The Museum has enjoyed a good year with increased
attendances and revenue despite the current trends in the economy.
This in part is due to the initiatives taken by its
Members and new Directors, and increased use of the Museum web site.
At the AGM last spring, all the qualifying members
voted for a new Board of Directors who immediately took the decision
to replace the original Halford Hall roof and to plan for a new shop
and café area for tea and coffee. It is planned later in 2013 for this
area to become a full cafeteria. It was also decided to make more room
in the main Goldsmith Hanger for future special events by
moving around the larger aircraft and exhibiting the
smaller planes in the renovated Robin Hanger.
The original 1940 prototype Mosquito has been brought
in from the Robin Hanger and stored in the main hanger, prior to major
restoration which will include re-covering with new linen and
repainting to the original prototype prototype Mosquito, E0234
markings and colour scheme.
Our second Mosquito B.MK.35 TA634 is now displayed
with its full range of representative bombs,
including the 4,000lb Cookie.
The third Mosquito FB.V1.TA122 has now gained its new
wing from TR33.TW233. The original
fuselage from Holland has been mated with the restored
wing recovered from Israel.
I have witnessed the work done on this wing by the
Mosquito Team involving rebuilding and re-skinning for some ten years.
It is good at last to see the aircraft now fitted with its wing and
mounted on its undercarriage. We are all looking forward to next year
when it should be free of its raised stands and with its engines
mounted.
These three aircraft will form a major attraction in
the years ahead for the Museum. In the corner of the Goldsmith Hanger
is the restoration of the Sea Venom FAW.22 with its fuselage mounted
vertically alongside the DH Ghost 105 engine used to power it.
The Comet 1A is now painted with a green preservation
paint, mounted on a new steel frame. Inside the Comet, the floor has
been installed and insulation material installed the full length of
fuselage. It is planned to restore the aircraft with one side fully
equipped with seats and the other exposed so that the original air
frame structure can be inspected.
In the Halford Hall we now have a fully restored DH
Goblin Engine. This engine has been sectioned to illustrate the inlet
fan, shaft and turbine. The exhibit has been repainted, fitted with
lights and motor to rotate the shaft and turbine blades.
The Robin Hanger has been repainted and now houses the
Museum Moths collection and the Airspeed Horsa Glider cockpit and
front fuselage section. The Cierva C24 Autogiro is on loan from the
Science Museum and makes an interesting exhibit and is the only one
built.
Well done to all the Members of the Museum involved,
including the staff manning the shop and
the site maintenance crew.
We are now closed to the Public for the year and will
open again in the Spring of 2012 as detailed below.
We look forward to meeting you and showing you around
our Museum.
J J Proops
Chairman
December 2011
