Newark Air Museum

Photos and info from Howard Heeley - Down To Earth Promotions

Auster AOP.9 out of storage

A recent reorganisation of the working area in Display Hangar 1 at Newark Air Museum has seen the Harvard cockpit section moved into the museum’s on-site Workshop. This move has created sufficient space to allow the fuselage frame of an Auster AOP.9 to be moved out of deep storage at the museum and into Display Hangar 1; the move being completed on 31st January 2012.

During the coming weeks it is planned to refit the undercarriage, which will allow the AOP.9 to be moved around more easily. A survey of the fuselage framework will then be undertaken with a view to allowing the long-term restoration of the airframe. A set of wings for the project remain in storage.

Examination of the manufactures plate on the aircraft give a slightly confused picture about the military serials that it may have worn. With this in mind the museum is seeking assistance to clarify the airframe’s identity.

The main plate carries the following inscriptions:
B5-10-1185 issue 72 10-9-62

Elsewhere, a modification plate on the fuselage carries the following inscription:
AUS/R -10/74 or possibly AUS/R -10/174

Various communications exist within the aircraft’s archive file at the museum, which suggest possible identities of XK381 or XS238. In addition identities of TA200 and XR238 have also been suggested. Any assistance in helping to resolve this particular AOP.9’s ‘identity crisis’ would be greatly appreciated; details can be sent in via the museum website at www.newarkairmuseum.org or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

Photos and info from Howard Heeley - Down To Earth Promotions

New hedgerows planted at Newark Air Museum

Another part of Newark Air Museum’s development of its Southfield Site was successfully undertaken on Sunday 26th February, 2012 thanks to the ‘gardening-efforts’ of 11 (eleven) cadets of 1237 (North Hykeham) Squadron, Air Training Corps (ATC).

Under the supervision of Squadron Civilian Committee member Pete Bates the cadets planted 180 metres worth of hedging plants, which had been purchased thanks to a Habitats & Heritage Conservation Grant from the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership, which is itself funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The hedge planting scheme has been implemented by the museum trustees to provide a new habitat for the already flourishing selection of wildlife that inhabits its site in eastern Nottinghamshire. The planting work provides the added benefit of enhancing the safety of the visitors that use the Southfield Site, by providing a sustainable barrier to the steep sided watercourse that runs through the 12.38 acre site.

When the RAF Winthorpe airfield site was constructed during World War II many of these watercourses were routed through concrete culverts and drainage channels, which were constructed underneath many of the runways and taxiways around the site. The museum is currently trying to research the history behind the construction of these features that changed the local landscape so significantly more than seventy years ago. The new mixed species hedgerow will go some-way to redressing the loss of some of the natural habitats around the site during World War II.

“The museum trustees are pleased to have secured funding from the Trent Vale Partnership for this hedgerow planting scheme”, commented museum trustee Alan Ingleston. He concluded, “We are also extremely grateful for the hard work from all of the ATC cadets, whose combined efforts ensured that the hedgerow was successfully planted in six hours.”

Pete Bates made the following comments about the involvement of the cadets in the hedge planting project. “Our aim with the cadets is to build self-confidence and encourage them to take part in many diverse activities; planting a new hedgerow being a brand new experience for most of them.” He concluded, “The Cadets from 1237 (North Hykeham) Squadron thoroughly enjoyed their day and we have a great relationship with Newark Air Museum; we work with them regularly and we were only too pleased to help out.”

Cadets from 1237 (North Hykeham) Squadron, Air Training Corps pictured before they embarked on their hedgerow planting project.

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

Cadets from 1237 (North Hykeham) Squadron, Air Training Corps hard at work on Newark Air Museum’s Southfield Site.

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

Photos and info from Howard Heeley - Down To Earth Promotions

Strange ‘Bed-Fellows’
Arrive at Newark Air Museum

On 10th April 2012 an unusual mixed load was delivered to Newark Air Museum’s site on Drove Lane in eastern Nottinghamshire, raising the following question. How many times has a significant British homebuilt aircraft travelled on the same lorry as a Yellow Sun nuclear bomb casing?

