Anyone else go to Cosford today?

Can't recall anyone mentioning anything about this but I think it's exciting and as it's in the West Midlands it should be in here.

The £12.5m project - under the theme Divided World: Connected World – will tell the story of the Cold War and will include contributions from other military Museums across the country. It will represent all three services and include political, cultural and social aspects of this most important period in modern history.

The aim of the exhibition is to inform and educate present and future generations about the threat posed to world security by the split in ideologies between the Democratic countries and the Communist block. This is a joint venture between the RAF Museum and Bridgnorth District Council.

The distinctive new building, with its dramatic double curved sloping roof, will be based on two exhibition triangles divided by a central walkway - representing a world divided by ideology. A main feature within the display will be Britain's three post-war V-bombers - the Vulcan, Victor and Valiant, as well as aircraft involved in the Berlin Airlift. Several of the exhibited aircraft will be suspended from the strengthened ceiling, including a Dakota, Canberra, Meteor and Javelin. They will be viewed from a high level gallery. The exhibition will embrace British, American and Soviet aircraft and missiles.

The centre will have the dual benefit of allowing most of Cosford’s aircraft currently on display outdoors to be taken under cover, which will cut maintenance and conservation costs.

Funding for the collaborative venture has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund (£4.9m); Advantage West Midlands (£3.17m); the European Regional Development Fund (£1.95m); the Ministry of Defence (£1m); Bridgnorth District Council (£260,000), and the Museum’s own fund-raising initiatives.

http://www.feildenclegg.com/ are the architects and there's more about it on their website from which is where these pics are ripped from

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/aboutus/development-project.cfm

http://tinypic.com/5ww4me

http://tinypic.com/5ww4rn http://tinypic.com/5ww4t0

http://tinypic.com/5ww4uc

What did you think of it Foxtrot? Worth a visit?

This is only a small section of the steelwork but already you can see it's going to be a massive stucture. Spot the Vulcan in the background :)

http://tinypic.com/5ww7dx

http://tinypic.com/5ww7ig

What did you think of it Foxtrot? Worth a visit?
Yeah definatly and it's free. Don't go expecting workshops full of airworthy warbirds like Duxford, and it's slightly less glamourous than Hendon, but there's loads of more interesting nichey things. If you're into aviation it's where alot of the British 50s and 60s experimental stuff ended up. There's also some unual german and jap WW2 airframes and a load of transports and airliners. The new gallery when finished will make it a must visit.

oh and the annual airshow, which was today, was really good too.

Cosford was great, belting day out. That Eurofighter looks sweet.

I used to go to the airshow there most years when I was a kid as it wasn't far from Shrewsbury, great day out and good to see they're improving the museum areas as they were always a bit poor when I used to go, although the exhibits were pretty good/unusual.

Shit I forgotabout it. Wantedto go lastyear butdidn't, andpromisedmeselfI'dgo thisyear :(

Cosford £220m training hopes

Aug 26 2005

By Paul Dale, Chief Reporter

RAF Cosford will double in size with the benefit of a £220 million investment if it is chosen as the site for a Ministry of Defence national training centre. The base near Wolverhampton is bidding against locations across the country to win the right to build a world-class education and training establishment for Army, Navy and RAF personnel.

A Public Private Partnership scheme being considered by defence chiefs is expected to generate 2,300 new jobs and bring with it up to £18 billion worth of training courses which would be run by private sector firms.

The new centre, specialising in mechanical and electrical engineering and information communication systems, would be built alongside Cosford's existing aeronautical engineering college.

The Cosford bid is being backed by Bridgnorth District Council, Shropshire County Council and Advantage West Midlands, the regional development agency.

Brigadier Geoff Nield, the project team leader for the Defence Training Review at the MoD, said: "The prospect of development at Cosford is one of a number of options currently being explored by the MoD, and any decisions on the future of the site are unlikely before Autumn 2006." John Edwards, chief executive of Advantage West Midlands, said: "The Defence Training Review presents the West Midlands with a really significant opportunity to secure major investment in world class leading-edge training that will benefit both the military and civilian sectors."

The possibility of significant investment in the defence sector comes a month after the Defence Secretary announced the closure of storage and distribution operations at RAF Stafford, with the loss of up to 500 jobs.Anyone have any idea which are the other bidders? Unfortunatly Cosford has short runway so they can't get fast jets in but that may not be a problem. It's still good news

funnily enough i'm planning to go on Monday

the trains station is right next to the museum right?

