Both the 'projected' and 'print' competitions will be held this evening. Our guest judge for the competition will be the very respected photographic judge Gordon Bartley ARPS.

Further information is available by visiting the 'Annual Photographic Competitions' web-page.

Dickie Baum was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire and educated at Hinckley Grammar School and Imperial College London. He joined the Royal Navy as a University Cadet in 1979.  Having completed initial training at BRNC Dartmouth and having spent time in assorted ships, he volunteered for submarines in 1982. Appointments as a Lieutenant included Torpedo Officer and Navigating Officer of HMS ORACLE and Communications Officer of HMS SWIFTSURE.

After a short period ashore for further training, he was appointed in 1987 as Sonar Officer of HMS TRENCHANT during her build, sea trials and first operational patrols. He then returned to the Submarine School to train the future Watchleaders of nuclear submarines. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1991, he was selected for and successfully completed the Submarine Command Qualifying Course, the ‘Perisher’, in the same year. After three years of intensive sea time as Executive Officer and second in Command of HMS SUPERB, he was appointed as Commanding Officer of the Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS GUERNSEY.  This proved a very enjoyable submarine sabbatical, patrolling UK waters, enforcing British and EU fishing legislation and assisting HM Customs and Excise.

Temporarily hanging up his sea boots, he became the Submarine Warfare Officers Career Manager in 1995. Promotion to Commander followed in 1997 and he was appointed as Commanding Officer of HMS TRIUMPH for a busy two years of operational deployments followed by integration of the Tomahawk cruise missile weapon system, the first in a Trafalgar Class submarine. Subsequent appointments were as diverse as the Requirements Manager of the ASTUTE, Sonar 2076 and NATO Submarine Rescue System Projects in the Defence Equipment organisation and as the Branch Manager for all Submarine Warfare Officers and Ratings. During the latter he was responsible for the implementation of both the Submarine Manning and Retention Review and implementation of the Navy Board Personnel Change Programme within the Submarine Service. Selected for promotion to Captain in 2005, he worked for a short period at the Admiralty Interview Board prior to moving to Scotland to become Captain Submarines of the Faslane Flotilla.  Moving to Navy Command HQ Portsmouth in 2007 he became responsible for capability generation of Submarines, Mine Warfare, Diving, Hydrography and ASW.

Commodore Dickie Baum became the Naval Regional Commander Northern England and Isle of Man on 26 October 2009.

This is the first visit to the Society by the Commodore and promises to be a very entertaining and informative evening.

Chris is one of our leading photographers and tonight will deliver his annual 'A Year in Pictures' presentation.  Now in its seventh year, Chris will cover the 2013 air shows at RAF Waddington and RAF Fairford (Royal International Air Tattoo), the official Society visit to RAF Valley, and take a detailed look at the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic (BOA70) commemorations - including several official trips the Society made to visiting ships during the commemorative weekend.  The evening will also some classic air show images, military aviation and brief Manchester round-up.

Throughout his presentation, Chris will also give an insight not just into into how he takes his images, but which methods and software he uses to process a raw image and then turn it into something that's suitable for sharing with others /displaying in a public place. Any related questions you have will be answered throughout the presentation.

The evening will close with a round-up of the 2013 visits programme and a brief look at what we have in store for 2014. 

Tonight we welcome one of our long standing regular guests, Alan Scholefield. His subject this this evening will be on the DC-6 and DC-7 series of airliners.

We look forward to an evening of classic propliner nostalgia.

Lloyd Robinson visited Athens Airport many times during this period both for business and pleasure and has put together a selection of images showing the wide variety of types and operators seen.

Dave Ward, of BAe Systems (Warton) Heritage, tonight takes a look at the early development of everybody's favourite military jet, the McDonnell F-4 Phantom.

Dave has visited the Society on a number of occasions and always delivers a superb and very informative presentation. 

Tonight we welcome member and intrepid traveller Jim Newton. Jim has been visiting exotic and far away places again. He will tonight tell us about his latest adventures.