The first item to be loaded was the prototype Taylor Monoplane G-APRT, which has been donated to the museum. This aircraft was designed and built by the John Taylor in the late 1950s, and is noted as having flown for the first time on 4th July 1959 at White Waltham.

The Taylor Monoplane is recognised as being the first English post-World War II homebuilt designed aircraft, which was designed for building in small spaces and by people with average fabrication skills. In total, more than 100 examples were built and flown. Taylor Monoplane G-ARPT was offloaded and moved into Display Hangar 1 at the museum.

The Yellow Sun nuclear weapon casing was the second item to be collected on Tuesday and this item has been placed on loan at the Newark Air Museum by the RAF Museum Reserve Collection at RAF Stafford. Yellow Sun was the first British operational high-yield strategic nuclear weapon.

The timely arrival of the Yellow Sun for display at Newark coincides with the final preparations for Tribute to V-Force reunion event that the museum is hosting at the end of April. Tribute to the V-Force is a two day event on 28th & 29th April 2012, that is being organised for former V-Bomber crews, who would have flown the aircraft that would have been required to drop the Yellow Sun in the event of conflict.

Upon arrival at Winthorpe the Yellow Sun casing was offloaded onto a Yellow Sun weapon trolley that was already part of the collection at Newark Air Museum.

Acquisitions Officer David Hibbert made the following comments about the new arrivals at Newark Air Museum. “The acquisition of the Taylor Monoplane is especially significant to the museum. It fits perfectly with part of our Collecting Policy of acquiring aircraft flown privately if they are significant to the development of the type and represent unique examples, which might otherwise be destroyed.”

He concluded, “The timing of the Yellow Sun arrival could not have been better, just in time for the forthcoming Tribute to the V-Force event. We are grateful to both the former owner of the Taylor Monoplane and to staff at the RAF Museum Reserve Collection for making these acquisitions possible.”

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

Photos and info from Howard Heeley - Down To Earth Promotions

Cockpit-Fest 2012 – another great weekend!

Building on the re-established support network for the event the 2012 Cockpit-Fest at Newark Air Museum attracted a record number of participating cockpits and displays; and despite the best efforts of the ‘great’ British weather the two day event once again attracted good crowds.

The 2012 event was well supported with thirty-two (32) visiting cockpits attending the event from all around the UK; a diverse range of supporting displays in Hangar 2 at the museum; and an interesting Aeroboot aviation and avionics sale.

There was a stunning range of cockpits from all eras of aviation including: a Spitfire, Mustang and P63 Kingcobra from World War II; iconic Post World War aircraft such as Canberras, Hunters and Lightnings; rarities such as a Wyvern and Short Sturgeon; and from more recent times Phantoms and Jaguars.

This year the museum was able to award prizes in seven (7) different categories thanks to the external support for the event from: FlyPast; Farlam Airframes; Great British Air Spares; The Aircraft Restoration Group; RAM Models; Electric Egg; Ken Ellis (Wrecks & Relics); Kiepura Aviation; and the Cranwell Aviation Visitors Centre.

The winners were:
Grand Champion (Visitors Award) – Phil Cartwright, Phantom 37+86 {Support from FlyPast, GB Air Spares, RAM Models & Electric Egg}
Warbird Award– Gary Dean, NAA P51 Mustang 44-11175 {Support from Aircraft Restoration Group}
Visitors Exhibit Award (FlyPast) – Steve Austin, XP558 & XA903 Display {Support from FlyPast, Cranwell Aviation Visitors Centre & Electric Egg}
Cockpiteers Cockpit Award – Bob Dunn, Hunter FGA9 XE597 {Support from FlyPast, GB Air Spares, RAM Models & Electric Egg}
Wrecks & Relics Spirit of Cockpit-Fest Award– Martin Steel, Lightning F3 XP757 {Support from Ken Ellis}
Wrecks & Relics Spirit of Cockpit-Fest Award – Dan Hunt, P63 Kingcobra {Support from Ken Ellis}
Kiepura Aviation Award – Stirling Group for their Stirling Cockpit display {Support from Kiepura Aviation}

“Once again behalf of the museum members and trustees I would like to thank everyone who contributed to making Cockpit-Fest 2012 such a great success,” commented event organiser Bill O’Sullivan. “We would like to send out an extra special thank you to those individuals and organisations that supported the event financially and with the provision of trophies and prizes.” He concluded, “We are already looking towards the 2013 event and we would love to hear from any fresh supporters who might like to get involved with the event.”

