h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

News from the Mosquito Museum, Salisbury Hall:

On Thursday, 21 November, 2002, guests who attended a gathering at the Museum were delighted to witness the donation by Breitling Swiss Chronographs and the Goldsmiths Group of £20,000, which was split equally between the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Fund and the Museum. This sum was generated by the proceeds from the sale of 120 special edition Breitling chronographs, 60 commemorating the first flight of the Lancaster, and 60 the first operational sortie of the Mosquito.
This generous donation to the Museum will allow work to commence on the restoration and preservation of the wooden structure of the Mosquito Prototype W4050. Designed and built at Salisbury Hall in 1939-’40, W4050 made its maiden flight from Hatfield on 25th November, 1940, in the hands of Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr. Believed to be the only World War 2 prototype to be preserved anywhere, it is absolutely unique in being back at its birthplace. It was the initial exhibit at the Museum when it first opened to the public on 15 May 1959.
Work has already started on many of the metal components, sponsored by the UK aerospace industry. The Merlin engines are being restored by the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust at Derby and the propellers by Deltair in Portsmouth. Various other major components are also being restored by Marshall Aerospace at Cambridge, BAE Systems at Filton and Airbus at Broughton.

The Museum, which is undergoing extensive renovation under its director, Ralph Steiner, is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons from 14.00 to 17.30, and Sundays and Bank Holidays from 10.30 to 17.30 from the first Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October.

Centenary of Flight Celebration:

The Museum is planning to hold its Centenary of Flight Celebration over the weekend of 21st – 22nd June.
It is proposed to hold an exciting ‘Forties/Fifties’ style Dinner-Dance complete with Glen Miller-style orchestra and vocalists…on the evening of Saturday 21st. The plan is to hold this in the main hangar with the aircraft as background, with up to 20 tables each seating ten people. The Museum is currently hoping that the various Associations, such as ours, will get together to make up groups of friends to fill complete tables. If you are interested and could perhaps gather a group together, would you please contact Ralph Steiner - his address is:-
4 Colman Court, Rosedale Close, Stanmore HA7 3QF, or tel/fax 020 – 8954 - 5080
At time of going to press, the price has not yet been finalised, but will certainly be available when you contact Ralph.
On the following day, Sunday 22nd June, a flying display over the Museum is also being planned.

Posted by Jim Prettyman