Shoreham Aircraft Museum - News

Our ‘Chuff-chuff’

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:53:57 +0000

It is with much sadness that the Museum recently learnt of the loss of our much valued volunteer Alan Closs, who passed away peacefully in his sleep on 31^st March 2012, aged 84. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Chuff-chuff’ on account of his love for steam engines, Alan was also a long-time volunteer with the Bluebell Railway and at various times held the position of Stationmaster at Sheffield Park , Horsted Keynes and Kingscote.

Seeing service in the latter months of World War Two, Alan was a Guardsman with the Coldstream Guards who continued to serve post-war and was on duty in Westminster Hall in February 1952 for the lying-in-state of King George VI.

Alan will be much missed as one of the finest from a generation that put the ‘great’ into Great Britain .

The Old Bakery

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:51:57 +0000

Thanks to the efforts of Museum ‘Friend’ Mike Goodger, the Tearoom now displays some terrific lettering as a reminder of the long-ago past use of the building when Shoreham Village could boast having its own baker, blacksmith and other varied country craftsmen.

Bomber Boys – Easter Sunday

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:50:28 +0000

The Museum was again blessed by the visit of a fantastic bunch of ‘Bomber Boys’ who gathered for a signing event to raise funds towards the RAF Bomber Command Memorial.

All thanks goes to veterans Gordon Galletly, Gerard Maloney, Joe Cook, Sid Beaver and Sam Brookes, whose marvellous efforts helped to raise over £500. Author Steve Darlow also kindly supported the event again and all latest ‘Fighting High’ news can be found at:-

http://www.fightinghigh.com/

A surprise visitor during the day was the very popular Harry Irons DFC, who generously joined in with signing items for visitors and who was most impressed with the Museum and has promised to return for a future event – so keep a lookout on the homepage for future announcements.

Richard Jones – One of ‘The Few’

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 21:25:25 +0000

Richard Jones, one of the diminishing band of surviving ‘Few’, sadly passed away in early March 2012, aged 93. He flew Supermarine Spitfires with 64 & 19 Squadrons during the Battle of Britain and in 1941 became a Test Pilot for deHavilland, flying repaired fighter aircraft. In 1944 he was awarded a well deserved King’s Commendation for Valuable Services in the Air.

Richard was a keen supporter of and participant at Museum signing events where he proved to be a very popular visitor. He will be much missed at Shoreham. Blue skies Sir.

Remembering Eric & Erich

admin — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:35:05 +0000

We are saddened to report the recent passing of two veteran Museum friends – once adversaries in the skies over Germany , but now at peaceful rest.

Eric ‘Timber’ Woods who kindly attended the ‘Bomber Boys’ fund-raising signing event at the Museum in September 2011, was a long-serving navigator on Bristol Blenheims and Handley Page Hampdens of 101, 106, 144 & 61 Squadrons. Having flown operationally during 1940 when ‘The Few’ were the celebrated victors of the Battle of Britain, Eric was one of the proud ‘Many’ who were equally vital in the defence of Great Britain during that momentous summer.

Luftwaffe veteran Erich Schmidt was a flight engineer with the dreaded Nachtjagd, the German night-fighter arm that exacted a terrible toll of RAF bombers. He also took part in the ‘Wilde Sau’ (Wild Boar) tactics designed to allow single-engined fighters not equipped with radar to intercept and attack RAF aircraft over German cities. Having settled in England post-war, the Museum was delighted whenever Erich visited Shoreham to see our ‘Schnellbomber’, the type he flew in during those long ago night battles.

Blue skies gentlemen.

Autumn/Winter 2011 Gazette

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:09:01 +0000

The latest ‘mono’ edition of ‘Friends of The Few’ has gone out to Museum Club members. Contents include:

Battle of Britain period Spitfire propeller assembly in the Teagarden
Museum and Membership News
“My flight with a Battle of Britain pilot” – in a glider
You lose some … you win some! Aircraft recovery experiences
“Lost Me109” story as featured in the ‘ Britain at War’ magazine
Our Dwindling Few – tributes paid to our Finest recently passed away
The experience of a taxi ride in the preserved Lancaster ‘Just Jane’
Report about the ‘Bomber Boys’ Memorial fundraising event
‘Steinbock Night Victors’ – a Luftwaffe parachute segment reveals a dramatic story

Daughter of ‘One of The Few’ visits the Museum

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:07:11 +0000

In November 2011, the Museum was delighted to welcome Alexandra, the daughter of the well-known Battle of Britain fighter pilot Group Captain ‘Johnny’ Kent DFC & Bar, AFC, VM. Shoreham was a highlight on Alexandra’s tour of places linked to her father’s RAF career, where she saw his chalked signature on the famous ‘White Hart’ Blackout Screen, a signed copy of his Cuthbert Orde pencil sketch and an original letter Johnny Kent wrote about the importance of the White Hart Inn to Biggin Hill based pilots.

Johnny Kent served with distinction as a Flight Commander with the Polish pilots of 303 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, before taking command of 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill in late October 1940.

Alexandra found it a very moving experience to see the items linked to her late father and hopes to re-visit Shoreham in the near future with other members of her family.

Sit-in-a-Spit joy

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:04:23 +0000

Saturday 19^th November 2011 saw another popular event delighting ‘boys & girls’ of all ages in the thrilling and privileged experience to sit in one of two fully airworthy Spitfires at the RAF’s one-time premier fighter station at Biggin Hill.

Much thanks has to go to ‘Spirit of Kent’ Spitfire owner Peter Monk and his terrific team for their kindness and generosity in trusting and allowing the ‘clumsy-foot’ and ‘sticky-paws’ brigade to sit in the cockpit of such precious machines and magnificent symbols of Great Britain’s heritage. Judging by the beaming smiles of the ‘sitters’, it was very much appreciated by one-and-all.

If this is an experience you’ve yet to have, then the next event is on the weekend of Saturday 31^st March and Sunday 1^st April 2012. For more information please call the Museum on 01959 524416.

Remembering Flight Lieutenant Robin Lucas

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:49:16 +0000

It is a sad duty to report the recent passing in late September 2011 of Battle of Britain veteran and Boulton Paul Defiant pilot Robin Lucas. He served with 141 Squadron until mid-1941 and just before leaving the squadron, Robin was flying on patrol in his Defiant night-fighter when Rudolf Hess made his dramatic flight to Scotland in early May 1941, but he was just too late to make an interception as Hess had baled out to be captured.

Robin was a tremendous supporter of Museum fund-raising projects and kindly attended several signing events including ‘Eagle Heights’ in 2006, where he was always a popular participant on account of being one of the ‘rarer’ turret-gun fighter boys. Blue skies Robin.

2011 ‘Extra’ Gazette

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:40:58 +0000

The latest ‘extra’ edition of ‘Friends of The Few’ has gone out to Museum Club members. Contents include:

STOP PRESS: ‘Dig news’
Museum and Membership News
Remembering ‘Beryl’ – poignant story about one of ‘The Few’
Our wonderful visiting veterans
Tribute to Wg/Cmdr John Beazley DFC
Report on the ’Bomber Boys’ signing event
Highlighting a wristwatch once belonging to a shot down Luftwaffe pilot