SBT Cosford Air Show Special

More than 440,000 visit RAF Museum
Cosford over last year
Story by Shropshire Star - Dominic Robertson
It is a celebration of the
nation’s military aviation
history, and the region’s
Royal Air Force Museum
has seen a huge increase
in visitors over the past
year.
More than 440,000
people visited the
RAF Museum in
Cosford last year, it
has been revealed,
with the figure
representing a 20
per cent increase
on the previous 12
months.
It comes as the
RAF’s London museum
has also seen
a spectacular rise in
visitors following
a major redevelopment.
In total, 989,593
people visited both
the RAF Museums
from April 1, 2018,
to March 31, 2019
– growth of 39 per
cent on the previous
year’s figures.
The museum’s London
site recorded
544,628 visitors, up
59 per cent on the
previous year, while
Cosford welcomed
444,965 visitors, a
leap of 20 per cent.
Maggie Appleton,
CEO for the museum
said that the
figures were a result
of hard work and
an effort to inspire
people on the
RAF’s centenary.
She said: “This
growth is a fabulous
response to the
huge investment
that the museum
made in the redevelopment
of our
London site in 2018
and a reflection on
the public’s support
for the RAF during
the UK’s commemorations
of the RAF
Centenary.
Plan for statue of ‘Father of RAF’
at Cranwell takes off
Story: Lincolnshire Live - Paul Whitelam
A statue of the airman credited
with saving the new RAF from
being scrapped after the First
World War is to be erected at
RAF Cranwell.
The 7ft cast bronze sculpture of
Hugh Trenchard - the ‘Father of
the Royal Air Force’ who founded
RAF College Cranwell - will
be mounted on a plinth outside
the main college building.
Created by Vivian Mallock who
produced the Royal Tank Regiment
Memorial in London, the
statue looks to commemorate
Trenchard ahead of Cranwell’s
centenary year in 2020. And
North Kesteven District Council
has now approved the scheme.
Trenchard was a senior commander
of the Royal Flying
Corps in the First World War
who ordered aircraft normally
used for reconnaissance to bomb
German airfields and other
targets.
| 08 www.sandbagtimes.co.uk