NASAM Update as of the 22nd Jun 2023
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General Updates
Updates In This Edition
We start this week with a report from Ian D who attended the Association of Suffolk Museums AGM on behalf of the Museum. His note below, and photos show the presentation of the Certificate of Accreditation to the Museum at the AGM.
Second up is a photo update from Gary in his “Visitors to the Museum” section. The photos show the visit by the Panther Owners Club on Saturday the 10th of Jun 2023.
The Panther Owners Club exists, according to their website, to help keep all Phelon & Moore’s products running. And according to Wikipedia, Phelon & Moore manufactured motorcycles in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, from 1904 to 1967, particularly those under the Panther marque. They became identified with a design of motorcycle which had a large sloping 40-degree single-cylinder engine as a stressed member of the frame. This design spanned the entire history of the company, starting with a 500 cc model and ending with a 645 cc model. The first of the Panther models was launched in 1924.
Finally in “From the Teams” this edition we continue with updates from the Painters and Barry and two weeks of updates, mainly reporting on progress with the Hunter.
Pete S
From The Teams
Museum Accreditation
NASAM is an accredited museum, which means every 5 years we have to demonstrate to the Arts Council the necessary procedures, policies and documentation to confirm our reason to be accredited. We had started this process in 2019 (to be re-accredited), which during the Covid pandemic, was placed on hold until late in 2022.
The museum then received the news that we had achieved the required standard in February this year, and at the recent AfSM AGM, Ian Dunlop received on behalf of the museum, the certificate from the chair of SHARE, Jamie Everitt (photos below).
A huge thanks to all those involved in helping the museum to continue its accreditation, which assists greatly when reaching out for grants and funding to maintain and grow the work at Flixton.
Ian D
(Photos) Accreditation Certificate
Visitors to the Museum
Recent visitors to the Museum include the Panther Owners Club, who had a thoroughly enjoyable visit.
Gary
(Photos) Panther Owners Club
Painters Update
13/06/23 – If you want to get ahead, get a (comedy) hat!
In stark contrast to recent Tuesday Flixton weather, this week was an absolute belter, with the temp’ expected to nudge 27 degrees by early afternoon. Accordingly, the team ‘slipped, slapped and slopped’ and also donned appropriate headgear to keep the sun at bay.
Over on the Hunter, Ian and Barry went for the traditional baseball cap, although Barry subsequently wished he’d gone for the hard hat option after he dinged his head early doors on a protruding aerial – ouch! Mark rocked up looking like he was about to audition for the role of a Camp Guard in a remake of Tenko and instantly took the prize for (comedy) hat of the day. In the scorching temps, the boys knuckled down to complete the primer ‘snagging’ from last week and by mid-morning the boys were already breaking open the first tin of topcoat. With the paint drying very quickly, the boys had to work fast and by close of play, the entire bottom third of the aircraft had been repainted in Light Aircraft Grey (see pic 2306 09 with gloss waistline just visible), with only the undercarriage legs to go. Next week, we should then be on to ‘cutting in’ the camo, if the weather continues to play nicely.
Elsewhere, the Skipper (Cliff) put aside the BC Inventory and transferred onto refurbishing the flagpoles adjacent to the 336th Memorial, ahead of the USAAF’s Veterans Association visit from over the pond next month. After John S. had previously been unsuccessful in getting the flagpoles out of the ground, it was clear that the poles would have to be refurbed ‘in situ’ and this necessitated the erection of the ‘scaff’ tower (see pic 2306 10). By wrapping up time, Cliff had sanded and primed both poles, ready for a new coat of white gloss, hopefully, next week.
A bit further down the inner paddock, our Top Titivator (Gwen) picked up where she left off with the MiG last week. With the white outlines already repainted, Gwen broke out the Post Office Red and set about painting the red markings down the port side, as well as the red engine intake cover (see pic 2306 11). With the toastie temps, Gwen took some extra precautions against sunburn, more specifically ear burn, and was seen sporting a pair of rather natty ear protectors, made from repurposed socks (patent pending)!
20/06/23 – A frustrating day!
Malheureusement, il a plu aujourd’hui, (unfortunately, it rained today – Ed.) which meant that there wasn’t much dry Hunter to go around! The only parts that weren’t wet (or leaking) were the undercarriage legs. In the morning, Ian applied the light aircraft grey to the starboard leg and then Mark followed in with some bright aluminium on the wheel hub (see pic 2306 12). Ian then blacked up the starboard tyre. Over on the port side, Barry painted the leg before Mark again moved in with the silver and Ian with the black (see pic 2306 13). Barry then finished the morning by painting the wheel stands in roundel blue.
Further frustration was to be had in the morning when EPS rocked up to fit the decals to the tail of the Javelin. They just about had time to fit the white backing circles before the rain came down. And that was that.
After lunch, the rain initially eased off for a bit. This allowed the boys to come out from sheltering under the wings and (after a bit of drying with a rag) paint the nosewheel and front leg. With the prospect of more ‘pluie’ in the afternoon forecast, the boys had to work quickly, thus necessitating a 3-pronged attack on the front wheel (see pic 2306 14). Just after they had finished the rain started to come down again and so time was called early at 13:50hrs.
Not much to report elsewhere. Gwen spent most of the morning trying to locate a missing set of keys for Gary and the Skipper (Cliff) went back to his inventory of Bomber Command (sounds very dry – Ed.).
The final frustration of the day was getting home early in time (as it turned out) to see England just fail to capture the last two Aussie wickets in the First Test!
Barry
(Photos) Painters Update
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:
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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Pete S
