on the Whirlwind (see Whirlwind Washdown 01)). These were covered in all manner of crud, but cleaned up really well and the surfaces should be stable enough to allow sanding and re-painting in the near future.
Also over on the Whirlybird, the rotor gearbox up top was found to be covered in moss and flaking paint (see Whirlwind Washdown 02). Consequently, Barry spent all day cleaning up the gearbox principally with a wire wheel and by the end of the day all the surfaces were ready for the application of some paint (see Whirlwind Washdown 03). Due to the numerous nooks and crannies, Gwen advised that the best way to paint the gearbox will be with a rattle can. This will need to be done before the main fuselage is top-coated as some overspray is highly likely.
Having finished the Sea Vixen, Gwen and Cliff moved on to the T33 and before the day was done also managed to wash the Mystere too (see Mystere Washdown 01). All in all, a pretty productive day!
(Photos) Painters Update
Latest from the Chippies Workshop
31st March – Quiet today in the workshop.
Well, as quiet as two out of four Chippies can be. Dave H and Michael F plus NBC Man (who is the silent partner) had the place to themselves. We had planned to move the Cold War cabinets to the hangar but though Ivor came in to help, Dave D cried off to go on the First Aid course in the Museum Shop. So we abandoned that plan and Dave and Michael tried to make up for everyone else’s absence by finishing off NBC Man’s coffin, sorry sentry box, no it’s a display cabinet! By the end of our day, it was ready for painting, so we thought we’d leave something for others to do next Tuesday (see NBC Person 03).
Even though we are careful and follow the health and safety rules, the odd cut or scape happens. Today we were especially careful as we did really not want to attract the attention of the half dozen volunteers who were doing the First Aid course. The trainees were no doubt eager to practice their newfound skills as soon as they could and the only other volunteers on site were us and Ivor. Gently does it…
5th April – Cabinet reshuffle
Once again Ivor came over to help move the Cold War cabinets and today Michael F and Tug with Ivor’s help got both cabinets into the Cold War area – thanks, Ivor. We took the cabinets over as bare frames so they were as light as possible then added the backs and sides on site. The 24″ (600mm) deep cabinet went in first and the clearances were exactly as planned. Next came the deeper, 30″ (750mm) one.
A small snag – the backing ply Ivor had put in to go behind the cabinets stopped the cabinet going all the way back. Using some dark and mysterious Chippy methods, known as a saw, we resolved the problem. Now came snag number two – there is a power socket on one of the building frames which, while it didn’t stop the cabinet from fitting in, became totally useless as it can’t be used like that. Up went a shout for the Leckies which brought forth Brian. Yes, he agreed to move it but the power had all gone in the Ken Wallis Hall which needed fixing urgently. When he had fixed that problem, it was too late in the day to start on the Cold War cabinets power moves so the cabinet remains, forlornly, to go into its home next Tuesday (Cabinet Reshuffle 01 and 02).
Meanwhile, back in the ranch, sorry I mean Chippies Workshop, Dave H was working his repair magic on the NAAFI sign which had blown over in a gust of wind at the weekend. With some very strong glue, a piece of wood and a couple of screws it was good, if not quite as new but presentable to return to direct people in for a brew (see Repaired NAAFI Sign 01).
Morris, with his trusty paint roller and brushes, took NBC Man’s cabinet to task for its initial coat of paint. NBC Man looked on, we think disdainfully (see NBC Cabinet 01).
7th April – Canberra cockpit and other things
Ash was back today after an absence for that virus, and with Michael F and Les W, we turned our attention to the Canberra cockpit reconstruction in the cockpit area. In the past, this sat with its rear end unexposed to the public gaze. So it didn’t matter if this part looked unfinished but, as it moved to various locations in the cockpit circle, its rear became exposed, then hidden and finally exposed again.
First, we had to work out what would be the best way to make it look neat without building a complicated structure. We settled on simply blanking off the lower part. Next, we had to build out the existing frame so we could lay a single sheet of wood over it. Finally, we used a sheet of MDF that had been hanging about the workshop for ages and was looking for a good home. It was perfect for size but needed some careful trimming in the corners to match the fuselage curves. Better than the complicated curve with originally thought we would have to do (see Canberra Cockpit 02). Now it is ready for some painters…
Morris, not a usual attendee on Thursday, couldn’t keep away and felt he had to come in and complete painting NBC Man’s home, which is in the picture standing alongside Dave H’s repaired NAAFI sign.
The final job of the day was to make a start on three pairs of stands for the Skyflash missiles displayed next to the Sea Harrier. Mike and Tony had made temporary stands but they really need permanent ones. Ash brought in some kitchen counter leftovers which would become the yokes, so we made a start cutting these to size and making a template to shape the trough for a missile to lie in. As the April showers had abated for a while we called it a day so we could leave without getting soaked.
The final picture today shows that the things I write about don’t disappear into some dark corner. The Louis Vuitton pallet stand now proudly displays various aircraft parts in front of one of the Museum’s Merlin engines (see Cabinets 17).
12th April – Missiles and Benches
Dave H, Ash and Michael F built the stands for the missiles we started on last Thursday. Dave started by cutting out the yokes using the template. Next Ash and Michael assembled the first stand as a prototype using the yoke, four lengths of timber which were originally cut for an abandoned project as legs plus new two lengths as feet. We then took it over to the hangar to try it for size on a missile. Apart from being a couple if inches high, it fitted.
Luckily, we hadn’t fitted the legs to the top of the yokes but a couple of inches down. Not a difficult decision to move the yoke down. Then we built a second identical stand and, back in the hangar, mounted the missile. It looked alright to us laid level so we decided to build all six the same. So we rolled into production line mode: cutting, drilling and assembling the stands as a well-oiled team, supplemented by Morris coating the cut edges of the yokes, which are chipboard, with a PVA/water mix to seal them. A goods days work all round (see Missile Stands 01 thru 05).
Guess what our job is when we next come in – yes, more painting!
Finally another example of the Chippies’ diverse work ready for public use. Today the benches went outside and in pride of place in front of the Sea Prince is the bench we restored and painted for Les Wright in memory of his wife Patricia and of his sister Jackie (see Bench and Sea Prince 01).
Michael
(Photos) Chippies Update
MMU Update
Anyhow back to business
Towards the end of last year, I was asked to acquire a model of a UAV for display at the museum. The most appropriate model was found in the form of a 1/48 Revell General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper. Once the Cold War models were delivered to the museum in February, I started the build and it turned out to be a reasonably straightforward model. Made easier due to no cockpit to put together. The kit came with decals for a USAF Air National Guard aircraft and as the remit for the build required an RAF example, a set of decals which included ZZ205 belonging to 39 Squadron was obtained from Hannants of Lowestoft. This depicts the aircraft when stationed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada in 2014. Found it interesting that it also carried its USAF identity with the fiscal year letters changed from “AF” to “UK”.
The photos show the MQ-9 just prior to its delivery to the museum yesterday (see MQ-9 Reaper 01 and 02).
Malcolm
(Photos) MMU Update
Once again many thanks to the contributors, old and new, for their input to this edition.
Pete
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 ??
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Pete
