RAF Millom Aviation & Military Museum Update

[RAF Millom]

Site 1 – RAF Millom - www.rafmillom.co.uk

Display rearrangements are now coming to a close after the swapping around of exhibits etc between the three sites.

Picket Hamilton Fort is in place for display.

• Whirlwind XM660 requires some preparation for the winter then she will come inside next year for a full restoration (Volunteers anyone ?), not decided whether she will stay in RAF yellow or go back to RN blue – thoughts anyone ?.

• Tornado GR1 Cockpit – Needs some minor external touch up after moving inside in the next couple of months, we need the following if anyone can help.

Nose cone
Nose cone adaptor ring
All internal cockpit fittings
Ejector seats

• Chipmunk WD377 cockpit will be brought out of deep storage and start hopefully a complete restoration back to a complete aircraft (Volunteers anyone ?), we need the following if anyone can help.

Any Chipmunk parts
Any photographs of her in service so we can reapply the correct markings.

• JP XN597 Cockpit has been cleaned/painted just needs markings reapplying and bringing inside.

Any photos of her in service so we can reapply the correct markings.

• Vampire XD425 Cockpit is pending the completion of XK637 then her restoration will begin back to hopefully a complete aircraft, we will be bringing her inside before winter, we need the following if anyone can help.

Wings
Main undercarriage/wheels
Booms

Any photos of her in service so we can reapply the correct markings.


Site 2 – Display & Restoration Hall – www.millom-restoration.co.uk

Offices - Are now set up, thanks to a large donation of office furniture and equipment.

Shop – Waiting collection of shop fitting equipment that has just been donated.

Archive/Library – Established, just needs cataloguing and organising (Volunteer anyone ?)

Workshop – In the process of being set up, again thanks to various donations of equipment, still in need of a small centre lathe and turret mill if anyone can help.

Floor area –

• Erection of a photographic display building is about to start.

• 80% of the engine collection has arrived, now needs arranging then cleaning and restoration to display standard (most just need a polish) can begin (Volunteers anyone ?)

• Vampire T11 XK637 has come in out from the cold and has started a restoration program, we need the following if anyone can help.

Replacement canopy or the starboard Perspex panel
Goblin 35 engine
Boom end fillets

Any photos of her in service with the Central Flying School so we can reapply the correct markings.

• Link Trainer requires full restoration including rewire (Volunteers anyone ?)

Mike Davy and his team are still in the final stages of moving in/setting up their kit so work should start soon on the restoration of Meteor WK914 and Phantom Cockpit “Vandy 1” plus many other projects

We still have a number of airframes, airframe parts and cockpits to bring to site along with a number of military cranes and vehicles including a Centurion tank.

Site 3 – HMS Macaw - www.hms-macaw.co.uk

Initial displays on the Fleet Air Arm stations of the North West, Fleet and Royal Marines have been established.

Displays relating to the Fleet Air Arm Crash sites in the North West have now started to be transferred to this site.

We are planning to install an aircraft (to be decided) on site to act as a gate guardian

These are housed in small part of the site whilst plans are established/developed for the funding and restoration of the full site take place.

HMS Macaw can now be opened only by prior arrangement.


Volunteers are needed to assist with all areas of the museum, if you feel you can help please get in touch.

A few photos follow,

[Lindy's Lad]

Wow, you guys have been busy! I'm over at the zoo close to you next week - I might have to make my excuses and come see you...

Keep up the good work

[Drem]

Well done,
Great job being done.

[RAF Millom]

Six more aero engines are due to arive this week, that leaves one more I think, the Bristol Hercules which is in deep store at the moment pending the arival of a fork truck to empty the store, the link trainer and Chipmunk are also in here as well.

The Bofors gun should be with us next week in time for Veterans day on the 8th September, may also be getting a WW2 Bedford fire engine and trailer pump about the same time.

We have now got a date set for the arival of the following

Jetstream 31

Shorts 330

Andover cockpit and forward fuselage section

Centurion mk9 Tank

Thorneycroft ex RAF WW2 Crane

Morris Gun Quad tractor

Coventry Climax WW2 fire pump trailer

These should arive on the 6th October in a convoy of 6 artic lorry loads and a mobile crane.

Also got to sort out delivery of the Airship Gondola

[Lindy's Lad]

I can only dream of having facilities like yours, the available money, and the overall drive amongst all!

Well done..

[RAF Millom]

Originally Posted by Lindy's Lad

I can only dream of having facilities like yours, the available money, and the overall drive amongst all!

Well done..

Mmmmm available money, yes we could do with some of that as this damm place is slowly bankrupting us all. Still no out side funding as yet.

Drive, vision, enthusiasm and ideas are in plentiful supply, its volunteers of any skill level we really need at the moment.

