NEWS & UPDATES
COTSWOLD AIRPORT IS NOW ONLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 5 DAYS A WEEK
OPENING TIMES 08:00 to 17:00
AV8 IS CLOSED ON SUNDAYS & MONDAYS
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**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING XM496**
‘Regulus’ XM496 IS OPEN ON ALTERNATE SATURDAYS. PLEASE SEE ‘OPEN DAYS’ ON THIS WEB SITE FOR DATES, TIMES AND ANY CHANGES. OUTSIDE THESE HOURS, VISITORS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO VIEW THE AIRCRAFT EXTERNALLY BUT PLEASE ENSURE YOU REMAIN SAFE AT ALL TIMES, MIND YOUR HEADS IN PARTICULAR, AND AS AN EXTRA PRECAUTION …PLEASE KEEP CHILDREN UNDER CONTROL.
News Letter 16 The latest issue of ‘Friends of the Britannia’ is now available and has been sent out to all members. The new issue contains a tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; ‘Britannia Heroes’ a tribute to a well known BOAC Britannia captain by Lance Cole; two sets of photographic records of recent anniversary celebrations, the personal experiences of two Air Training Corps cadets; the rise and fall of Monarch Airlines and the association of ‘Regulus’ with the engineering side of the business and finally a summary of the recent work in progress (see also below).
This issue is also available in .PDF format to any member who would prefer to have their copy in digital format. Please email the Membership Secretary, Jim Brown or the Editor, Duncan Swift, for your free copy. An interesting read is promised for all. New members are very welcome to join the Bristol Britannia XM496 Preservation Society for the modest sum of £10 per annum. In addition to receiving two copies of the Newsletter each year, they will also receive a welcome pack with the unique Members’ DVD, which includes the spectacular arrival of the aeroplane at Cotswold Airport in October 1997, plus a logo pen. Most important of all, you will have the personal pleasure of supporting a very worthwhile cause that is saving a unique piece of British heritage for posterity …and from the ‘breaker’s torch’! If you would like to join this devoted band of like minded aviation enthusiasts please refer to the Application Form under the heading ‘MEMBERSHIP OR DONATIONS’
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Work In Progress
1. PROJECTS. An update of current or recently completed ‘Work In Progress’
(i) The front crew door stowage capsule is now complete – a beautiful piece of carpentry!
(ii) The refurbishment and repositioning of the NATO store, the caravan and the ‘safety-raiser’, is now complete. Power is now available in the caravan.This task was a major team effort and included assistance from the on-site solar panel installation engineers who kindly provided their lifting gear to move the store and caravan. This project has tidied up the site and now ensures an unobstructed view of ‘Regulus’ from the old taxiway.
(iii) The engineering crew have constructed a stowable safety barrier for the rear passenger door which not only affords improved ventilation on a hot sunny day but also permits visitors to see some different aspects of the aeroplane.
(iv) We are now fully self-sufficient for washing the aeroplane. The equipment includes an extending device for reaching hard to get at areas such as the top of the fin. This system and our own manpower will save us around £700 per annum.
(v) A new XM496 directional signpost has been beautifully made and donated by artist Peter Outen. In addition Peter also supplied an appropriate plaque for on board display to commemorate the arrival of ‘Regulus’ at Kemble 25 years ago on 14th October 1997.
(vi) Work continues in the cabin on the replacement of filament strip-lighting with LED fittings to help us save energy. Our electric bills have doubled since the beginning of the year.
Click on the above images for enlarged view
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2. DONATIONS. In response to a number of requests for the facility to make donations to XM496 from the website, a minor modification to the ‘Form’ has been made under the Title Heading MEMBERSHIP OR DONATIONS. Please follow the instruction to differentiate your requirement and may we thank you most sincerely for your kindness. Any monies donated are used entirely for the upkeep of the aircraft.
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3. Artist LANCE COLE ( A profile of Lance is available on the ARTWORKS column )
Prints & Cards Available on board XM496 and also by post at cost
1.‘Regulus Rising’ available as professional quality print suitable for framing (18″ x 12.5″/45cm x 32cm approx overall dimensions)
‘Regulus Rising’ – XM496 heads home from the tropics – Print suggested donation £25
1.‘Regulus Rising’ professional quality landscape greetings card – blank for own text (8″ x 6″/21cm x 15cm)
‘Regulus Rising’ – Card suggested donation £1.50
2.‘Speedbird 400’ available as professional quality print for framing (16.5″ x 11.75″/42cm x 30cm approx overall dimensions)
‘Speedbird 400’ – Final landing of G-CIVB at Cotswold 08/10/2020 – Print suggested donation £20
Any donations are solely used for the preservation of XM496 ‘Regulus’
(Click on an image above to view in large format – please note printed images do not display a copyright logo)
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4. A BOOK RECOMMENDATION – Pick Up A Pencil The Work of Laurence Fish is a superb book by Jean Bray for the lovers of Poster Art. Jean was the wife of Laurence Fish who was born in 1909 and became a very skilled illustrator particularly of technical subjects in the age of monochrome photography and was much in demand by advertisers and magazines to depict subject matter in full colour for their posters and the front pages of the popular periodicals. His subject matter ranged from highly technical industrial subjects to the more frivilous beach resort ‘pin-up’ posters advertising the virtues of resorts such as Southsea, Herne Bay and Exmouth and frequently found adorning the walls of railway stations. Laurence’s works were very popular and bought by lovers of this art-form for their own personal displays and in later years these works commanded high prices on the art market. At one time Laurence worked exclusively for the Bristol Aeroplane Company and a number of his illustrations featuring the Britannia are included in this volume. As colour photography eventually became the preferred media of the advertiser, Laurence showed his skill as an aesthetic, creative and imaginitive artist. This 144 page, quality print, hard back, is profusely illustrated mostly in vivid colour, is a delight to behold and will grace the top of any coffee table. In 2021 Jean featured in a video about Lawrence which was filmed on-board ‘XM496’ and is due for release sometime in the future.
PICK UP A PENCIL The Work of LAURENCE FISH is available on Amazon Books Price £28.50 incl P&P
also available at Waterstones and other good book sellers
(Click on an image to view in large format)