Here Comes Summer! SMGWA Is Looking Forward to a Thrilling Season Ahead

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Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome is gearing up for an eventful summer, with an exciting programme of aviation and history events for all the family.

The summer season gets underway the first weekend in July, with a Multi-Period Living History Weekend on 4 & 5 July. Different groups of living historians and reenactors will be presenting from periods ranging from Vikings to World War Two, giving visitors a window into life in a wide range of historical periods. Highlights include Deeds Not Words, who will be portraying the life and times of the Suffragettes as they struggled to win votes for women; Chanz Des Reis taking visitors back to 1181when King Henry II decreed an early version of National Service, historical interpreter Aelfnoth explaining the life and skills of a Viking fletcher (arrow maker) and The Wiltshires in the Great War, a new World War One group. Plus, local historian Stephen Nunn will be giving a talk about the famous – and controversial – Battle of Maldon.

Moving into August, one of the Accredited Museum's most important fundraising events of the year will be held on Sunday 16 August – The Stow Maries Air Show. This celebration of all things aviation will include an amazing programme of flying (subject to weather and operational reasons).One of the highlights of the show is expected to be a flyover by a 1943 Mk9 Spitfire, LZ842, the only one of its kind still flying that was originally painted in desert camouflage, and the only Spitfire flying in the world with a Rolls Royce Merlin 63 engine.

The Aerodrome also hopes to welcome to the Air Show the Tiger Nine display team of nine Tiger Moths; a Fokker triplane painted in the colours of the Red Baron; and the Turbulent Display Team who fly metres from the ground to perform flour-bombing, balloon-bursting and limbo-flying in D31Turbulents.The Red Sparrows Chipmunk Formation Team and other invited aircraft will add to the nail-biting display of piloting skills.

Moving into September, the Large Model Air Show on 12 September returns by popular demand. This is a great chance to see remote controlled aircraft going through their paces – some as big as cars – in a full day of flying action. This will be followed a week later, on 19 September, by Words Without Wires, a day of living history focusing on the history of military communications, in association with the Essex Historic Military Vehicles Association. Tying in with the Accredited Museum's exhibition of the same name, the event will include living historians and military vehicles.

2/… Ian Flint, Chief Executive Officer of Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, comments: "We have a fantastic programme of events through the summer, both in the air and on the ground. Tickets for all these events are on sale now, and we expect our Air Show to be a complete sell-out, so we'd recommend early purchase to avoid disappointment."

Details of all forthcoming events can be found at www.stowmaries.org.uk/events. Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10am to 4pm. For more information or to sign up to the monthly newsletter, visit www.stowmaries.org.uk.