Breaker Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Spent a day at the above last week when I had some holiday due. Without a doubt one of the best aircraft related days out I've had, highly recommend a visit if you're anywhere near by. The talk inside the Vulcan is well worth a £1 and the modelling shop is also excellent, wish I'd know about it sooner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I do my best to keep everyone up to date with what's going on - glad that you enjoyed your visit and thank you for your kind comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HP42 Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 It is a really lovely museum and whilst it looks small there's actually quite a lot in there with many hours of pondering pleasure. There are also a few types such as the Viggen that are unique to the UK. The Harrier that made the emergency landing on a container ship is also there, I remember that incident and it's so nice to see the actual airframe. As much as I adore the real aircraft, I find myself drawn to the many models in the numerous cabinets around the museum. It serves as a wonderful way of judging scale when there's an aircraft in the cabinet and the full sized version is sat next to you. Then you look at an extinct aircraft model for comparison and it allows you to get your head around the scale -well it does for me! The shop is well stocked with models and trinkets, plus the cafe does a rather fab toastie as well as having a selection of Flypast back issues to mull over whilst munching. ...oh and they've filled in the potholes in the car park! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 (edited) Again, thank you for your kind comments. Sadly we seem to have some more 'pothole' work to undertake - this time it's closer to the shop entrance. Still the more people that visit the museum, or purchase models / books from the shop the more work of this type we are able to afford to underatke! Edited October 20, 2014 by NAM Updater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Vader Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Yes I agree a great museum and model shop. Every now and then they run the Vulcans APU and cycle the airbrakes and bomb bay doors while your standing right next to it. Fantastic. Also lots of cockpits to go in. Thoroughly recommended Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirfixAndy Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Easily the most friendliest air museum Ive ever visited ( at least a dozen times ) and a cracking collection to see. Should be on everyones bucket list . Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Agree completely. We were shown to the Gnat to measure it and left to it. And the caff is brilliant. I am a great caff connoisseur and that's a good 'un! And that's as good a model shop as I've been in for ages. Not too far from me either. On our trip, John Adams strolled in with his dog and presented me with a set of civil registration transfers. What a nice chap! Cheers, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 (edited) Once again thank you for your kind comments. The museum aircraft are often used as references for model manufacturers (plastic and die-cast) and also by individuals for detailed ‘walk-rounds’. For this type of research we prefer as much notice as possible as we have a great reliance on volunteers to come and help supervise such work or open cockpits. We are a registered charity so donations, in monetary terms or in kind are always appreciated as these help fund our ongoing development. A recent example of this is the Aviation Classics publication on the Shackleton where the publisher donated a full page colour advert to the museum, after we allowed them access to photograph the inside of WR977! Some of you may have seen the museum strapline “The friendly aviation museum”, which is something that was adopted after the comment was repeatedly made by our visitors. Edited October 24, 2014 by NAM Updater 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilson Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Might be an idea if someone has the time (I know you are all volunteers) to put what model stock and gear you have on t'interweb. The only model shop near you is Access models in Newark and your stock puts theirs to shame, yet I bet you a pound to a penny that not many people know what a great shop you have. I seriously think you would get a lot more people through the shop, and therefore perhaps the museum if you could find some way of putting your stock up. I call in every couple of months or so on the way past just to see what's in there. It cost me £75 last week just seeing what was in there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 (edited) Thank you for your kind comments Dave and for the suggestion about the stock lists. At the moment we try to cover the publicity angle by a simple page on our website http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/museum_shop.htmlalthough we are aware that this does not perhaps do us justice. The website is currently being upgraded to a CMS based system that we will be able to edit ourselves and this might give us an opportunity to expand the shop content, add special offers etc. That said I doubt that we would be able to add all of the stock sheets, essentially we are a registered charity first and the trading company is not our priority. All profits from the Museum Shop are covenanted to the museum to help fund its on-going development. The stock lists may also be too dynamic as on some occasions with pre-ordered kits and regular shoppers buying out stock for new releases in quite literally hours. We do have a regular customer base of shoppers and please remember that don’t have to pay to visit the museum if you just wish to shop – and there’s loads of free on-site car parking right next to the Shop; so you don’t have to trudge far with your purchases if the weather is not very good! Some notes in here about locking up / closing times to help avoid confusion during the winter opening period. It's also worth remembering that if you become a museum member, you're entitled to discount on purchases made in the shop. In the past when we have taken in large collections of pre-owned books we have tried to release book lists in advance of sales; sadly the uptake didn’t warrant the effort of compiling the lists. Finally I do try to keep people advised of new kit arrivals via posts on here and hopefully I will be allowed to continue with such posts! Edited November 12, 2014 by NAM Updater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HP42 