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An estimated 5,000 people visited the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum, Flixton, on Sunday 16th August 2009 for Diss and District Royal Air Forces Association's major annual event. The day -celebrating the Centenary of the 1st Cross-Channel Flight - was a great success. This was a big increase on 2008 when we welcomed 3,500 people there for our Salute to 90 Years of the RAF. Approximately £1,700 was raised for RAFA, which was excellent. All the money we raise is used to provide help and assistance to existing and ex-RAF personnel and their families.
The day was bright and sunny so people were easily able to see the planes which flew over the museum. These included a Harvard, a Mustang, a Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and three Steadman aircraft led by branch president Wing Commander Gerry Honey.
This year's event celebrated the centenary of Bleriot's cross-Channel flight and we were pleased to welcome a French Air Force pilot, Captain Sebastian Flageollet, who is on secondment to RAF Marham and had been asked by his embassy to represent France.
A French flavour was also provided by a framed, signed, limited edition picture kindly donated to us by Simon Ovendon, a Dover based photographer. It showed a replica of Bleriot's aircraft in the skies over Dover on its flight to mark the centenary of the aviator's historic achievement. This was one of the items sold in a sealed bid auction to raise money for the Wings Appeal. (See Simon's website at www.simonovendenphotography.com ).
Members of the Diss and Beccles Air Cadet Squadrons took part in a march past. The salute was taken by Squadron Leader Howard Parr of RAF Honington and Norfolk County Council chairman Mrs Shelagh Gurney.
Musicians from RAF Honington played in the main hangar while some people listened and others jitterbugged enthusiasticly.
Lots of families with children came along and there was plenty to entertain them including a large RAF climbing wall, which proved to be a very big attraction, brought along by the branch's RAF Liaison Officer Sergeant Nigel Millar and his team from RAF Honington.
The RAFA stall was incredibly busy, with lots of people making donations and buying raffle tickets and books. Every youngster who visited the RAFA stand was given a free badge, paper hat and flag, which they really seemed to enjoy waving.
The Air Cadets recruiting stand was also busy all day, handing out information and talking to youngsters who were interested in joining.
Air Commodore Nick Carter, the South Eastern and Eastern president of RAFA, who was one of the many guests at Flixton, has written to the branch congratulating them on putting such a splendid show.
The branch thanks Flixton museum for allowing us to stage the event there and all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make it such a great success.