Aviation Archive Registration Acknowledgements
BAC 100: 2010. Join in the Celebrations of 100 Years of Aviation in the West of England. Aviation image sequence: Photograph of the Bristol Flying School at Larkhill by T L Fuller © J T Fuller. Mercury engine installation diagram, courtesy of BAC/Rolls-Royce. Selection of old postcards from the collection of Jackie Sims. Photograph of A380 over Clifton Suspension Bridge courtesy of Airbus SAS 2006. Computer generated image of A350 XWB courtesy of Airbus. Artist's impressions of main exhibition by Simon Gurr. Sir George White (Airbus).
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News and Press

We'll be adding new stories about the activities taking place as part of BAC 100 throughout 2010.


Children's Activity at Kemble

Children's Activity at Kemble
Bristol Aero Collection at Kemble hosted a day of special activities for children on 21 August at the museum. Participants had fun making foam-plate and wooden gliders, stomp rockets and a mini-light, and the parents took a full part too.


100 Boxkites

100 Boxkites
Pupils at schools in Bristol and South Gloucestershire created 100 boxkites in workshops led by volunteers from Bristol Aero Collection in association with the Bristol International Kite Festival. They were to celebrate the centenary of the first Bristol Boxkite flight which took place on 30 July 1910. Nearly 50 of them were flown at Durdham Down on 17 July. This was where British & Colonial mounted the first public display of the Boxkite for the people of Bristol in November 1910. The schools taking part in the workshops were Charborough Road Primary (Filton), Coniston Road Primary (Patchway), Filton Hill Primary, Hillfields Primary (Fishponds), Shield Road Primary (Filton) and St Michael's Primary (Stoke Gifford).

100 Boxkites

Filton's Fabulous Flying Machines

Replica Bristol Boxkite in flight.
Replica Bristol Boxkite in flight.

A 30-minute documentary on the history of the local aviation industry was broadcast on BBC One (West) on 26 July. From the humble Boxkite to supersonic Concorde, military historian Saul David celebrated a century of aircraft production in the Bristol area. The programme explored how the industry helped to win two World Wars and changed the way we get around forever. It included a dramatic dogfight reconstructed in the skies over New Zealand and Tony Benn's home videos from one of the early Concorde test flights.

Saul David with the replica Boxkite in Bristol's City Museum and Art Gallery.
Saul David with the replica Boxkite in Bristol's City Museum and Art Gallery.

Bristol Beaufighter shot down in the war discovered on the sea bed.
Bristol Beaufighter shot down in the war discovered on the sea bed.

Tony Benn being interviewed for the programme.
Tony Benn being interviewed for the programme.

All stills courtesy of BBC One (West).


Boxkite Centenary Walk at Larkhill

The three flight sheds used by the British & Colonial Aeroplane Company in 1910, as they are today. They are the oldest surviving aviation sheds in Europe.
The three flight sheds used by the British & Colonial Aeroplane Company in 1910, as they are today. They are the oldest surviving aviation sheds in Europe.

Nearly 30 people took part in a centenary walk around Larkhill in Wiltshire on 30 July to mark the first flight of the Bristol Boxkite. The two-hour walk was led by National Trust volunteer Ted Mustard. Al Foot brought along his scale-model flying Boxkite which unfortunately was damaged by a sudden gust of wind. His Wright Flyer did get airborne, however. You can see footage of a successful flight by the Boxkite model made earlier this year on You Tube.

Marker for the 'sun gap' between the sheds.
Marker for the 'sun gap' between the sheds.

Al Foot's Boxkite model before its unplanned take off.
Al Foot's Boxkite model before its unplanned take off.

The Wright Flyer substitute in flight.
The Wright Flyer substitute in flight.

All photographs by Andrew Appleton.


Bristol Central Library Flight Exhibition

Bristol Central Library Flight Exhibition
Dawn Dyer from Bristol Central Library has created a display about early flight that features items from Local History, Reference Library and private collections. Among the artefacts on show is a flap from Samuel Cody's British Army Aeroplane No 1, as flown and crashed at Farnborough in 1909. The exhibition runs to December. Details in the Calendar.

Bristol Central Library Flight Exhibition
Bristol Central Library Flight Exhibition

Older stories...

Newer stories...
Search the site Press releases
Read the launch day press release here.
Listen to the Music
You can hear here the specially commissioned march played by the RAF band at the launch dedicated to Sir George White.
Find out more
Pictures of activities involving children and young people are also featured on the Children's Showcase page.

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