| 25 May 2009
The Adventure to Clifden continues...The Return of the Vimy!
Connemara Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to welcome Vimy once again to Clifden, honouring both Alcock & Brown and Steve Fossett & Mark Rebholz who successfully re-created the historic, first-ever 1919 Transatlantic flight of John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown, landing their replica of the British pair’s Vickers Vimy biplane at the Connemara Golf Links on 3rd July, 2005.
They followed the original route from Newfoundland, took 18 hours 15 minutes flying at low altitude all through the night, navigating by sextant, compass and chart and hand-flying the accurate replica of the WWI era bomber. At almost 70’ wingspan, the Vimy replica is the largest biplane flying today, as well being the world’s largest home-built aircraft.
Weather and mechanics permitting the Vimy will fly to Galway airport for the press launch of the weekend’s celebrations on June 12th and will appear at the Connemara Air Show on the afternoon of June 13th. Crewed by John Dodd and Clive Edwards, the Vimy is returning to Clifden to help celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Alcock & Brown flight. Jenny Moseley, the Atlantic flight’s crew chief will join the pilots in representing Brooklands Museum, who are now the proud owners of this replica.
The original Vimy was built at the Vickers factory at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, which is now the home of Brooklands Museum. The replica Vimy is no stranger there, having taken off from Brooklands for two of her earlier re-enactment flights made in tribute to the airmen who pioneered long-distance flights from London to Australia and London to South Africa. The replica Vimy has flown more than 30,000 miles and has touched down in five continents along the way.
BROOKLANDS VIMY - LATEST NEWS
Special event on 3rd June will raise funds for
the Vimy’s farewell flying appearances
Brooklands Museum’s airworthy Vickers Vimy replica NX71MY is due to revisit Clifden in County Galway, Ireland, to mark the 90th anniversary of Alcock and Brown’s historic landfall there in 1919. To cover the costs of this unique journey and other farewell flying appearances in 2009, the Museum will launch a special appeal at a fund-raising lecture at Brooklands on Wednesday 3rd June at 7:30pm.
The Vimy, currently based at Duxford for the Summer season courtesy of the Imperial War Museum, is due to be retired from flying and to become a permanent “live” exhibit at the Museum at the end of this year. Weather and resources permitting, the highlight of its visit to Ireland will be an appearance at the Connemara Airshow on Saturday 13th June.
Some funding is already in place to ensure this happens, but further support (either in cash or kind) is urgently required to meet extra costs expected to be incurred. These include fuel, insurance, landing fees, engineering inspection/maintenance, crew training and travel, exemptions and permissions.
A special Vimy fund has therefore been launched by the Brooklands Museum to fund the aeroplane’s final few public flying appearances this year and to cover its future upkeep in retirement in the longer term.
Several individual donations have already been pledged and a special Vimy Fund-raising event will be staged at Brooklands Museum on Weds 3rd June at 7.30pm.
This will feature a unique illustrated lecture on the Vimy’s three re-enactment flights given by Vimy Triple Crown co-ordinator Jenny Moseley and, schedules permitting, the Vimy’s current chief pilot John Dodd and its instigator, original owner and pilot, Peter McMillan, will make guest appearances.
Jenny and Peter will also conduct an auction of some super prizes donated by Vimy enthusiasts including Vimy memorabilia, flights in vintage aeroplanes, a VIP visit to the Tower of London, a flight in the Concorde Simulator at Brooklands and much more.
Admission will be by donation on the door (doors open at 6.00pm and a bar will be open for drinks and light refreshments) – entry via the Museum’s Campbell Gate off Brooklands Road. Further details are posted at www.brooklandsmuseum.com. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, this will be welcomed and for UK taxpayers, a downloadable Gift Aid form is also available on the website.
It is Brooklands Museum’s intention, in agreement with its Trustees, the Vimy’s previous owners and the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, to retire the aeroplane from flying after marking the 90th anniversary of the Smith brothers’ epic flight from England to Australia in November. NX71MY will then be delivered to Brooklands Museum by the end of 2009 for display and preservation in fully ‘live’ condition.
All offers of help should be sent to Julian Temple, General Manager - Museum Operations, Brooklands Museum, Brooklands Road, Weybridge, Surrey. KT13 0QN. Tel: 01932 857381 ext. 240 or 0787 1085049; email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .