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IMPORTANT SCAM ALERT – Re. Jannet Wilson

Some businesses whose articles we have published on our news sites seem to have received payment demands purporting to be on our behalf from a ‘Jannet Wilson’ using a Gmail address.

This is a scam email and doesn’t come from us – please be assured that this person is not known to us and has no access to our sites or our email.  They cannot remove your articles.  Please don’t click on any links in any email threatening removal of your article, please make no payment and instead simply forward the email to the National Cybersecurity Centre here: report@phishing.gov.uk.

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New Exhibit Arrives

At last, after several false starts in the last 6 months or so, (and 2 hours late today!) the Hercules Propeller, donated by Dowty Propellers, has arrived and been sited outside the south east corner of the hangar, next to the Safran undercarriage display.
 
Many thanks go to John Benson for supervising the siting of the purpose built stand, on the newly prepared gravel area.
 
This propeller was designed and manufactured by Dowty Propellers for the Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules Aircraft.
 
Dowty Propellers’military heritage stretches back to 1937 and encompasses many iconic military aircraft as well as front-line airlifters of today.
 
The R 391 propeller first flew on the C-130J in 1996, and entered service with the RAF in 1999. Its six thin ‘scimitar’ blades are made ofcomposite materials, mainly carbon and glass fibres, with polyurethane foam filling.
 
It is still in production, with over 2000R 391 propeller systems made to date.
 
The C-130J is a major update of the C-130 Hercules. The Hercules family has the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft in history. During more than 60 years of service, it has participated in military, civilian,and humanitarian aid operations throughout the world.
 
As of 2018,over 400 aircraft have been delivered to 21 operators.  Along with the Rolls Royce AE2100 D3 engines, the R 391 provides the C-130J with performance increases of: 40% range, 21% speed, 21% shorter take-off distance, and lower noise levels.
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Typhoon Restoration Team

Project Typhoon Restoration Team

It may surprise our visitors to see just how many people it takes to restore just ONE cockpit!

Here’s our team of dedicated volunteers who have helped us in the Typhoon restoration project alone.  Our thanks to each and every one for giving their time so generously.

 

Martin Clarke - Project Typhoon Team Leader

Martin started his working life as a DOWTY ROTOL apprentice, from 1965-1970, and became a skilled Fitter / Turner / Machinist within the DOWTY ROTOL Repair & Overhaul company.  In 1986 Martin transferred to DOWTY ROTOL Service Dept, within the company’s production facility, where he spent a large part of his working life travelling worldwide, troubleshooting and servicing the company’s products for airlines.

During the early ’90s, when the company was reorganised, Martin took on a role within DOWTY PROPELLERS as Technical Rep and vintage equipment specialist, until 2003 when redundancies were announced. Subsequently Martin went to Retro Track & Air, working on RR Merlin’s propeller governor units.

Finally, until his retirement, Martin worked at DELPHI Diesel Systems (automotive) at Stonehouse, within the development proving department, where he became a key member of the HGV fuel injection system ‘test rig design and build team’.
 
AIRCRAFT RESTORATION;
April 1964: Commenced at Skyfame Aircraft Museum, at age 15.
1976:          Advanced within the museum to become a member of the Shuttleworth ‘Gloster Gladiator G-AMRK’ airframe overhaul team.
1979:          Joined team for the disassembly of Shuttleworth Hawker Sea Hurricane Z-7015.
1980:          Joined the Cotswold Aircraft Restoration Group (CARG) at RAF Innsworth, where he became a member involved with the restoration, to airworthy condition, of a Miles Messenger G-AJOE.
1982:          Member of CARG restoration team for Meteor T7, VW453, which became the Gate Guard at RAF Innsworth. Martin and another Jet Age Museum member took the opportunity, when the MoD offered this aircraft for sale, to jointly purchase it for the museum, where it now stands today.
 

Finally to Gloucester Aviation Collection, ( now known as Jet Age Museum), taking on the role of Team Leader for the restoration of the Hawker Typhoon.

Ian Mowat, Planning & Budget- Project Typhoon

After graduating from Bath Technical College in 1962 Ian commenced his craft training at Bristol Aircraft Co Filton, working on various projects including Belfast Freighter, BAC 1-11, T188, and Bloodhound Missiles. A period of Army service in Royal Engineers followed, with postings in Germany and Far East aboard HMS Fearless, as a member of a Joint Services group, attached to Royal Marines.
 