Yep. Don't forget your camera :)

Anyone have any idea which are the other bidders? Unfortunatly Cosford has short runway so they can't get fast jets in but that may not be a problem. It's still good news

The other two bases bidding, are the army Signals Base at Blandford, Dorset.

http://www.atra.mod.uk/img/rstraining/location_photo.jpg

and the giant Royal Navy Engineering School at HMS Sultan in Portsmouth

https://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/static/content/data/[(1035)-18-09-2003]sultan.jpg

anyone know why it called Sultan thats an arab-sounding name

anyone know why it called Sultan thats an arab-sounding name

It's the sixth holder of the name 'Sultan', the first was a 74 gun warship launched in 1775 which went to North America and the West Indies and took part in the encounter between Vice Admiral Byron and the French Count D'Estaing.

hmm thats intresting

Well you did ask.

i think you've got the wrong end of the stick, i wasnt being to be sacastic, i really was intrested to learn that as i have wondered about the nam 'Sultan' before and am now (thanks to you)trying to find out about this encounter between Vice Admiral Byron and the French Count D'Estaing. i alwatys love reading about battle between the british and the french

i really am sorry if i offended you in any way

hopefully i'll get some shots of this place next week to put on here

as promised

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/pirlo_21/scan0007.jpg

Found some excellent recent photos of the Cold War Hanger on here http://www.kilvysaviationgallery.fotopic.net/

http://images2.fotopic.net/?iid=y4hg9b&outx=0&quality=70&noresize=1

http://images1.fotopic.net/?iid=y4hg9a&outx=0&quality=70&noresize=1

http://images5.fotopic.net/?iid=y4hg9c&outx=0&quality=70&noresize=1

http://images3.fotopic.net/?iid=y4hg9v&outx=0&quality=70&noresize=1

http://images2.fotopic.net/?iid=y4hgd4&outx=0&quality=70&noresize=1

http://images2.fotopic.net/?iid=y4hg9s&outx=0&quality=70&noresize=1

Took these a couple of weeks back

http://i2.tinypic.com/sqmd5u.jpg

http://i2.tinypic.com/sqmdrt.jpg

http://i2.tinypic.com/sqmf54.jpg

http://i2.tinypic.com/sqmfcl.jpg

still wish they had a concorde there

anyone else ever been to the air show before thinking of going this year is it any good??

They have the British Airways Passenger aircraft Collection there so I it would have sense. BA used to provide funding for the maintenance of these but stopped it a couple of years back. Some of the airframes are deteriorating rapidly and are far from having a secure future.

The airshow is very good but get there early as they always end up turning people away.

When is the air show this year?

June 11 http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/index.cfm

This is a good place to find out what's going on at Cosford.
Many people on these threads arn't happy with the new building as they perceive it to be at the cost of BA collection which is presently stored outside.
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=52906
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=52516

Cheers Foxy. I'll make sure to get to it this year - forgot last year! :)

The new hanger is being handed over to RAF Museum this month and then they are going to spend the next year filing it.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i79/Rob1968/PICT0049.jpg

I saw a poster for the air show at Chester station this morning, im hoping to go, and finally see the TSR2 which i believe is in the museum

been to the mueseum before, enjoyed it just wondering is the air show pretty good?? worth the money and time?

been to the mueseum before, enjoyed it just wondering is the air show pretty good?? worth the money and time?yes, er yes and yes. Especially so it the weather's nice. It's a limited site for parking and always backs up for miles down the M54. If you go aim to be there early as they always end up turning thousands of cars away at the gate.

I got a right ticking off by the millary police for using my mobile while siting in a traffic jam last time. :tongue:

Is the new building finished now ?

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i79/Rob1968/20060625Cosford101.jpg

from this thread

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?p=953452#post953452

Dropped into Cosford for a coffee and a couple of shots of the new building. As well as removing most of the BA collection which was housed outside, the other halls seem to have been raided for their aircraft and so it looked a little empty. A member of staff told me that it opens to the public Feb 2007.

http://i15.tinypic.com/48egmcy.jpg

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Haven't been to RAF Cosford for years - building looks good! Are you a regular, Foxy?

I havent been for donkey's years either. I really should pop along sometime. Maybe next summer :)

Thanks for the pics Foxy.

Haven't been to RAF Cosford for years - building looks good! Are you a regular, Foxy?not really, usually for the airshow but a bit more of late to see the new building. Guess that makes me a regular then :)

I found some future news (?) opens to the public today on Feb 8thhttp://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/6448/7472/military-history-spy-cold-war.phtml

http://nationalcoldwarexhibition.org.uk/index.asp

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http://i16.tinypic.com/6fif4ub.jpg


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http://i11.tinypic.com/5y7cc4w.jpg

Scary shit!!
http://i14.tinypic.com/4q6j384.jpg


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Did anyone else go this weekend? :)

This was the second time I've visited this building and I'm still in two minds about it.

As an aviation hall it fails miserably and a simple big shed would have been fine. The aircraft are crammed in and almost seem incidental to the interactive exhibits. The building also nearly as guilty as the Imperial War Museum North by making too grand an statement architecturally and detracting from the its contents.

