Revell B25

Probably close on 40 years ago I built a 1/48 scale B25 Mitchell. It seemed a nice enough kit but I ended up butchering the insides a bit to get some weight in it so it would stand on the tricycle undercarriage then my Dad damaged it as soon as it was finished then 2 or 3 years later it was damaged again in a house move. I repainted it eventually but then the cockpit canopy was damaged and since then it has gradually been neglected. The easy option, and probably the cheaper option, would have been to replace it but instead I bought some new glazing, new cockpit interior and fresh decals and still neglected it for a good while. However a few months back I finally decided to rebuild it. Probably not the most accurate version out there but getting it looking OK again has given a certain satisfaction.

Aeroventure Doncaster

This museum is situated on the former RAF Doncaster. There are several exhibits outside, some under restoration, and a hangar which is pretty full leaving limited scope for uncluttered pictures but there are some interesting displays. There are several other buildings with additional display items including life on the home front in WWII amongst others. The staff are pretty friendly and I would recommend a visit.

More pictures in the museums gallery.

Avro Heritage Museum

As we were around an hour away in a holiday cottage we trundled over to the museum today - it is only open at weekends presently.

To quote from the museum website:

"The Avro Heritage Museum preserves the legacy of Alliott Verdon-Roe and his company A.V. Roe & Co (Avro). Located on the former Woodford Aerodrome near Stockport in Cheshire, the site saw the production of famous aircraft including the Lancaster, Vulcan, Nimrod and BAe 146.

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The Avro Heritage Museum is packed with fascinating exhibits and is home to the only example of an all-white Vulcan bomber. There are many activities on offer and things to do to keep all ages entertained. The Museum has a café on site which offers light refreshments and fantastic views of the mighty Vulcan bomber as it stands proudly outside.

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The Museum is entirely self-funded, relying on admission fees as its main source of income and staffed by passionate volunteers, many of whom worked at Chadderton and Woodford."

The Vulcan is the star attraction although, at some point in the future, the Avro Shackleton currently at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, will be joining the collection. The museum currently has only a couple of full sized aircraft together with some aircraft sections including a replica Lancaster fuselage fitted out with original equipment and mainly documents the history of Avro through to its merger with Hawker Siddeley in the 1960s. To get the most out of the museum you do need to be interested in reading the information displayed but it is never the less a interesting place for any enthusiast.

Duxford

 Heading north with a little time to spare we popped in to Duxford for a bite to eat and to check if anything was happening. A lot of activity around a couple of Stearman biplanes turned out to be some film shooting relative to the next Mission Impossible film and a certain Tom Cruise was in one of the Stearmans. Always worth stopping at DX!

Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show

Easily the best show I have been to in some while. Admittedly it has been difficult to get to a decent sized air show for a couple of years but there was a nice selection of aircraft on display, including some classic helicopters, the Army Historic Flight, WWI selection and many Duxford regulars. The weather was grand and my good friend Gaz was there too. Additionally we had stopped over the previous night so got together with Gaz for a meal and a post Covid catch up and this gave us a relaxed start to show day as we were not far away.

All in all a 'grand day out'!