74 FLYPAST March 2018
MUSEUMS SOUTH YORKSHIRE AIRCRAFT MUSEUM
security fence around the site.
Alan added: “We moved [the
airframes and exhibits] from
Firbeck on the August Bank
Holiday weekend in 1999. The
Territorial Army helped us in a big
way and used the transportation
of the larger items as a training
exercise.
“We have around 100 members
with about 40 volunteers working
here regularly – of which 20 are
very active. We employ three
part-time staff – shop ladies and a
groundsman – but the rest provide
their work for free.”
Centrepiece
On May 26, 2017, the ‘Early
Aviation Hall’ was opened in
Building 21 and today boasts a
very special centrepiece. Eight
years ago, to commemorate
the centenary of that 1909
aviation meeting, the museum
commissioned Ken Fern, a gifted
craftsman and creator of many a
fine wooden airframe, to build a
full-scale replica of a Blériot XI.
The original monoplane, flown
by Frenchman Léon Delagrange,
established a world speed record
of 49.9mph (80.3km/h) during
his time at Doncaster. While the
replica takes pride of place in the
new display hall, another era of
aviation – illustrating the 1930s – is
covered by a genuine 1936-built
Mignet ‘Flying Flea’ ultralight.
The building has other sections,
including one focusing on the
Great War. The Zeppelin airship
raids on East Yorkshire and
Lincolnshire are among the
subjects covered.
There are several extensive
World War Two displays at SYAM,
including a reproduction of a sector
planning operations room. Another
presentation details the Sheffield
‘blitz’, with poignant letters written
by adults and children who were
directly involved.
A very popular element is
the ‘dressing up’ zone where
youngsters can change into
costumes and uniforms of the era
and pose for photographs. There
is also an education area that can
seat 50 school pupils while theylearn more about 20th century
aviation and life during wartime.
Further interesting additions to
the museum are featured in two
‘alert crew’ vans obtained from
the former RAF Finningley. These
house a Royal Observer Corps
exhibition and a communications
and radio display room.Cockpit winners
One of SYAM’s main attractions is
its abundance of cockpit sections.
The museum has supported the
annual ‘Cockpit-Fest’ gathering at
Newark ever since its inception in
June 2000. During that time, SYAM
and individual members have won
many awards.
Meanwhile, displays in Building
19 focus on the histories of nearby
RAF Bawtry and Finningley. This is
the domain of some of the cockpits,
including a Vickers Valetta T.3 and
Blackburn Beverley C.1. Also here
is the cockpit of the prototype
Handley Page Jetstream, which
ended its days as a procedure
trainer with 6 Flying Training School
at Finningley.Civilian aviation is featured
prominently at SYAM and, in
Building 19, a complete American
Aviation AA-1B Trainer, G-BCLW, is
squeezed in. This machine ‘bashed
the circuit’ at Doncaster in the
mid-1970s. Also here is the forward
fuselage of a Beagle Pup two-
seater, which is trailer-mounted and
regularly attends local events.
Outside is an impressive line-
up of cockpits, including English
Electric Canberra T.4 XH584. This
jet was issued to 231 Operational
Conversion Unit in March 1955 at
Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire. It
flew in that role for just ten years
until its fatigue life expired and it
was struck off charge in July 1966.
There are other cockpits within
the hangar and all-red Hawker
Siddeley HS.748 G-OPFW twin
turboprop in ‘Parcelforce’ livery
always attracts attention. Built
in 1972, it originally served with
Polynesian Airlines, eventually
joining UK carrier Emerald Airlines
in 1997. It was used on a mail
contract – hence the colour scheme- until it was retired in 2006.