In 1914 the RNAS was a new branch of the Navy. It worked with the latest technology and actively recruited men with engineering backgrounds in order to maintain its aircraft and engines.

The Royal Naval Armoured Car Division used an RNAS depot at Wormwood Scrubbs, in London, and started adapting commandeered motor car chassis. These were predominantly Rolls-Royce, Talbot, Wolseley and later Lancaster. *

*from a signboard next to the armoured car

The original Short S27 was equipped with a Gnome rotary engine. This replica in the Fleet Air Arm Museum is fitted with a similar Gnome Le Rhone engine and representative propeller to illustrate the appearance of the aircraft in service.*

Early aircraft wings were usually covered with a fabric such as linen. This fabric was painted with a special paint called dope to seal the fabric. If you added too many layers of dope the aircraft would be to heavy to take off!

Both sides in WW1 developed incendiary bullets that would set fire to fabric covered wings. As engines tended to leak oil and fuel and the wings are very flammable this could leave you in the hot seat if you were hit. *

Dashboard & Wicker Seat, Westgate Seaplane Station

These items came from unknown World War 1 aircraft based at the Seaplane Station in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent.

The dials have been removed, but the engravings can still be seen on the dashboard. Once removed from the aircraft the dashboard appears to have been converted for domestic use. The added sections look to have been made to hold stationery!

Seats in WW1 aircraft were made from light and weatherproof material, It is likely the pilot would have had a cushion to sit on. This would have been made of leather and padded with light material, such as horsehair and fabric.*

*information provided next to the exhibit

• More information on the Short S27 can be found here.

We awoke to glorious sunshine and made our way down to the breakfast room. I was pleasantly surprised to find that some items were available to select from the buffet rather than to order. This included a fresh fruit salad served in a sealed Kilner jar. The fresh fruit option is one of my favourite breakfast choices when I am on holiday. A full cooked breakfast was available to order but, as usual, I only selected a few items from the menu.

Suitably replete, we set off towards the Fleet Air Arm Museum for which had booked a ticket and timeslot as required by current Covid-19 restrictions. We had time to kill so we drove past the museum ending up in the delightful village of Huish Episcopi. Mr C parked to allow me a photo opportunity of the church. Whilst deciding on the best angle to photograph the church, I noticed the war memorial and and a sign that indicated we were only a few miles away from Muchelney Abbey, a place  we enjoyed on our previous stay in Sherborne.

After taking advantage of my photo opportunity we returned to Fleet Air Arm Museum where we spent over three hours. My favourite items in the museum were; the Short ST17 with its flimsy wings and rattan bucket seat (a crazy prospect for flying) and a Concorde prototype which we were able to board and observe how tiny the cabin compartment is.

We had lunch in the museum before heading towards Glastonbury with a view to walking up to the Tor or perhaps visit the Chalice Well Garden. We quickly changed our mind when we saw how busy both Glastonbury and the Tor were. There was a queue to visit the well and a swarm of people looking like ants on Glastonbury Tor.

We had a rethink and drove to Burrow Mump where we climbed to see the ruins of St Michael’s church and the spectacular views from the top of the mound. After this adventure it was time to return to our hotel and freshen up before our evening meal in The Grange Hotel at Oborne. It was a fine dining experience; I chose Duck Leg with fondant potato and spicy red cabbage, followed by Chocolate Torte with Orange and Berries. There was a slight hiccup with the wine not arriving at the table but when we pointed this out the wine arrived within moments. We loved the place so much that we would like to stay there when we next visit the area.

We returned to the Eastbury where we got chatting to a couple about life, lockdown and that they were staying in the Eastbury due to winning a prize that including a stay in the other hotels in the Peter de Savary collection. From our conversation it seems that everyone has experienced the same trials and tribulations that working from home entails and the same losses and isolations due to Covid-19.