Fight and flight at Duxford

Youngsters from West Norfolk got a glimpse of what their great-grandparents might have experienced, when they visited Imperial War Museum Duxford.

As part of their studies on World War II and the Cold War, the Year 6 pupils from West Lynn Primary and Clenchwarton Primary spent the day at Duxford, where the first Spitfires took to the skies in the late 1930s.

“They were lucky enough to have a tour guide on the day, who took them from hangar to hangar, explaining the history behind each display,” said Dan Ryan, Assistant Head at West Lynn, who accompanied the group.

“The airspace centre at the museum entrance had a range of historical and modern aircraft,” he continued. “They were lucky enough to be able to board two planes, including Concorde.

“We also entered the air and sea hangar and got a good insight into the artillery and machines used in those scenarios. The paratrooper display was a favourite for many – especially the cabinet full of weapons.”

Thirteen children from West Lynn and 23 from Clenchwarton took part in the trip, which is a regular event on the calendar for the two schools – both members of the West Norfolk Academies Trust – and was  organised by Clenchwarton Leader Ashleigh Webb.

“The children at West Norfolk Academies study World War II and the Cold War as part of their Year 6 curriculum,” explained Mr Ryan. “It links very closely to studies on things such as the Battle of Britain.

“The Battle of Britain display was great, as the children got to see the working Spitfire and Hurricane planes close up.

“We were also lucky enough to see the American Air Museum that had many planes on display that you could get up close to including a B52 bomber and a Blackbird. There was also a very good display about the Cold War that linked directly to our current unit of study.”

Other exhibits included a Land Warfare display, where the children could see tanks and artillery and learn about their uses; a 9/11 display, which featured debris from the Twin Towers; and the Duxford Operations Room, where wartime aircraft were once organised for combat.

“Trips like this bring history alive for the children,” added Mr Ryan. “It gets them out of the classroom, out of the textbooks, and into the field.

“We were lucky enough to be led around by experts at the museum who had a wealth of knowledge about the various conflicts and the aircraft involved. One of the leaders had flown in the RAF and was able to show the children the type of plane he flew.

“It gives the children a real sense of context when they can ask someone with real experience. Their natural curiosity really takes over and they end up leading their own learning.”