On behalf of our dedicated conservation team, I should like to welcome you to the new website for the ‘Michael Beetham Conservation Centre’ (MBCC). Formerly a much smaller concern, the original conservation team operated from Cardington in Bedfordshire, before relocating temporarily at RAF Wyton. Once funding was approved in 2000 however, the MBCC transferred to their purpose-built facility at the Museum’s RAF Cosford site in Shropshire. The wonderful buildings primarily comprise a 27,000 ft2 hangar and a 6,000 ft2 surface-finishing and fabric workshop.
Our duties encompass conservation, restoration, preventative maintenance, repairs, salvage, collections and delivery of aircraft or specialist loads etc. Current aircraft under work within the MBCC include: Vickers Wellington Mk10 (MF628); Sopwith Dolphin; Handley Page Hampden TB1 P1344; Spitfire Mk XIX; Range Safety Launch 1667. To carry out this crucial work, we have a current staffing level of 22, which includes Airframe & Propulsion Technicians, Aircraft Welder/Fabrication Technicians, Aircraft Carpenter Technicians, 7 Apprentices, a Training Manager and our Administration Manager. Designated as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ the MBCC has won a number of awards for conservation and we were delighted to become this year’s winner in the Small Employer category, for both the Regional and National Apprenticeships Awards.
Whilst we operate from Cosford, the team is required to undertake work at the London site and across the United Kingdom in respect of loaned aircraft. We recently completed a new Mezzanine build within the hangar to encompass a 2,500 ft2 Training Centre to progress our apprentice programme and deliver commercial conservation skills training workshops. We hope to initiate those courses in the coming summer, although we will invite interested enquiries from the New Year onwards. Thank you for taking the time to briefly explore our activities – I do hope that you will frequent the site towards monitoring our progress on various projects, to see what is happening now, or gain an insight into our future plans.
Please note that the Conservation Centre is not routinely open to the visiting public, but twice a year we hold our popular ‘Open Weeks’ which provide a unique opportunity to view our work and discuss heritage aviation with my team and I. The up-coming date for consideration is the 15th – 20th November, when the MBCC will be open between 10:15 – 13:00 each day. We do hope you’ll join us to experience for yourself the busy atmosphere and extent of our work.
Tim Wallis – Manager of Conservation
Hello to Tim, Darren, Nathan, Al and David…..Many thanks for our great day at the centre yesterday. My father-in-law, Ken Swann (90 last Tuesday and a former Wellington front gumnner and pilot) had a wonderful morning. It brought back many memories, positive and negative, to him and we were surprised that he could remember so many details about the aircraft and his experiences in and around it during WW2.
Those of us who are much younger also enjoyed our time there. It brought a bit of history to life for us.
We will be talking further with Ken about this and will be sending whatever we can of his memories and memorabilia for your archive and of course we will be aranging to visit again in November.
So this is a great big thank you for your time and interest.
With all good wishes to you all
Ken Swann, Chris and Jenny Clark, and Pat Blakey.
I think Ken Swann was my 2nd cousin and I would very much like to make contact with him and his children Jennifer and Carolyn as I am researching family history. I have a photo of him in his RAF uniform and also one of him in uniform at my christening in Norwich in 1945.
Judy Dyson