Plane fans enjoy open cockpits weekend at RAF Museum Cosford - with pictures
Visitors to the RAF Museum at Cosford had a rare chance to step inside the cockpits of some of the planes on display this weekend.
In the past the Open Cockpits event has been held in the evening but organisers felt families, particularly those with young children, were missing out on the experience so decided to try out a daytime version.
And the event was a great success as hundreds of visitors took the chance to buy special wristbands to give them access to the cockpits and interiors of more than a dozen of the aircraft, ranging from fighter jets to cargo planes.
Five-year-old Arthur James went along with his mother, Jessica and his grandfather, who he said, liked Spitfires best.
Jessica said: "We all enjoy coming here. It is something we can enjoy as a family and there is always something different to see."
Freddie Madeley Row, aged seven, went with his "Nana" Christine Madeley from Tong and said he wanted to be the pilot of a fighter jet when he was older.
"The Red Arrows are my favourites," he said.
"We come about eight to 10 times a year," Mrs Madeley said.
"Freddie is mad about the Red Arrows, he even has the red overalls."
Former Flight Lieutenant Graham Stone was in the RAF for 22 years in air radar then as a fighter controller. Now he volunteers at the museum.
"I love telling people about the Phantoms as they were the jets that I helped control," he said.
Dozens of air cadets were also involved in the open cockpits weekend, among them 17-year-old Flight Sergeant Nathan Watson, from Dawley.
An air cadet for almost five years he would like a career in the RAF.
Officer Commanding Paul Woodcock from Dawley Squadron, Air Cadets, said: "These events are perfect for us as one of our aims is community service and this is aeronautical.
"Volunteering helps towards the Duke of Edinburgh awards and gives the young people so many life skills."
The event continues on Sunday from 10am-4pm.
