Open Doors

摘要

Whenever the RAF Museum at Cosford in Shropshire opens up its Michael Beetham Conservation Centre (MBCC) to the public, it is always a popular special event. The latest in the regular series of open days took place in November 2011 and nearly 3,000 people came to see progress on a variety of projects. Those who made the pilgrimage to the workshop had plenty to see and hear. Learning about the challenging restoration of Handley Page Hampden TB.I P1344 was one of the highlights, along with seeing the nearly completed Sopwith 5F1 Dolphin C3988. Also on show was Kawasaki Ki-10016336, which had recently arrived from Hendon, where it had been on display in the 'Milestones of Flight' gallery. For many visitors, the main attraction was Vickers Wellington T.10 MF628; its exposed geodetic construction fuselage is truly impressive and a remarkable piece of engineering. The former cameraship for the film Dam Busters (see the January issue) is likely to be in the workshop until at least 2016.