Participating Cockpits & Cockpit Rigs
Hunter FGA9 – XE597
Lightning F6 – XS932
Lightning F3 – XP757*
Lightning F53 – ZF590*
HS125 – G-AVAI*
Lightning F6 – XS922 (Sunday only)
Canberra PR7 WH779
Meteor T7 – WL405
Hunter FGA9 – XE584
Jet Provost T3 – XN549
Spitfire Mk1*
Twin Pioneer – XM285*
Sea Hawk Mk6 – WV838*
Phantom–37+86
Phantom FGR2 – XV490
Canberra B6 – WT319
Hunter F1 – WT684
Jaguar GR1 – XX761
Chipmunk T10 – WZ869
Jet Provost T5 – XW302
Stirling Cockpit display
Wyvern S4 (Project)**
P63 Kingcobra
Soko Kraguj P2 Sparrowhawk – 30131*
Jaguar GR1 – XX736
Meteor T7 – WA662
Tempest V
NAA P51 Mustang 44-11175**
Hunter F.6 N.202 (Saturday only)
Harrier GR3 XV806 (Saturday only)
Slingsby Grasshopper XP494
Flexiform Striker MJ14

1 * These cockpits are totally new to the event.
2 ** A cockpit rig is a term used to describe a cockpit either without its shell, or fitted with an alternative shell. These are used to good effect when original materials are not available.

Instrument Panels & Aircraft Interiors
Aircraft Equipment/Panels from Classic Jet Aircraft
Wessex Panel
Nimrod Control Column Display
Spitfire Instrument Panel Display (Sat Only)
V-Force & VC 10 Display
Vampire T11 Instrument Panel
Lancaster, Spitfire & Mosquito Panel Display
Sturgeon parts display

Special Guest & Displays
Owls from the Raptor Foundation
Crusader 80 BAOR Living History Display
Model Display
Lancaster W4270 Display
Falklands Display
RAF College Of Air Warfare, Macaws Display Team
Vulcan B.1 XA903 Display
Airfield Research Group
RAFA Balderton Branch
Farlam Airframes
RAM Models
The Aircraft Restoration Group’s Whirlwind Project
Cranwell Aviation Heritage Centre
Ken Ellis – Wrecks & Relics 23rd Edition

Here are some of my shots from the day -

Had a great day there sunday, weather was pretty good, dropped in to see the guys on the stall and managed to get into the vulcan cockpit, something ive wanted to do for ages.
These are not the droids your looking for

Tamzin enjoyed the day

and the vulcan

Best Cockpit? They all deserved to win! - The Phantom was certainly impressive though ...
Good to see the HS125 ... it was about the only non mil cockpit on display.

Photos and info from Howard Heeley - Down To Earth Promotions

Newark Air Museum hosts 76 Squadron Halifax Presentation

On Friday, 7th September the Newark Air Museum hosted a short presentation in Hangar 1 at the museum’s Drove Lane Site that was made to Clifton Grove, Nottingham resident Mike Harrison.

The presentation was of a scale model diorama of a H.P. Halifax of 76 Sqn, as it looked in April 1944, was made by Terence Fox of the Airframes Studios, Macclesfield, who is an aviation artist and semi-professional model-maker.

On the night of April 24th/25th, 1944, Halifax Mk III, LK789, code MP-L, of 76 Sqn, Royal Air Force (RAF), took off from RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor, for a raid on Karlsruhe, Germany. This was the crew’s 18th operation. Although bombing results were scattered, due to heavy cloud and a stronger than forecast wind, which pushed the Pathfinders off track, flak was moderate and ineffective and, over the target area at least, no night fighters were encountered.

