Here’s a great place to go if you like the magic combo of old aircraft, nostalgia and memorabilia, with some fascinating models included in the mix.
The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum (NSAM) is in the village of Flixton, near Bungay, in Suffolk, UK. There’s a collection of aircraft parked on the grass, ranging from an ex-Royal Navy de Havilland Sea Vixen twin-boom jet to an FMA Pucara ground-attack machine that dates from the 1982 Falklands War.
There’s also a group of slowly decomposing engine and propeller components, which are gradually gnarling and delaminating with age, revealing a range of textures that fascinated my sculptress friend Bo.
Hangars and Nissen huts provide dry storage and display space for plenty more items, and there are lots of models and miniatures to inspect. Among these was a display of hand-carved wooden models, necessarily lacking the fine detailing of a plastic kit, but showing off the talented skills of a pure craft approach to model making.
The RAF Air Sea Rescue and Coastal Command Display had several dioramas to look at, and extremely well done they were too, especially the convincing water effects.
When we’d had our fill of the museum, there was a cafe in the main hangar with a cuppa waiting, and one of the gals behind the counter was in excellent World War II retro gear. All in all, an excellent place to visit - and with free entry, what’s not to like?
The NSAM has regular events, including retro Americana on show with the East Coast Pirates American Classic Cars, on Sunday, September 8.
Visit the NSAM here.
World War II model kits here.
Header pic courtesy NSAM.
