NASAM Update as of the 13th Jul 2025

In This Edition

Summary of Contents

In this edition of the Blogs “Museum News“; we have a couple of reports from Gary and from Steve on visits to the museum by the Gorleston Model Boat Club and the 100 Friends Motor Enthusiasts Group with their vehicles.

From the Teams “Inside and Outside – The Museum” ; we have two updates from the Painters, first from Mark and then from Barry, as they continue to refresh the paint on our various exhibits.

Under the “Events Information” we have posters for the two remaining event days in July . Clicking on the posters will take you through to more detailed information on these two events provided by Neil. Plus, we have news on a possible RAF BBMF Spitfire Flypast in August.

Pete S

Museum News

General News from or about the Museum

Saturday 28th June – Gorleston Model Boat Club

On Saturday 28th June 2025 we hosted The Gorleston Model Boat Club at the museum.

I had previously tried to get them to visit us but to no avail. Thankfully, on this occasion the decided to attend.

Under the direction of Jeremy Atkinson, they arrived early on a very bright and sunny morning to set up.

They brought along an interesting array of models that they put on display for our visitors. I have sent some photos that were taken by George Sawyer-Stone. It was a shame that they never brought along a pool to put some of the models in! However, I was told that it would take 2 days to fill!

The weather was fantastic, hot, and sunny nearly all day! This had an impact on visitor numbers which were sadly lower than expected.

Many thanks to the 9 members of the club that braved the heat and humidity. We very much hope that they will visit us again in the future. Special thanks go out to the two club members who became NASAM members.

Gary

(Photos) Gorleston Model Boat Club

Sunday 29th June – FMEG Visit

On Sunday, the 29th of June 2025, we were visited by the 100 Friends Motor Enthusiasts Group (FMEG) (that’s the name, there weren’t 100 of them) who came along with cars mostly from my youth! We were surprised to see the British Rail van as the nearest line is some way away…

The group arrived mid-morning and enjoyed their stay at the museum, utilising the services of the NAAFI as well as looking around the site.

Late in the afternoon, we were surprised to see a Spitfire orbiting above the museum. We think that it was holding prior to a slot at the car show being held at Heveningham Hall.

Steve B

(Photos) FMEG Visit

Inside and Outside At The Museum

News from the Various Team

Painter Update

01/07/25 Some Like It Hot…

…and some sweat when the heat is on” sang the Power Station in 1985.

With Ian recovering from jet-lag and with Barry away in Dorset, Gwen, Cliff and Mark certainly sweated on the hottest day of the year so far.

Gwen continued preparing the “Sergeant and his dog”, using a wire brush that weighed more than the angle grinder it was attached to (see pic 1). At the same time, Cliff and Mark rushed to finish sanding the Valetta’s port cheat-line before the school groups needed quiet inside the cabin (see pic 2).

“Some feel the heat and decide that they can’t go on”, and so it was by late morning. The Sarge was looking a little more scrubbed, and the Valetta was sanded (see pic 3), so lunch was taken a tad early.

After a long rest in the shade, Gwen went off to sit at the back of the Valetta and listen to Pam’s talk about child evacuees, whilst Cliff and Mark gave Bomber Command a quick check and clean (see pic 4).

And that was it, an early finish all around. “Some like it hot, some like it hot”.

Mark K

(Photos) Painters Update 01/07/25

08/07/25 – Eat, Cheat, Repeat!

This week the team were back to full strength with Private Walker (Ian) back from Oz and Barry back from Dorset. With the weather also set fair (and less hot), it was definitely game on!

Over on the big bird, the boys masked up the Valetta’s port cheat line and then proceeded to give it a coat of Dacrylate grey high build primer (see pic), in between groups of schoolchildren being herded in and out of the Valetta by Pam.

Next door, Gwen continued to give the base of the Tin Man a serious rub down, prior to applying a coat of primer (see pic).

During the morning, the Skipper (Cliff) spent some time guiding the Bentwaters Museum Paint Team round our recent work. They were keen to understand how we go about looking after our external exhibits, as they have had some (similar) issues with rapid paint degradation in recent times.

Lunchtime saw the exchange and then consumption (mainly by Mark, the human Hoover) of various holiday confection.

Suitably refuelled, the boys got back on the Valetta and by closing time had managed to get a first topcoat on the cheat line. To speed up production in the arvo, Mark arranged to have his own personal paint caddy wallah (aka Cliff) while perched up the top of a ladder at the front of the fuselage (see pic). Good thinking!

Next week should see a second coat go on the port side before we turn our attention to the cockpit windows and the nose. Various fuselage ‘touch ins’ will also be required to the grey and the white where the cheat line masking tape has pulled off loose paint.

Barry

(Photos) Painters Update 08/07/25

Event information

What’s next at the Museum

Next Events at the Museum

Below are posters for the next two events at the Museum. Click on the poster for more details from our events pages.

Spitfire Flypast

We have been notified by the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight that, subject to good weather and no unforeseen operational commitments, we will have a flypast of a Spitfire on our Veterans Day on Saturday, the 30th August 2025.

Pete S

The Repeat Information

Funding

Here we are in 2025, and although we now charge for admission to the Museum, we still appreciate any additional help we can get from the general public, readers of the blog and visitors to the Museum. So the repeated information below is still here, just in case you would like to help.

We are a charitable organisation, relying now on admission charges, grants and donations from the people that visit. Any and all help is greatly appreciated 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”.

Would you like to help??

One of the ways we save money is by having a dedicated group of Volunteers that keep the Museum and the exhibits both manned and maintained. We hope, therefore, that a few people would consider helping in the three ways below:

Help by becoming a Museum Member, also Volunteering to help at the Museum, or by making a Donation to help with 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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