PRESS RELEASE

The ownership title of several objects that had been on long-term loan to the Newark Air Museum (NAM) from the Royal Air Force Museum (RAFM) were formally transferred to the NAM following a short meeting on April 9th, 2024. The items were a Rolls-Royce RB.108 engine and jet pipe; a Yellow Sun nuclear bomb casing; and a Fireflash missile and trolley. Some of these items have been displayed at NAM’s site in eastern Nottinghamshire, close to the border with Lincolnshire, for more than 15 years.

The Fireflash air-to-air missile and trolley assembly which is now formally part of the NAM collection. [Photo by Howard Heeley]

The generous donation was made as part of ongoing discussions between the two organizations about a range of subjects. It follows a similar donation of the Lockheed TriStar simulator from the RAFM back in autumn 2015, which is now displayed in Hangar 2 at the NAM.

“The museum trustees are grateful to the RAF Museum for donating these objects to the museum,” NAM Trustee Colin Savill said. “Such donations illustrate the benefits of our Accredited Museum status, and we look forward to the possibility of working with the Royal Air Force Museum to explore similar loans and donations in the future.”

The Rolls-Royce RB.108 was designed as a lift engine for VTOL aircraft projects in the 1950s. [Photo by Howard Heeley]

“The Royal Air Force Museum is proud to be gifting these objects to Newark Air Museum with the knowledge that we are sharing the RAF story and making it more accessible to people across the country,” Dr Harry Raffal, Head of Collections and Research at the RAFM said. “We look forward to continuing to develop our relationship and working together to inspire new generations.”