We welcome our old friend Eric Grove to the Society for his view on the maritime operations of World War II.  By the time of his visit Eric will have taken up his position of Professor of Naval History and Senior Fellow in Security Studies, Liverpool Hope University

A double header this evening with Charlie Butterworth, the winner of the 2012 Recognition Trophy setting this year’s event followed by Stuart Daley who visited Australia earlier this year and will show us his images from that trip

We welcome back Michael to the Society – Michael is a Propliner fan and will tell us of two journeys that he has made in recent years: the first to Hungary, including a flight on a Lisunov 2. The second, a trip to Israel, including a visit to the Israeli Air Force Museum at Hatzerim Air Force base (near Beersheva).

Thurai Rahulan is a Senior Lecturer in Aeronautics at the University of Salford.  His subject is Concorde and he willl takes us through the history of the project and its technical challenges.

A welcome return to the Society by Nick Wotherspoon he will bring us up to date on the activities of the Lancashire Aircraft Investigation Team.  This will include the crash of Mustang IV KH388 at Wrightington in February 1945

Members Martin Powell and Ivor Tamplin have put together a presentation on U.S. Piston Engined Transport Aircraft starting with the Boeing 247 and finishing with the Mini Guppy, not forgetting the Barkley-Grow T8P-1, the Budd Conestoga and many others on the way.

We are pleased that members Chris Berry and Chris Wood have volunteered to entertain us this evening.  Chris Berry starts off with a brief presentation 'Airliner Interlude' on some of the airlines and airliners that graced the tarmac of U.K. airports in the eighties and nineties.

Following Chris, Chris Wood will take to the floor and present a varied selection of images featuring the Boeing 707.

followed by

'Flying Legends 2013' - by Malcolm Hargreaves

A double bill tonight with Colin Duckworth leading of with a nostalgic look at Airshows at Finningley, North Weald, and the much missed Mildenhall.  Malcolm Hargreaves will then show a selection of images from the Flying legends show at Duxford last summer.

A change of topic for you tonight as we welcome military historian Peter Cunliffe to the Society for the first time.  Peter's topic is the story of the Skoda Works raid on 16/17th April 1943 which comprised of 327 Lancaster and Halifaxes from Bomber Command attacking Plzeň with another 271 aircraft targeting Mannheim.  Peter is the author of a highly regarded book on the subject and I am sure that we are in for an excellent evening.

Several of our members will tonight dust off their favourite slides and present their favourite images from yesteryear.

Further information will be published shortly.

Ken will be well known to some as the proprietor of Air Supply and the author of the recent publication, 'Yeadon Above The Rest', the illustrated history of Leeds/Bradford Airport. 

Ken will tonight tell us more about the publication and give a full illustrated full history of the Airport.

Our famous annual members quiz, compiled by last year's winner, Colin Duckworth

Further details to be published soon.

Stuart recently retired from the Royal Air Force after a career as a pilot flying such diverse types as the Jaguar, Sentry and Domine.  In addition he was a lead Bomber Pilot for the battle of Britain Memorial Flight.  This meeting is open to the Society’s and members’ guests so please invite anyone who might be interested to come along.

Mike started his RAF career on maritime Shackletons before moving on to the Nimrod.

Mike will be detailing his extensive career in the Royal Air Force and briefing us the many aspects of U.K. maritime operations, at home and abroad.

Please Note: Due to operational reasons (beyond our control), the date of this presentation has been moved to the 30th January, 2013

Alan takes us airfields in the Northwest of England other than Manchester, including such exotic spots as Burtonwood and Stretton.

Alan is a fabulous historian and once again, we're delighted to welcome him back.

Please Note: Due to operational reasons (beyond our control), the date of the AGM has been moved to the 16th January, 2013.

The AGM will take its usual form, with a pie and pea supper for all current members in attendance. Please Note, the AGM is open to current members only. 

For further information (AGM), please contact the Society Secretary, Alan Dixon.

The model competition will be organised as in previous years  and will be judged by David Smith (from the International Plastic Modellers Society, Bolton). For information on the type and number of entries, and how to enter, please see the December Newsletter. Alternatively, please contact the Programme Secretary.