NASAM Update as of the 23rd Oct 2023
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Summary of Contents
What’s In This Edition
From Around The Museum
Barry continues with two weeks’ worth of updates from the Paint Team and the continued work on the Hunter, the Valetta and Trojan aircraft as well as the painting of the Museum buildings.
Opening Dates Over Winter Period
As we move towards the winter period, when we close the Museum for renovation work, these are the opening dates and times over that period:
- Until the end of October, we are open as normal on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1000 until 1600.
- Throughout November we are open on Sundays only from 1000 until 1600.
- In December, we are open on two days only, Thursday the 28th and Friday the 29th December from 1000 until 1500.
- We are then closed until the February half term, when the Museum will reopen on Saturday, the 17th of February 2024, from 1000 until 1600.
- From Saturday the 17th of February 2024 we revert back to our normal opening times of:
- Every Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays from 1000 until 1600 until further notice.
Special Events in 2024
Lastly, in this edition, we have details of those dates already agreed upon for 2024 when the Museum will host special event days.
Pete S
Around The Museum
Painters Update
10/10/23 – Scorchio!
Yes folks, it was unseasonably hot today, with the car thermometer registering 25 degrees Celsius on the way home! Climate change, what climate change? Anyways, good news for the Paint Team, who were able to plough on at full speed with the detailing on the Valetta.
With a very warm sun, the early morning condensation soon evaporated, and the boys were able to crack on with extending the red ‘cheat’ line down the port side of the Valetta (see pic 2310 05).
Later on in the morning, some welcome drizzle moved in, temporarily cooling things down a bit; the drizzle being slices of Lemon Drizzle cake from Mark’s missus! This of course required the boys to take a mandatory tea break!!
Back on it, and by lunchtime, the port side ‘cheat’ line was complete, in terms of a first coat of Post Office Red, all the way from the tail right up to just behind the cockpit windows.
Elsewhere, Gwen continued with her refresh of the green Coastal Command buildings. Down at the T28, the Skipper (Cliff) just had the Makasi Buffalo to reinstate on the port side. In the morning, Cliff marked out the detail with grey primer (see pic 2310 06).
After lunch, Cliff finished off his Buffalo detailing with a couple of coats of Buttercup Yellow (see pic 2310 07) and that completed the ‘resto’ of the Trojan.
Back over on the big bird, Mark and Ian gave the ‘cheat’ line a second coat of red and then started to relocate the ‘scaff’ and ladders round to the starboard side of the Valetta. After about half an hour, Mark popped back round to the port side to remove the last remnants of masking tape, thus leaving the ‘cheat’ line complete (see pic 2310 08), save for the section ahead of the cockpit that tapers down to the nose. On the starboard side, Barry spent the last hour of the day removing all the masking and duct tape from the two toilet skylight windows on the rear quarter.
Next week, weather permitting, the boys are all set up to complete the starboard ‘cheat’ line, up to the cockpit.
17/10/23 – EPS smash it out the park!
Yes folks, this week EPS rocked up at 10:00 hrs to fit the markings to the Hunter (see pic 2310 09). The day went largely without issue, the trickiest fitting being the wing top roundels that had the outer pylon stubs falling in the middle of them. Fuelled by several cups of sweet tea, plus various cakes and biscuits, Paul and Jayden went into hyperdrive and powered their way through all the markings. The 54 squadron markings (chequers and lion rampant) look particularly impressive, drawing a series of wows from passing volunteers (see pic 2310 10). It’s a win, win, win really. The EPS decals take less time to create, look sharper and last longer than freehand painted ones. By 15:00 hrs, it was job done, with the Hunter looking ‘factory fresh’ in the fading light (see 2 pics 2310 11 & 12).
To the left of the port wing on the Hunter, Gwen continued with her repaint of the Coastal Command buildings. By the end of the day, she had run out of green paint and so here is a picture of Gwen pretending to paint in the afternoon (see pic 2310 13)!
Down at the T28, Cliff gave his Buffalo mascot another coat of yellow highlights. Having spent quite a bit of time on this particular marking, this led the boys to rename the Buffalo, the ‘Cliffalo’ a bit like the Gruffalo (for our younger readers – Ed.).
Over on the big bird, Mark and Ian continued with the reinstatement of the red ‘cheat’ line on the starboard side of the Valetta, making the most of the ‘Brucie Bonus’ weather. By early afternoon, the starboard cheat line was complete in the over wing areas and Ian set about pulling off all the masking tape (see pic 2310 14). That said, Mark and Ian had to leave a gap in the red line where John S. was still repairing a missing window. Towards close of play Mark and Ian took ‘five’ to stand back to consider prep needed on the last (most forward) window frame next week. When I say ‘stand back’ I should perhaps have said ‘sat back’ in Ian ‘Wing’ Walker’s case, as he failed to live up to his nickname (see pic 2310 15)!
Barry
(Photos) Painters Update
Upcoming Events in 2024
Below, we have a few dates for your diaries in 2024. The Museum Trustees have agreed on the following dates that the Museum will host special event days in 2024. More information on these events will be published in the Blog and on Social Media as they are known.
Stay in touch with the main website and the blog for the latest news and information.
Pete S
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
To keep up to date with further information, please keep an eye on our Social Media (see the Social Media buttons at the foot of this blog) or click on the button below to be notified by email of any upcoming changes by seeing the latest blog.
Go to the form forEMAIL NOTIFICATIONS
Pete S
