Ahead of our visit to RAF Coningsby I decided to make best use of the time available on the preceding day and, for the first time, visit the Newark Air Museum (NAM). Better weather might have seen me at Cranwell or Coningsby trying for some pictures but with low cloud and freezing cold rain those options were a clear non-starter, so I found myself heading for the museum en route to Sleaford and our hotel for the night.
I’m glad it did work out like that actually for I thoroughly enjoyed a couple of hours at NAM and would recommend it to anyone in the area. I remember visiting aircraft museums when I was younger and part of the excitement was not knowing what you were going to find when you walked around the corner. It was like that for me at Newark as, despite knowing a little bit about some of the exhibits, I deliberately shied away from researching too much about the aircraft on show, or indeed the museum’s layout.
The first aircraft of note is one you see well before actually arriving in the car park – the unmistakeable outline of an Avro Vulcan, in this case B.2 XM594. She’s looking a little worse for wear, sitting outside as a centrepiece, but comes complete with a nice display of bombs which the kids (it was half term) definitely found of interest and on this particular day her cockpit was open for inspection; part of a school holiday special event which is a great idea for both first time and return visitors. The Vulcan is displayed just outside the shop, which doubles as the entrance to the museum and has two old military friends for company, namely Gloster Meteor T.7 VZ364 and English Electric Canberra PR.7 WH792.
They are joined by de Havilland Dove G-AHRI which was restored last year to the original markings she wore when flying with the Iraq Petroleum Transport Company and is believed to be one of the oldest surviving examples of the type. All in all it’s a good start and that’s before you’ve even got in to the museum itself.
Entering through the shop I resisted the temptation to browse at this stage and paid the very reasonable entrance fee, £6.90 which included a Gift Aid donation for NAM and a 60p cafe voucher for me. Heading outside I made my way past two very different Canberra nose sections, PR.9 XH177 and T.17 WH863, and headed towards the two MiGs I could see positioned outside a hangar off to the right. It seemed a little bizarre to be looking over two such impressive pieces of Russian hardware on a winter’s afternoon in the middle of the Notts countryside but both Floggers, a MiG-23ML and a MiG-27K, have been superbly restored and would grace any museum quite frankly.
Just adjacent to the ML is the fuselage section from WB971, an Avro Ashton. I’ll be quite honest and admit that I had no idea what this was until I researched it a little further and it turns out the Ashton was a prototype jet airliner which flew almost a year before the de Havilland Comet, although it was never intended that it would enter commercial production.
Entering the hangar guarded by the two MiGs it was a delight to be confronted by Sea Harrier FA.2 ZA176, which is immaculately presented in the colours of 801NAS (Naval Air Squadron). A subsequent email exchange with Lt Cdr Matt Whitfield has revealed that this was one of the aircraft he flew with 800NAS whilst embarked on HMS Ark Royal between 2001 and 2004, and no doubt he’ll also be delighted to see her looking in such good nick, although he’d prefer to be flying her I’m sure! Other highlights in this hangar are the Gloster Javelin FAW.8, which my Dad still steadfastly says was one of the noisiest aircraft types he came across during his time in the RAF, and the museum’s Saab Viggen AJSH 37, one of my all time favourites.
Resplendent in her instantly recognisable splinter camouflage, NAM deserves great credit for attracting aircraft of this stature, although I just wish she was a little easier to photograph. Another fascinating Canberra resides here too in the shape of modified B.2 WV787, complete with Playboy bunny nose markings. Utilised as trials aircraft for all 33 years of her flying career, WV787 was installed with Armstrong Sidney Sapphire engines before being transferred to Ferranti for radar trials when the Buccaneer-type nose was fitted to the aircraft.
Further radar work would follow as well as a major part in the de-icing tests for the Jaguar when the aircraft was converted in to a tanker and fitted with a spray bar (for water) under the fuselage and also a rearward facing camera system. She was eventually retired from Boscombe Down in 1984 and NAM rescued her from Abingdon’s Battle Damage Repair Flight the following year. Currently inside as I said above, in the image posted here she is seen photographed outside on an earlier visit to the museum by Karl Drage.
A walk back outside brought me round to the front of the second main exhibition hangar and its closest attendant is Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 XN964, the restoration of which was completed in 2008. She’s wearing the colours and markings of her time with 801NAS, and the aircraft is believed to be one of those called upon to bomb stricken super tanker the Torrey Canyon which ran aground between Lands End and the Scilly Isles in 1967. Having moved inside, I found this second hangar as varied and interesting as the first, with the Viggen’s older sister the Saab Draken staring me down as I walked in. It is positioned close to most of the museum’s rotary exhibits with a Bell 47 Sioux AH.1 and Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 on display alongside oddities such as the Zurowski ZP1, a two seat helicopter homebuilt in Burton-upon-Trent!
The Sea Hawk caught my eye from the time we have spent with the pilots who operate it for the RNHF (Royal Navy Historic Flight) and also the eye catching artwork painted on its nose. It is, quite appropriately, located next to a Sea Venom, which at the time of my visit was receiving some tender loving care from one of the volunteers who keep so many of NAM’s resident aircraft in such superb condition.
Moving back outside I immediately made a beeline for the Sea Vixen FAW.2, despite what was by then fairly persistent rain, and the pot pourri of aircraft which accompany her in this section. Lightning T.5, F-100 Super Sabre, Mystere IV, Shackleton MR.3 and Handley Page Hastings T.5, among others, combine to make for a great line-up in what is essentially the last main section of aircraft to look at; there’s even another Canberra.
It’s not just aircraft on view at NAM either and as well as the many types I have omitted to mention there is a vast amount of aviation history to look at and read about such as engines, a section dedicated to Guy Gibson and the Lancaster, instruments, drones, weapons, equipment and relics.
Freezing cold by now, I retired to the cafe which is a short walk back down past the Canberra cockpit sections for a cup of tea and to sample one of NAM’s famed toasties – it was just as good as advertised I hasten to mention, and the service was welcoming and very friendly; something many museums and tourist attractions would do well to note. A little warmer, I decided to conclude my visit with a proper browse around the gift shop which really is worthy of note in its own right.
Dominated by an extensive section dedicated to aircraft modelling, the shop is also well stocked with books, badges, DVDs, display models, magazines and artwork. For me though the highlight was a small section packed full of older and out of print books, all at bargain prices. Twenty minutes later I headed back to the car clutching two books on the Battle of Britain, including that relating the making of the movie of the same name, and Wing Commander Johnnie Johnson’s “The Story of Air Fighting” - £3 for the three can’t be bad!
Despite the grotty weather I enjoyed my visit to NAM immensely and will certainly be planning a return trip in brighter (and warmer) conditions. A reasonable entry price, varied and well presented selection of aircraft and a host of other interesting exhibits combine with a welcoming atmosphere to make Newark Air Museum well worth visiting.
I should also note that the museum has an active calendar of events throughout the year and it is well worth keeping your eyes on the website as some of the photoshoots, tours and open cockpit opportunities would most certainly add to a visit or encourage a revisit.
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