Each year in November, Wolf Cubs from across the region gather for the Annual Sixer’s Tea. This year Shildon’s All Saint’s Wolf Cubs travelled to the Solway Aviation Museum at Carlisle Airport. The museum is on the wartime airfield that was RAF Crosby and is home to a collection of aircraft, aviation artefacts and displays reflecting Britain’s position as a world leader in aircraft design and innovation. The museum takes everyone on a nostalgic journey back to wartime Cumberland during WWII.

The Wolf Cubs found the whole experience fascinating and enjoyed the hands-on exhibits, such as sitting in ejector seats and using the interactive radar and missile launcher. This missile launch simulation proved to be a big hit and is part of the display on the ill-fated Blue Streak rocket program, which was Britain’s part in the 1950’s space race.

But for many of the children, it was climbing into the cockpit of an aircraft, especially the mighty Avro Vulcan Bomber, that they enjoyed the most. Despite its impressive size, the flight deck is small and cramped, accessed through a small hatch and narrow ladders, a small restricted and claustrophobic space.

A day at the airport ended as it should, with the building and flying of toy aeroplanes.