top of page
Lecture Programme :

All lectures are held (unless otherwise stated) during our monthly meetings at our Kents Hill Community Centre venue (see the 'Contact Us' page for full details).

Doors open at 19.30 for a 20.00 start. 

Please see change of venue and time for the May lecture only

10th March 2026

MKAS AGM & Photo Competition

14th April 2026

Rod Dean - Grumman Piston Engine Fighters

Rod Dean returns with the history of the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation’s piston engine fighters. The first aircraft it built for the U S Navy was the 1931 two seat biplane fighter FF-1.  Despite being two seat, the FF-1 was faster than the current U S Navy single seat fighter, the Boeing F4B-1, by virtue of it’s Grumman designed retractable undercarriage.  This was the start of a very long association between Grumman and the US Navy, primarily with fighters – from the FF-1 through to the final F-14 swing wing jet fighter – but also various attack and support aircraft

​See more....

12th May 2026

MKAS Signature Lecture - Women in Aerial Combat

MKAS are proud to present a special evening with award winning author Clare Mulley and Shuttleworth Collection keynote speaker Debbie Land looking back at the remarkable experiences of women who served in the air forces of Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia

Please note this event will be held at The Hunt House, Paulerspury at the earlier time of 7.15pm.

No charge for MKAS members, visitors £10.00.  Pre-booking essential - please contact Chris Bosworth on cj.bos@ntlworld.com

See more....

9th June 2026

Alistair Hodgson - The de Havilland Aircraft Company - Hertfordshire's Contribution to Aviation History

Alistair Hodgson, Curator of the Hatfield Bunker looks at the life and career of Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, starting from his earliest flights to the global business that he established at his factory in Hatfield. The company eventually became part of the Hawker Siddeley Group and subsequently British Aerospace before the Hatfield factory closed in 1994.  We finish by taking a look at how all that history is still being commemorated in de Havilland's original Headquarters building today

14th July 2026

Sally Smith – 'Magnificent Women and Flying Machines'

Based on her book of the same name, author and journalist Sally Smith tells the stories of the pioneering women who achieved real firsts in various forms of aviation.  In ballooning, parachuting, gliding, airships and fixed-wing flight – right up to a trip to the International Space Station.  This is an entertaining look at Britain's wonderful women of the air

11th August 2026

Sharon Ward - 'Hello Stanmore, Dover Calling - New Raid'

Personnel working at coastal radar stations and in the filter room gave Fighter Command essential warning of the approach of enemy raids during the Battle of Britain.

Bentley Priory volunteer Sharon Ward will explain what they did and how they did it

8th September 2026

Gerry Manning - 'Pure Nostalgia!'

Well-travelled aviation photographer Gerry Manning tonight takes us back to the 1960’s and 70’s with a wealth of civil and military photographs from that era.  These were collected by Gerry from various airshows and airports during a time when aircraft had some character!

bottom of page