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 We are a registered charity so donations, in monetary terms or in kind are always appreciated as these help fund our ongoing development. A recent example of this is the Aviation Classics publication on the Shackleton where the publisher donated a full page colour advert to the museum, after we allowed them access to photograph the inside of WR977! Bought said publication from the Museum shop this afternoon and good it is too! -oodles of professional piccys and info. Your advert is on the back cover I see. Shop fully stocked with all the latest Airfix stuff amongst others. Only nipped in to use the shop, spent a fortune as usual.... Here's a question. Last time I asked about museum membership (it was quite some years back admittedly), it ran from a single point in the year, such that the later you joined beyond that date the worse value for money it became. Is this still the case or can you still get a year's membership from date of joining? ...'cos I'll probably join if this is the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Glad to hear that you paid a visit to the NAM Shop and made some purchases it all helps us to continue to develop. Picking up on some recent comments that have been made about the wide range of model aircraft kits stocked by the museum shop, a short piece about the scope of kit brands that are available has been added in here! As for museum membership we’re still working on the annual renewal basis, which is based on the membership software that we operate and advice from the accountants. We are investigating whether or not it might be possible to change this, but no news as yet. Still it will soon be January and the start of the new membership year – so a good time to join; don’t forget that being a member entitles you to some discounts on shop purchases of books and models! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilson Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Good addition there re the kits. Might get a few people sniffing around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 As I said in an earlier post, we do try to listen and again thank you for the suggestion about the stock lists. Yesterday I spent most of the day in the Museum Shop, helping with the book signing and selling raffle tickets for Project Panini – The Build, so I was able to make observations about the museum visitors and shoppers. What struck me the most was the difficulty of trying to have ‘live’ stock-sheets on the website. At least three model sales saw the last kits being taken off the wall to sell to a customer, if the stock-sheets were not updated immediately you could have people travelling to site to make a purchase. Sadly I doubt that the museum will never be able to have a fully functioning EPOS style system, which might help overcome the issue. Another aspect that I witnessed in operation, involved a customer telephoning the shop and reserving a particular model for collection early next week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M. Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there in November last year after Telford. A great little museum with some very unique exhibits to boot. I do have to agree regards the cafe, excellant kai (food) and a great cup of tea! And of course, several kits were purchased from the shop to go back to NZ. Cheers, Pete M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 It’s always good to hear of international visitors, especially with a modelling aspect to the visit and thank you for your kind words. After this year’s Telford show I understand that we had a ‘group visit’ from some Italian modellers, who bemused some of the other visitors with their ingenious methods of stashing their kit purchases into ‘various’ parts of their motor vehicle. Judging by some of the purchases departing from the shop when I was last at the museum on Tuesday perhaps this news item is paying off already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilson Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Good! I was in there on Wednesday (departing 20 odd quid lighter) and was talking to the Italeri/Tamiya rep. Very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old foxtrot Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Hi all, I have to add to this topic..... I visit the Newark Air Museum several times a year, mainly for the aero boots they do, and of course for the stunning cockpit fest that they host. I have displayed (a small part) of my flying helmet collection there, Have to say it is one of the finest museums in this country. If you have not been there you MUST take time out to pay a visit, the staff there are utterly friendly and helpful and have regularly gone out of there way to help out for detail photography. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Once again thank you for your kind words; and thanks to both of you for supporting the museum through purchases in the shop. All of the profits are covenanted to the museum to help its ongoing development. It’s a number of years since I accompanied anyone to do ‘walk-round’ sessions on the aircraft; if I remember correctly it was on the Javelin FAW8 and the Sea Harrier. Earlier in the summer the Shackleton featured extensively in this publication and the publisher kindly gave us a page advert in lieu of a fee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old foxtrot Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 It is us the public who should be thanking you and your staff for your modeller friendly policy!! I look forward to my next visit, i need to measure up one of your lancaster gun turrets.....currently have a very bent one on the restoration bench... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAM Updater Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 If you could give us a bit of notice I’m sure that access could be arranged to the turrets in ‘Lancaster Corner’. It underwent a bit of a revamp at the end of the summer and space in there is now a bit tighter than it used to be. Many of the museum members have been, or are modellers themselves so they tend to understand what is being requested. Occasionally some detailed work is undertaken on the aircraft on behalf of the kit (and die-cast) manufacturers, which is always fascinating. A favourite of mine was Airfix having such work done on one of the Canberras, which even featured on a BBC2 documentary. More recently the Dove has received a similar survey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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