NASAM Update as of the 21st Oct 2024

In This Edition

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Summary of Contents

In this edition of the blog we start with an apology. We advertised an MX5 visit to the museum on Wednesday, the 9th of October 2024, which did not happen. This was due to a mix-up between the MX5 organiser and ourselves over the booking. We apologize to any of our readers who came along on the day expecting to see the MX5 Owners Club. Hopefully, they will book again next year.

In this edition of the blog “Museum News,” we have Gary’s report on the Aston Martin Owners Club visit on Saturday the 5th October 2024. Photos of the visit provided by Sarah.

The days we will be open for the remainder of the year are listed in the blog. This now includes our Christmas opening period, Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th of December. which incidentally, will be the last chance to access the museum free of charge.

Still, under the general museum news, we have some of the promised photos from the night shoot at the museum. Gary in conjunction with COAP, arranged this evening photo shoot, details of which can be found below along with part of Gary’s previous article.

Finally, we have a report from Steve B on a surprise visit by the International Policing Association group of motorcyclists who called in on a social outing. Photos of the visit were taken by Steve and Joe.

From the Teams “Inside and Outside – The Museum“, we have a triple Painters Update from Barry, with work continuing on the Sea Prince, the weather being kind on the work days. It looks like one of the days was on overtime (for the volunteers, that is a cup and a half of coffee instead of one cup).

Pete S

Museum News

General news from the Museum

Aston Martin Owners Club Visit

On Saturday the 5th of October 2024, the museum hosted the Aston Martin Owners Club (AMOC). The lady in charge of the visit (Gill Scott) arrived just after 1000 and was followed shortly by the remaining cars.

Owing to the size of the cars, it was decided that they park next to wreckology and opposite on the grass. The original plan was to park them around the Hawker Hunter, owing to the size of the car doors an alternative location was needed instead!

One of the club members turned up in a Bentley instead of his Aston Martin, as shown next to the Hunter in the photos.

The day proved to be very popular, partly down to the lovely weather that we experienced on the day, plus the lovely cars of course.

The event even drew in some unusual vehicles as well. We had some motorbikes one of which was an unusual modern electric one. We saw a Triumph Spitfire and even an old Morris Van painted in British Rail colours!

Take note of the rather unusual Aston Martin Lagonda that turned up, ungainly, rare, and elegant in equal measure.

Many thanks to the club members and the volunteers alike. It was a most enjoyable day.

Gary

(Photos) Aston Martin Owners Club

Photo credits to Sarah Stebbing.

Opening Days

Just a reminder of the days we will be open for the rest of the year are as follows:

Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 1000 to 1600 until November 2nd (end of half term).
Sunday only November 3, 10, 17 & 24th, 1000 to 1600. Not all areas may be open during these days.
We will be open on be Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th of December.

And for 2025

We will reopen on Wednesday, the 19th of February 2025 (half term).
Note that this will be the first day that we will charge for entry. For more details on this follow the link below.

Museum ChargingClick to View

Pete S

COAP Photo Shoot

Part repeat of the article in NASAM Blog 04/10/24

On Saturday 21st September The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum were both privileged and lucky enough to host The Centre Of Aviation Photography (COAP).

The photoshoot was organised along with with Steve Comber and Rich Cooper of The C.O.A.P The team were booked in to attend from 1500 until 2100 to take staged photos of some of our aircraft with stand in “actors”.

The crew duly arrived with 15 people who had booked this event. The plan was to take photos of the F100, the T33, the Bloodhound Missile, the Hawker Hunter and the 2 Lightnings in the main hanger.

Martin Nagg of Long Stratton provided a series one Land Rover for the Bloodhound element. COAP supplied all the ancillary equipment, flying suits, overalls, helmets, and, of course, the actors in the shots!

The crew set up and started the shoot outside on the F100. The crew then moved onto the T33 and from there onto the Bloodhound and then the Hunter and finally indoors to the Lightnings.

Below are some of the atmospheric photos from the bloodhound shoot… More to follow in future blogs.

Gary

For more information on COAP please follow the link to Centre of Aviation Photography.

(Photos) Bloodhound Shoot

Photo credits to COAP members

International Policing Association Visit

On Saturday the 19th of October the museum had a surprise visit from 16 members of the International Policing Association, motorcycle division. They arrived on a dozen motorcycles from many parts of the UK. The riders from further away were staying in Bury St Edmunds and were guided via the backroads to the museum by local members.

The Association exists to share best practice amongst International police organisations, but the riders at the museum were retired and for them it is a social organisation.

The group requested a guided tour on arrival and Steve volunteered to take them around a selection of the museum’s treasures.

