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On The Radar

Aircraft of the Week

24 August 2025

English Electric Lightning T.5 XS417 NAHR – Noteworthy

XS417 arrived at the museum in September 1988 and thanks to the hard-working museum volunteers painting through the recent heat wave, has now been given part of a magnificent silver allure (Massey Ferguson Silver Mist). This is different to the rather first black Lightning colour scheme that museum cockpit opener, Dave Codd remember seeing flying at an airshow, when he was just twelve years old. Sporting a tee-shirt proclaiming Lightning 1954 -1988 it was easy to know why XS417 is his choice for Aircraft of the Week. By Jan McGeachie 

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15 August 2025

Saab RF-35 Draken AR-107 NAHR - Significant

Built in Sweden as a photographic reconnaissance fighter, SAAB Draken AR-107 arrived at the museum in June 1994. During my many visits I always associate AR-107 with the former museum grounds man Nigel Bean thanks to its subtle reminders, so I was pleased when approached, that he naturally opted for AR-107 to be included as his Aircraft of the Week.  By Jan McGeachie

08 August 2025

Avro Shackleton MR.3 – WR977 NAHR – Significant

In service Shackletons were nicknamed the Growler, and for a small donation visitors are sometimes able to go inside Avro Shackleton WR977 and speak to the cockpit opener about its service. It was also the choice of Sqn Ldr Brian Withers MBE AFC RAF (Retd), an Open Cockpit team member often seen in WR977 on Sundays, sharing his Shackleton and Nimrod pilot experiences. You could quiz the openers about the names of AEW2 Shackletons that were based at RAF Lossiemouth and RAF Waddington; who famously carried the names of characters from the BBC’s Magic Roundabout and The Herbs cartoons! By Jan McGeachie

01 August 2025

Hawker Hunter F1 – WT651 NAHR – National Benchmark

WT651 arrived at the museum in January 1992, the choice for it being Aircraft of the Week was made by the Café Manager, Sam Gowshall. Sam’s choice of aircraft is an early Mk Hunter, similar to the modified prototype Hunter flown by test pilot Neville Duke that broke the world air speed record of 727 mph in 1953.  By Jan McGeachie

Aircraft of the Week Archive...

25 July 2025

H P Hastings T.5 TG517 NAHR – Significant

Always such an eye catcher, TG517 is one of only three Handley Page Hastings preserved in the UK, the others being at Cosford and Duxford. As a quirky tail dragger, TG517 was the choice of Peter McEntee for his Aircraft of the Week. By Jan McGeachie

18 July 2025

General Aircraft Monospar ST-12 VH-UTH NAHR – National Benchmark

Monospar VH-UTH arrived at the museum store at Abbotts Yard, Newark in 1967. Years later, as visitors to the museum, (before becoming members then volunteers), we followed the continual progress of this unique plane, never realising that we would come to know and befriend Adrian Adkins, one of VH-UTH’s restoration team.

11 July 2025

Fairey Gannet AEW.3 – XP226 NAHR – Significant

XP226 arrived at Newark from RNAS Lee-on-Solent in November 1983, later becoming the first aircraft to be moved onto the Southfield Site on a permanent basis, in spring 2002. By Jan McGeachie

04 July 2025

Avro Vulcan B.2 – XM594 NAHR - Noteworthy

This delta wing aircraft is always popular with visitors, they are often seen climbing up to look inside XM594’s cockpit in excellent condition, probably unaware that it was the heaviest aircraft to land at Winthorpe. By Jan McGeachie

27 June 2025

Gloster Meteor T.7 VZ634 National Aviation Heritage Register – Significant

If asked, what would be your Aircraft of the Week? Ironic that the fighter plane many mechanics first believed incapable of flight due to it being the first without propellers, should today still have two airworthy hard working examples carrying out Martin Baker ejection seat testing, seventy plus years later. By Jan McGeachie 

20 June 2025

Avro Ashton (fuselage) WB491 National Aviation Heritage Register - Significant

With this being the Silver Jubilee weekend of the ever popular Cockpit-Fest and Outdoor Aeroboot/Aerojumble attracting cockpit owners countrywide, why not focus attention on the totally unique glossy silver Ashton fuselage amid the vast array of visiting cockpits, indoor and outdoor displays and ever popular cockpit opening with dedicated cockpit volunteers, before we all stop to watch the flypast?  By Jan McGeachie