In 1973 Ian returned to BAC (by then renamed British Aircraft Corporation) at the Concord Flight Test Centre, Fairford, until 1976 when the centre closed down. A short period at Danair (Lasham), working on B727 propulsion systems followed before commencing at DOWTY, initially in Dowty Electrics and subsequently in DOWTY ROTOL Development &Test.

In 1979 Ian transferred to DOWTY ROTOL Service Dept, spending the next 11 years on external postings, supporting ‘DOWTY’s’  Landing Gears / Propellers & Control Systems / Ram Air Turbines to: 
 
BAe Warton (6 years) on Jaguar / Tornado / Canberra / Jet Provost / Strikemaster.
SAAB Linkoping in Sweden on SF340 & Grippen.
Comair in Cincinnatti USA on SF340.
Aerospatiale Toulouse, France (3 years) on A300 / A310 / A320 / A321.  
 
Returning to Service Dept Gloucester in 1990, Ian took on a position of Service Liaison Manager (Airbus) then Deputy Technical Manager in the newly formed Customer Support Centre (Airlines) until 1996, when he returned to his original office location to support aircraft constructors.  Finally, Ian took on the role of Service Manager, supporting Regional and Military aircraft constructor customers, until his retirement in 2010.
 
AIRCRAFT RESTORATION:

After retiring in January 2010, and seeking a useful, interesting but less stressful way to spend his spare time, Ian contacted Martin Clarke (ex DOWTY Service Engineer) who suggested he join the Jet Age Museum Restoration Team, on Project Typhoon at the Brockworth workshop site. There followed 4 interesting years, initially with hands-on work helping to disassemble the Typhoon cockpit structure in cramped conditions and latterly, after the new Museum building at Staverton site had been completed and opened, leaving more available workshop space in Brockworth, assisting in building up the team and putting all the required practices and procedures in place, to produce the professional team and workshop we have today.

John Webb, Project Typhoon Team Member

John Webb’s father served in the RAF therefore John’s education was undertaken at the various Military postings which his father was given during his career. The last school John attended was in the UK at ‘Larkmead’ in Abbingdon. Following the completion of John’s education he moved to Germany with his parents, when his father was posted to RAF Bruggen, but returned to UK shortly after at the age of 18.

In 1972 John went to work at ‘Whitbreads Brewery’, where he was employed within the distillery until 1977 when he took up employment with ‘Monarch Aluminium’ in Cheltenham. Unfortunately John suffered from an industrial accident at ‘Monarch’ and was forced to take early retirement.

AIRCRAFT RESTORATION:

In 1992 John became aware of and joined the Gloucester Aviation Collection, which was then situated on the Gloster Aircraft Company site in Brockworth, and took part in the restoration of Vampire cockpit pods as a volunteer member.

During 1993 the John assisted in moving the collection to a new home, in Hangar 7 at Staverton Airport, although the hangar has since been demolished and the site is now occupied by Staverton Building Supplies. 

Unfortunately in 2002 the tenancy of Hangar 7 was came to a close and John, together with the other volunteer members, moved out of Hangar 7 with the collection to various temporary sites until the current ‘barn’ workshop became available in Brockworth. This workshop was cramped and not particularly comfortable due to it’s agricultural standard. There was (and still is) no heating, and luxury during the cold winters was a hot kettle. Notwithstanding the discomfort John, who by had then joined the Typhoon restoration team, remained resolute and continued to help restore the cockpit structure, albeit at an enforced slow pace due to the reduced size of working area available to the project (12′ X 12′).

When the new Museum opened in 2013 John remained in the workshop supporting the Typhoon team, where he remains today.

Dave Mace, Project Typhoon Team Member

David joined Smiths Industries in 1968 and commenced his Aerospace career as an instrument assembler, before moving on to become a wireman. This new role involved building cable harnesses for a wide range of aircraft and led into building wiring harnesses for the Hawker Siddeley 121 ‘Trident’ Autoland System main junction boxes.

David then took a career change and transferred into the Flight Control Systems department as an inspector. His responsibilities were varied and covered:

1974. -SEP6 Flight Control System analogue computers.

  • HS 121 Trident Triplex Autoland System main junction boxes
  • Shorts SC.3 Belfast Triplex Autoland System main junction boxes
  • Buccaneer low level strike aircraft equipment.
  • Exocet MM40 ship-borne missile, ECU and SNIAS Delayed firing unit
  • SEPECAT Jaguar Roll and Autostabiliser computers.
  • 1982. -Boeing 737 Autothrottle computers.
  • 1983. -Boeing 737 Autothrottle and BAe146 Autopilot computers
  • 1995. -Boeing 777 ELMS (Electronic Load Management System) Power Panels
  • Boeing 777 ELMS units for Power Management Panels.
  • 2007. -Boeing 777 ELMS2 system Power Panels.
  • Boeing Apache AH64D Power and Load Management system.