After their tour, the visitors enjoyed a cuppa in the NAAFI before returning to Bury St Edmunds for the night.

Steve B

(Photos) IPA Visit

Photo credits to Steve B and Joe

Inside and Outside – The Museum

Information from the various teams

Paint Team Updates

08/10/24 – “Somewhere under the rainbow…”

Yes chaps, we had a wizard (of Oz) day today. After last week’s complete wash out, the boys had everything crossed for some dry weather. Unfortunately, the forecast didn’t look promising, with scattered showers on the cards. Further, the boys rocked up to find a very wet Sea Prince, following some significant overnight rain.

The first half hour of the morning was spent wiping down selected surfaces, ready for some paint (hopefully).

With the cloudscape looking pretty ominous the boys made a start, concentrating on those areas still sporting the dark grey primer. Accordingly, Mark got on with painting the port inner spinner in Light Aircraft Grey. Next door, the Skipper (Cliff) gave the port oleo a coat of LAG. Down the back, Private Walker (Ian) went on the hunt for ‘thin’ areas of LAG (see pic 09). Barry kicked off the morning by reinstating the Traffic White on the nose of the Sea Prince, before moving on to paint the prop blades as well. In the final paint scheme, the props will have black and white stripes.

Progress in the morning was hampered by a couple of light showers, one of which gave rise to a lovely rainbow (see pic 10). In the run up to lunch, Cliff moved over to starboard to give the other oleo a coat of LAG (see pic 11).

After luncheon, Mark finished off the LAG detailing around the starboard cockpit windows, while Ian went up top to look for more ‘thin’ bits (see pic 12).

Notwithstanding a slightly heftier shower early arvo, by mid-afternoon the boys had finished all the LAG areas. The team’s focus then turned to the non-LAG detailing. With the white bits already done, Mark made a start on the spinners, giving them a coat of Traffic Black (see pic 13). On the starboard side, Barry broke out the RAL Orange (Dayglo alternative) and painted the starboard flap. Cliff then followed suit on the port side and by close of play, the starboard flap was finished with two coats and the port flap had received one coat (see pic 14).

Next week, subject to Mr UK Weather playing nicely, it’ll be all guns blazing on the Orange bits. Expect Tango references…

15/10/24 – Prop-tastic!

The boys were in an upbeat mood prior to arrival with the Mr UK Weather set to provide a dry day with a healthy 16 degrees forecast. Good weather for painting! Upon arrival, the boys were greeted with a very wet Sea Prince. The autumnal overnight temperatures had chilled down the airframe sufficiently for buckets of condensation to have formed. Hence the first hour of the day was lost to drying off the ‘to be painted’ areas.

Once underway, Private Walker (Ian) set about giving the starboard outer wing section a coat of high-viz Orange (see pic 15), while the Skipper (Cliff) did likewise on the port side. Up front, Barry reinstated the noseband just in front of the cockpit (see pic 16). Over by the engines, Mark mapped out the markings for the props with masking tape. Mark then applied some Black in order to create some black and white stripes. Then came the tricky task of removing all the masking tape without pulling any paint with it (see pic 17).

By close of play, quite a transformation had taken place with the Oranges, Blacks and Whites giving some interest to set against the understated base coat of Light Aircraft Grey. Many passers by have already commented on how good the Sea Prince looks, especially the props, thanks to Mark the Propagator!

Paint Team Update 17/10/24 – Anyone for overtime?

With the Sea Prince still unfinished and with painting days running out, your correspondent decided to sign up for some (unpaid) overtime on Thursday. This decision partly due to a cancelled game of golf and also due to some unseasonably warm weather forecast (19 degrees). Happy days! Unfortunately, there was heavy overnight rain on Wednesday night which again meant the first hour of the day was again spent drying off bits of Sea Pest to be painted (see pic 18).

The plan for the day was to paint the tailfin and elevator tips in high-viz Orange. By lunchtime both tips and both sides of the tailfin were wearing Orange. In the afternoon a second coat was applied before the masking tape was removed. Much to the annoyance of your correspondent, quite a bit of Light Aircraft Grey came away with the masking tape (see pic 19), so some touching in will be required next week.

By close of play, the Sea Prince was wearing most of its Orange areas, except for the lower sections of the fuselage below the stabilators and back to the tail (see pics 20, 21 and 22). If the weather continues to be on our side, then next week should see completion of the Orange and we can then move on to the minor detailing (red bits and yellow bits), before re-fitting all the markings.

Barry

(Photos) Paint Team Update

Photo credits to Barry

The Repeat Info

Here we are in 2024 and 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.