However, on returning to friendly territory, the bombers were routed 'up England' and, due to the very real risk of collision, many flew with navigation lights on, having been briefed that no intruder activity was expected. This was not the case, as Halifax LK789 was engaged and shot down, by a Me 410 intruder 20km north of Cambridge, and crashed in flames, after the pilot tried to crash land. All of the crew, with the exception of the rear gunner, were killed.

Amongst the crew was Mike Harrison's uncle, Sgt Norris Mervyn Harrison (1819564), he was the mid-upper gunner on the aircraft and he was aged just 19, when he lost his life.

The rear gunner who survived the crash was Flt Sgt John Anderson (1573409) and was rescued from his turret by local Fire Brigade officers, suffering from a broken femur and abrasions to the scalp.

Mike Harrison is trying to contact the family of Flt Sgt Anderson, who is Scottish; he may have lived in the Glasgow area, whilst other reports note that he may have settled in the Welney, Norfolk area after the war. Any possible leads for Mike can be routed via the Newark Air Museum.

As a brief footnote; shortly after the presentation was made a pair of RAF Tornados made a low-level south to north pass over the air museum site. This was witnessed by those present and each remarked on its appropriateness to end what had been a moving presentation.


Mike Harrison (right) pictured receiving the Halifax scale model diorama from Terence Fox, at the Newark Air Museum.


Detailed view of the scale model diorama of the 76 Sqn H.P. Halifax.

Information and photos received from Howard Heeley, Down To Earth Promotions

Information Request re Lightning T5 XS417

As part of its Tribute to the Lightning event Newark Air Museum is actively looking to record the history of its Lightning T5 exhibit XS417.

This particular Lightning has flown 2603.10 hours during an operational career running from 1962 to 1988. It has been based at a number of different Lightning bases during that time, RAF Binbrook, RAF Coltishall, RAF Leuchars, RAF Coningsby and RAF Wattisham, before arriving at Newark Air Museum in 1988. During this service it flew with 226 OCU, 23 Squadron, 56 Squadron, the Lightning Training Flight (LTF) and 11 Squadron.

The museum is trying to make contact with the people associated with this particular Lightning, so that it can document the service history of the airframe. The information that is being sought comes from the Log Books of those people who flew XS417 and includes:

• Dates of sortie
• Name & rank of those aboard
• Sortie role
• Duration of sortie

A further bonus would come in the form of anecdotes about individual sorties flown by XS417 and any associated incidents; including the various ground incidents that the airframe suffered. These latter items could include stories recounted by personnel responsible for servicing XS417.

Any information and wherever possible in-service photographs of XS417 would be greatly appreciated and this can be sent to the museum at:

Lightning History Project
Newark Air Museum
Drove Lane,
Winthorpe
NEWARK
Notts
NG24 2NY

Or via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Information and photos received from Howard Heeley, Down To Earth Promotions

News from Newark Air Museum
Construction starts on new Object Storage Building

Despite the snow covered ground work has just started at Newark Air Museum’s Southfield Site on the construction of a new Object Storage Building (OSB), with excavation work now well underway for the concrete base and footings.

The OSB is 20m long and 7.5m wide; with a height to eaves of 2.4m and an overall height to the ridge of the duo-pitch roof of 3.0m. The OSB will be constructed of a structural steel frame with cold rolled purlins and sheeting rails covered by proprietary profiled metal cladding. The colour of the wall cladding will be olive green with a roof of goose wing grey to match the existing museum buildings. A double door is to be located in one gable and further personnel door in the side elevation.

This new facility will allow for the centralised storage of larger items of equipment, artefacts and objects from the reserve museum collection and spare parts. Once the OSB has been completed the museum will undertake a full review of its stored items and some non-accessed items may be made available to other appropriately constituted organisations.

The wintery weather has provided a light covering of snow on the externally displayed airframes, and is blending them in to the cold January skies that shroud the museum site in north east Nottinghamshire, close to the county border with Lincolnshire. The de Havilland Dove and Avro Vulcan attracting some ‘dripping’ snow features.