During 2013 David retired after having spent a very impressive 45 years within the electronics industry.

AIRCRAFT RESTORATION;

David joined the Cotswold Aircraft Restoration Group (CARG) in 1986, which were using the facilities of RAF Innsworth, and was initially involved with the restoration of a Miles Messenger (G-AJOE) to an airworthy condition. He then assisted in restoring a Tiger Moth (G-MAZY), which is now on static display at Newark Air Museum, before helping to restore Gloster Meteor T7 (VW453) which became gate guard at RAF Innsworth until its acquisition by 2 members of Jet Age Museum where it now resides as part of the museum’s  collection.

Taking on the role of disposals officer, and restoration / placement of rare instrumentation in 1987, David was involved in placing various equipment to organisations both in UK and overseas.

A momentous achievement for David was his involvement in the team which rebuilt a Boulton Paul Type C. Mk11 Mid-upper gun turret, from two turrets recovered in Australia. This completed turret now forms its part in the display of a  Lockheed Hudson 111A, (A16-199) at RAF Museum Hendon.

Having now become a member of the Jet Age Museum, and recognising David’s past experience with instrumentation and components, he was in 2013 invited to become a member of the Project Typhoon restoration team. His time in the Team has been put to good use and many of the cockpit mounted items have now been restored.

Steve Williams, Team Member, Project Typhoon

Steve comes from an aircraft background, his father worked for H.H. Martyn before joining the RAF Volunteer Reserve at the outbreak of WW2, where he was mainly involved in preparing Horsas for operations. At war’s end he left the RAF and started work at Gloster Aircraft Company, as the Spray Shop Manager.

In 1964 Steve joined S. Smiths and Sons as an Electronic Apprentice, spending the first year in The Training Centre Machine shop and Fitting Shop. The remaining years of his  5 Year Apprenticeship was spent working in the ‘Trident Autoland Lab.’, the ‘Instrumentation Lab.’, the ‘Military Systems Lab.’, the ‘Test Equipment Lab.’, and lastly in the ‘Research Lab.’ where, after completing his Apprenticeship, he became an Assistant Engineer.

Subsequent Design Engineering Projects Steve worked on were Jaguar Autostabiliser Unit, Part of a Team developing a four chip digital computer for use in Aerospace Industry (TIMOS), Tornado Missile Management System, EAP/EFA/Typhoon Data Management System, Longbow Apache Data Management System and Boeing 777 Electrical Load Management System.

With the knowledge and experience of those projects behind him Steve was then selected to work on the Lean Engineering Development and Teambuilding Project, which included representing Smiths on the SBAC Study, at Warwick University.

Moving on through the company Steve Headed a team to develop and manage closer links between Design Engineering and Manufacturing. The role as Manager of the department addressed a ‘Product Configuration Control Group’ which comprised BOM creation and upkeep, Drawing Office, Print Room, Tech Pubs and Manufacturing Engineering. 

Part of this operation was to convert all existing hard copy drawings to electronic documents and introduce Drawing Cad systems. 

Steve finished his career in the role of Change Management Organisation Manager and, upon his retirement from Smiths in 2004, after 39 interesting years, he became involved with the following activities:

1. Studied  photography for two years at Gloscat.
2. Carried out voluntary work at Sue Ryder, Leckhampton.
3. Carried out voluntary work at the Manor Centre, Barnwood.

Hobbies:
1. Keen photographer of any subject, except weddings!
2. Season Ticket holder at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
3. Fan of Motorcycle Grand Prix.
4. Long term member of the Severn Valley Railway.

Joining the Jet Age Museum is Steve’s first involvement in Aircraft Restoration, although experience of being a keen motorcycle restorer has left him in good stead!

Steve Poole, Team Member - Project Typhoon

Steve works in IT as a computer analyst programmer but comes from an aviation industry background. Numerous members of his family worked at ‘Dowty’ for many years before Steve himself spent 15 years there between 1985 & 2000, the last 9 of which were with DOWTY PROPELLERS. 

Steve has been an aviation enthusiast since the age of 12 with a keen interest in aviation photography. He joined the Gloucestershire Aviation Collection friends organisation in the 1980s and became a life member of the Jet Age Museum in 2001. Steve has a history of doing voluntary work for aviation related causes including working at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Kemble air shows. 