It’s also a missed opportunity to not be able to view the V bombers together. Maybe a second viewing platform could be installed in the future?

On the plus side it does get some important airframes indoors and the new building will do great things for the profile of our local RAF Museum with the public.

foxtrot class:lol:

I didn't go. Certainly seems like you were in your 'zone' there :yes:

Yep I was definitely in the 'zone' :tongue4: :nuts:

Is that Sam Allardyce I see in this picture? ;)

http://i12.tinypic.com/66uejwx.jpg

top photos :yes:

Its been years since I've been to Cosford. probably wasnt even into my teens last time. I have a very clear recollection of the Vulcan cockpit smelling seriously weird.

Cheers.

Hope you're well mate, long time no see and all that stuff.

I'm afraid I never got to smell a seriously Vulcan but I did a nasty wiff off a Wellington :hahano:

As you've mentioned smelly Vulcans my other half was nearly sick in the cockpit of XH558 atBruntingthorpe after a heavy Saturday sesh. Oh happy day :) and I'll remind her everytime we see it flying. Get yourself down to Cosford, it's well worth it

It's the 25th anniversary commeration of the Falklands this weekend I thought I'd post these.

If anyone is in the centre of London there's a large Commemorative flypast over the Mall on Sunday 17th from 16:15pm.

This is not a jingoistic event and remembers the 907 killed on both sides during the conflict

* Ejército Argentino ( Army ) - 194 (16 officers, 35 NCOs and 143 conscript privates) list
* Armada de la República Argentina ( Navy ) - 341 (including 321 in Belgrano and 4 naval aviatorsIMARA ( Marines ) - 34 list
* Fuerza Aérea Argentina ( Air Force ) - 55 (including 31 pilots and 14 ground crew) list
* Gendarmería Nacional Argentina ( Border Guard ) - 7
* Prefectura Naval Argentina ( Coast Guard ) - 2
* Civilian sailors - 16

# United Kingdom - 258

* Royal Navy - 86 + 2 Hong Kong Chinese laundrymen (see below) list
* Royal Marines - 27 (2 officers, 14 NCOs & 11 privates) list
* Royal Fleet Auxiliary - 4 + 4 Hong Kong Chinese laundrymen list
* Merchant Navy - 6 + 2 Hong Kong Chinese sailors list
* British Army - 123 (7 officers, 40 NCOs & 76 privates) Para SAS rest of army
* Royal Air Force - 1 list
* Falklands Islands civilians - 3 (3 women killed by friendly fire) list



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Cosford airshow this weekend

http://www.cosfordairshow.co.uk/index.htm

tickets are still being sold (subject to availability) from the Tourism centre underneath the Rotunda, or on the door itself

Not great weather forecast though :(

Not the same with Typhoon doing a limited low level show!

Traffic is always bad for Cosford but this was by far the worst I have ever known it.

Left home just after 8am and it still took us over an hour and half to get in. The local news reported that the motorway junction was closed and people abandoned their cars on the hard shoulder and walked. WTF?! When the public were leaving at the end of the display one of the car parks was still full after 2 hours as no-one had been able to get out. It was an total shambles.

Anyway, it was a great display and the weather was glorious too. Vulcan was the star of the show for me

http://i39.tinypic.com/p4tw7.jpg

Record crowd at Cosford Air Show

There were record crowds
A record crowd of 58,000 people has attended the annual RAF Cosford Air Show at the Shropshire base.

A P-51 Mustang, the type of plane which flew out of Shropshire in World War II, was among the attractions.

The Vulcan bomber also took to the sky for the first time since almost £1m was raised in pledges to keep it flying earlier this year.

There were tailbacks of four miles on the M54 motorway in the area as people headed to the event.

Police shut motorway slip roads at just before 1330 BST on Sunday after car parks on site reached their 18,000-space capacity.

Refunds will be offered to anyone who bought a full ticket in advance but were unable to get in on the day.

The line-up also included the Red Arrows, the Falcons freefall parachute team and an aircraft display by the Large Model Association.

Mustangs became a familiar sight in the area during World War II as they were operated from RAF Rednal and were used for RAF fighter pilot training from Montford Bridge, near Shrewsbury.

The Large Model Association is an international body dedicated to creating flying models driven by petrol or jet engines.

Air show co-ordinator, Norman Branagh, said the plan had been "to bring back all of the displays visitors know and enjoy but also add in a few more".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8099287.stm

Gutted I missed it - bottled it due to crap weather forecast, and it was glorious!!

Gonna go to the RIAT at Fairford instead next month.

When is- and how much are tickets for RIAT?

im a waddington fan myself :)

18 - 19 July and depends on when and what you want do

http://www.airtattoo.com/airshow/Airshow_Tickets