Visitor figures are steadily rising at an acceptable level, vast increase over last year, looks like the advertising budget is is paying off, just need to get the websites all sorted and looking the same.

So I think we are heading in the right direction, must be doing something right as we have now attracted visits from the High Sherriff of Cumbria and the local MP.

Getting that good at begging, borrowing and stealing were are being likened to "The Borrowers"

So many things to do, not enough time or people, but we will get there or die trying.

[Jetstream Man]

What is the identity of the J31? I seem to remember there was one at blackpool.


j

[RAF Millom]

Originally Posted by Jetstream Man

What is the identity of the J31? I seem to remember there was one at blackpool.


j

It is the one from Blackpool, the registration escapes me at the moment, I will have to look for it later.

[RAF Millom]

Originally Posted by RAF Millom

It is the one from Blackpool, the registration escapes me at the moment, I will have to look for it later.

It is ex Platinum Air, G-PLAH

[RAF Millom]

A quick check of the visitor figures puts us up 65% up over this time last year, for the previous couple of years we had been growing at about 20%, so this is good news and hopefully they will grow further.

[RAF Millom]

The Bofors gun arived yesterday and is being polished/cleaned at the moment.

The delivery of the 6 engines has been delayed till Friday, had a phone call last night to inform me that the delivery has now risen to 20 engines !!!!!!

Still a lot to do before Veterans Day on Saturday 8th, got 54 sheets of perspex ariving Thursday to finish of the display cases and uniform display frames.

I will take some photos on Friday of the latest arivals.

[wv838]

Bravo Mark!!

It all sounds absolutely wonderful and I wish you all the very best. I wonder though if Mike Davey warrants a museum of his own!

[RAF Millom]

When he first came he only wanted a 1/4, at the moment he occupies 2/3 hopefully when it as packed away and organised it will reduce to about 1/3

talk about give an inch and take a mile, all good fun though.

We are already looking at expanding that site further

[N.Wotherspoon]

Though I hear that the A-26 tail has now been abandoned outside and there is now no room for the engines either

[RAF Millom]

Originally Posted by N.Wotherspoon

Though I hear that the A-26 tail has now been abandoned outside and there is now no room for the engines either

I wouldn’t say it has been abandoned outside, it is in temporary open display whilst the remainder of the yard is cleared and re-modelled. There is a Vampire, Tornado, JP and Vampire wings to remove (waiting for a suitable vehicle on site to do this), the lean to is then set to be demolished, plus removal of the bits and pieces lying around, then have the telegraph pole removed and relocated. After this has happened a new layout for the yard is to be designed including a covered display area in which the A-26 remains will fit into. Dont forget the engines have been dedicated as a memorial to all those that lost their lives in flying accidents in the North West.

Also we will have to wait for the swallows to fly the nest before we can start demolition.

To achieve this it comes down to time, bodies and money of which we only have a finite amount of each.

Volunteers anyone ?

[RAF Millom]

Just a reminder that on the 8th September we are holding our annual Veterans Day at the museum

It is open to any Veteran from any service who on production of his Veterans badge will be allowed free admission to the museum.

Ex service personnel would recieve 20% discount off addmission upon production of a forces reunited discount card. Current service personnel would gain free admision on production of a service id card.

There is a buffet available and anyone wishing to book one can do so by contacting,

Mrs Maureen Gleaves
26 Crown Street
Millom
Cumbria

secretery@rafmillom.co.uk

01229-772955

All of our three sites will be fully open on this day, so it would offer a good opportunity to anyone wishing to all view the sites and to meet some of the Veterans.

We are also hoping to attract a few local cockpits and military vehicles to the event, if you have one you would be more than welcome to attend and would also get free admission to the museum.

We look forward to seeing you, and guarantee you the warmest of welcomes.

[RAF Millom]

Managed to get 11 engines in today and delayed the rest till Monday, just got to get them organised in time for Saturday.

The perspex sheeting arives today, hope it comes with a bottle of "Midnight Oil" as we will be needing it.

[N.Wotherspoon]

Originally Posted by RAF Millom

To achieve this it comes down to time, bodies and money of which we only have a finite amount of each.

Volunteers anyone ?

You may be pleased to hear that the long awaited (and very frustrating ) House move is all set for next week So hopefully I should be able to manage a trip or two to the museum very soon.

I have continued to try to contact Lucite for the perspex sheet that they promised us ages ago, but seem to be up against a brick wall - Answerphones all the time & never ring back But you know me - I never give up

Good to hear that the A-26 parts will be under cover soon - about time I got a proper display organised on that one. Also is the WW1 display Glynn mentioned still on the cards as I will start putting stuff to one side for that as it comes out of storage if it is.