AIRCRAFT RESTORATION
When the Museum’s tenancy of Hangar 7 came to an end in 2001 Steve volunteered to help out in any way he could and was assigned to work with Martin Clarke on the Typhoon. By this time the project was housed at RAF Innsworth under the wing of the Cotswold Aircraft Restoration Group, and so Steve became an associate member of that organisation. Having not been involved in aircraft restoration before this, Steve described himself as Martin’s apprentice!  Steve has been working on the project ever since, concentrating mainly on restoring the cockpit’s tubular structure.

John Entwistle, Team Member - Project Typhoon

John is an RAF apprentice trained aircraft maintenance engineer, with a services career covering fast jet, transport and rotary wing aircraft maintenance of structures and systems.

During John’s RAF career he was involved in managing a team of maintenance engineers for the Queens Flight aircraft where, for his services, John was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver) for Services to the Royal Family.  

Following a comprehensive career in the RAF John’s civilian career followed in;  NHS GLOUCESTERSHIRE, Senior Contracts Manager responsible for contracts with NHS and Commercial sector providers, then Contracts Manager Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation Trust covering all Gloucestershire NHS Estates and Properties.  
 
AIRBUS UK (FILTON), managing ‘Aircraft Operability’ Engineers covering maintenance, maintenance economics, support functions for wing structures, installed systems, landing gears and airport operations.
 
MESSIER BUGATTI DOWTY, Product Support Engineer responsible for the progression of Airbus, Regional and Military Aircraft Landing Gear technical queries and processing ‘on wing’ repair schemes for landing gears, then Customer Support Manager responsible for measuring the technical, commercial and support functions satisfaction of airline customers.
 

John’s spare time interests also included historical aircraft and, when he learned of the Jet Age Museum and it’s proximity to his current place of work, he became a volunteer member then applied to become a member of the restoration team. A place was available to John on the Project Typhoon team, where he currently assists in restoration and assembly of the cockpit structure.

John is a keen Squash player, he plays golf and also spends time fund-raising for the British Heart Foundation charity.

 
For those who are not familiar with the ‘Smiths’ history.

In 1851 Samuel Smith set up a watchmakers shop in London and one day realised that making watches and clocks was very similar work to producing basic motor instruments such as what he called speed indicators. From there, the natural progression took place and the first Smiths aircraft instrument ( rpm indicator) was fitted to a Blackburn monoplane in 1911. The avionic division moved to Cheltenham in 1939, and the rest is history. During my time there its name changed from S. Smith and Sons to Smiths Industries, Smiths Aerospace, and just ‘Smiths’. (Steve left just before it was taken over by GE.)

Trevor Davies, Sponsorship Co-Ordinator - Project Typhoon

I have charted a career in the government print industry in various depts including  GCHQ, Science & Engineering Research Council, Health & Safety Executive, British Energy , RAF Innsworth & RAF High Wycombe, spanning a total of 44 years which came to an end in 2012 . Looking for something to do, and with a motorcycle interest (I ride a Royal Enfield Bullet) when the weather permits, I was asked to research and possibly find for the Meteor Business park based Jet Age Museum’s newly formed display hall, the Unibus scooter manufactured by Gloucestershire Aircraft Company in 1920. After fulfilling this request and a fully restored Unibus was eventually ridden in by Mike Webster, the machines owner, in 2014, I thought job done and my time with Jet Age had reached an end.

Little did I know that various roles, including the initial volunteer coordinator sponsorship contact for the Horsa cockpit project and being duty manager at the Jet Age Museum would prevent me from escaping. I thought I had found the escape tunnel, but when events and education visits needed kick starting so again my avenue for escape was blocked. Seriously, the education programme is very rewarding as we inspire the next generation of  aviation enthusiasts. School visits are run through the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) -process with a strict adherence to the National school’s curriculum.

Later, when the Typhoon project was revived after many years of  dedicated effort by Martin Clarke and Steve Poole, I was asked to seek out commercial sponsorship to enable our WW11 Typhoon cockpit to come alive  after being discovered years earlier in a scrap yard in Chippenham. People say I can sell coals to Newcastle! well perhaps that is true. I am passionate about finding funds to help the Museum’s Brockworth based restoration team, and to tell the people story surrounding the Gloster connection with this iconic aircraft. If you win the lottery, or would like to help financially in a smaller way, I would be delighted to hear from you via the contact details at the head of the Typhoon project page.

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