From humble beginnings, Shropshire’s RAF Cosford Museum has become a soaraway success. This month, writes, John Scott, it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d930eGAI8Kg

It was an idea that took off like a jet plane, and has been soaring to new heights of success ever since.

Flight Lieutenant Josh Wort had the brainwave after realising that 16 old aircraft were stored out of sight in a couple of elderly hangars at RAF Cosford, on the county’s eastern border.

“He thought people might like to see them – and how right he was,” recalled 67-year-old Roy Martin from Newport, as the Royal Airforce Museum Cosford celebrated its 30th anniversary with a party and Spitfire fly-past.

The hangars were initially opened to the public on the first Sunday of the month between April and October in 1977. The entry fee was 50p per car regardless of the number of passengers.

Roy Martin, a member of the Aerospace Museum Society, holds a picture taken when the museum was handed over to RAF Hendon.

Father-of-two Mr Martin, who served for 22 years in the RAF, was stationed at the base at the time and was recruited to help with the first visitors.

He became the museum curator the following year and revealed: “It was very popular from the word go.”

In the third year of operating it turned over £16,000 in the seven Sundays it opened. By then military top brass had seen the potential and officially launched the museum with regular opening hours on February 26, 1979.

Mr Martin is in the official photograph that marked the handover. He admitted: “I knew it was a good idea but never imagined it would fly this high.”

Len Woodgate, aged 81, and museum curator for seven years after taking over the post in 1984, travelled back from his home in Scarborough to join the anniversary celebrations.

“I would not have missed this for the world,” he said. “I spent 38 years in the RAF with jobs all over the world but this was the best and most immediately satisfying of the lot.

“We started on a shoestring with just four permanent staff and a little collection of interesting aircraft – it was hand to mouth. A colleague told me if we did not have a good Easter one of us would have to do without a salary. Fortunately we had a good Easter and things went from strength to strength from there.

“Now it is the only national museum in the West Midland region. It is on a par with the National History and Science Museums. That is quite some achievement.”

Len Woodgate, curator of the museum from 1983-1991

The museum soon became a magnet for retired aircraft from other RAF bases as they closed and had 72 planes by the time John Francis joined the six-strong staff in 1983. He had been in the RAF for 24 years and Cosford was the final posting.

His previous boss Derek Eastwood was curator and he went to the museum to work alongside him as administrator. Sadly Mr Eastwood died three days after he arrived.

“I was dropped in at the deep end as a result of that tragedy,” recalled 68-year-old father-of-three Mr Francis, from Newport. “We were given no money and had to rely on gate receipts. There were no toilets for visitors and no restaurant. We had three hangers that were all in a pretty poor state but I was determined to make a go of it.”

Visitor numbers soared to 104,000 in 1986 and the annual attendance had topped 137,500 by the time he was appointed general manager in 1990.

Success bred more success and Mr Francis secured £950,000 from the Ministry of Defence and a similar amount from the Lottery as he managed to raise a staggering £3.65 million of funding during a two-year purple patch.

That paid for the impressive visitor centre that opened in 1998 followed by the conservation centre two years later that now offers apprenticeships for technicians.

Millions of pounds more from regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, the Lottery and the European Union helped create Britain’s National Cold War exhibition in a massive new hanger on the site.

More than 330,000 people visited it the year after it opened in 2007. The museum now has 75 full and part-time staff and 120 volunteer helpers.

Cosford was granted National Museum status in 1998 and entry has been free since the Government decided to cover that cost at all national museums in December 2002.

Mr Francis, who was awarded the OBE for his work at Cosford before his retirement, said: “I always saw the potential. There was lots of green grass that needed some buildings on it.

“I stuck my neck out, got the investment and hoped for the best. Luckily it worked out very well but not even I could have foreseen it would be this successful. The anniversary is a proud day for everybody involved.”

Friday’s official party was a double celebration for the museum’s oldest volunteer Cyril Ashley, from Pound Street, Claverley, because it was also his 95th birthday. He said: “This place is the tops. It keeps me young.”

Arthur Parkes, aged 76, from Hagley Road, Pedmore, was among visitors on the day with wife Margaret, four year old great nephew Robbie and great niece Katie, aged two. He said: “It something the whole region can be proud of.” Widow Audrey Price aged 79, of Claverley, who worked at the Cosford camp for 37 years, said: “I have lots of happy memories of the place.”

David Leek, the 52-year-old chairman of the Cosford Aerospace Museum Society, is another with much to thank it for. He met his wife Margaret when he joined the army of volunteers in 1980 and they married two years later.

Mr Leek, who lives nearby, said: “I am very lucky to have such a marvellous hobby on my doorstep and even luckier to be able to enjoy it as often as I do without running the risk of getting grief from the wife who loves it as much as I do.”