[RAF Millom]

Originally Posted by N.Wotherspoon

You may be pleased to hear that the long awaited (and very frustrating ) House move is all set for next week So hopefully I should be able to manage a trip or two to the museum very soon.

I have continued to try to contact Lucite for the perspex sheet that they promised us ages ago, but seem to be up against a brick wall - Answerphones all the time & never ring back But you know me - I never give up

Good to hear that the A-26 parts will be under cover soon - about time I got a proper display organised on that one. Also is the WW1 display Glynn mentioned still on the cards as I will start putting stuff to one side for that as it comes out of storage if it is.

We got some perspex at a good price, but there is still a need for much more, especialy if the yard is going to be refurbished

The WW1 display is still on, a small limited display is in place, using the room were the German kit was, which has now moved due to it expanding to the room behind. The displays from that room have gone to the squash court and those displays have gone to HMS Macaw.

So there is plenty of space available for the WW1 display.

[N.Wotherspoon]

Originally Posted by RAF Millom

We got some perspex at a good price, but there is still a need for much more, especialy if the yard is going to be refurbished

Now there's a coincidence!!!! Lucite just rang me !!! Can you PM me some quantities and sheet sizes asap - seems that are going to sort things out

[RAF Millom]

This weeks arrivals consisted of

1 Merlin

1 Hercules

1 R-2800

1 Centaurus

1 Allison

4 Jumos

2 Derwents

1 Cirrus Major

A Bofors gun

Numerous photographs and documents to fill a suitcase

9 more engines due on Monday

[RAF Millom]

Forgot we had this gem hidden away, it is a Bf109 target silhouette, from the air to ground range at Pilling. When put together it gives the appearance of a 109 at a distance.

Another project awaiting restoration in the workshop.

[RAF Millom]

It would appear that the mystery engines thought to be Jumos could actually be Russian Klimov M-105 engines and being four of them, they could have come from a Tupolev TB-7 .

Can anyone confirm this

[N.Wotherspoon]

Originally Posted by RAF Millom

It would appear that the mystery engines thought to be Jumos could actually be Russian Klimov M-105 engines and being four of them, they could have come from a Tupolev TB-7 .

Can anyone confirm this

If they are the ones I think they are - from near Preston? Yes they are mostly Russian from Yak fighters or IL-2 Sturmoviks I was told ??? though not my area really - They came as part of a consignment of battlefield scrap from Russia several years ago - the owners main interest was aircraft armament and plenty of that was included too - One was definitely a Jumo, from Norway.

Need to speak to Mark (tel No. I have doesnt work) or whoever is responsible for the Centurion ASAP - please PM me his new No. or ask him to ring me please.

[RAF Millom]

The first parts from Prince G-AMLZ arrived on site today to go into storage, the rest is to follow on Saturday.

The Shorts has now been prepped ready for its move next to the museum on Friday, the Jetstream and Hs748 forward fuselage will also be arriving at the same time.

With these, the Centurion Tank and the ex military cranes that arriving on Saturday it will make a total of 10 artic trucks a 200 ton crane and the rest of G-AMLZ descending on the museum it is going to be a rather busy day I think.

This will only leave the airship Gondola, a Morris C8 Gun Tractor and another batch of engines to collect, I think that may be it for this year.

[Robert Whitton]

Spoke to Neil Airey recently and he told me about all your activities so thats me planning a trip to visit Millom next year.

[RAF Millom]

Today was the day of the "big lift" at Blackpool Airport, enough hours, trucks and personnel had been allocated to the job, so the Jetstream was successfully loaded, the HS748 forward fuselage was removed from the scrap back end and loaded, various other bits and pieces were loaded.

However when it came to the Shorts 330 we had not reckoned on having to de rig the crane so many times to allow for take offs and landings, ATC lost us at least 4 hours so we ran out of time, light and driver hours to load the fuselage, we got everything else loaded so a return journey is already being arranged to collect the fuselage.

The convoy of 5 trucks and crane should arrive at the museum at 9am on Saturday along with the Centurion Tank and two ex RAF cranes (3 more to follow over the next two weeks). The remainder of Prince G-AMLZ will also arrive on Saturday to go into storage.

Will post some photos and some more info soon.

[wv838]

All great news Mark, it's really nice to see so much happening up at Millom and I wish you guys continued success, Lord knows you've earned it!!

A special thanks for taking care of the Prince for us too - we'll be up as soon as we can to wrap her up for the winter and shake a few hands - the help is really appreciated.

Roy.

[jeff998]

i spent most of friday afternoon at work looking out the window
watching the dismantling
left at five and you were still at it what time did you finish ?
or will you still be there saturday morning when i go in ??

[RAF Millom]

We worked till 8pm, spent Saturday unloading at the museum and are planing a return visit to collect the remains in the next few weeks.