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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. 

11th November 2025

Robin Evans – In the Slipstream of Alcock and Brown

Robin Evans is a professional pilot and tonight retraces Alcock & Brown's 1919 transatlantic crossing from primary sources. Rendering two modest men back into life as a professional descendant and uncovering the myths that have circulated over the years

 

9th December 2025

Professor Fiona Clark – Electronic Warfare in Today's Conflicts

Professor Fiona Clark is Head of Capability, Electronic Warfare (EW) at Leonardo Electronics.  Tonight she describes for us the ability to use the electromagnetic spectrum to sense, analyse and identify enemy signals, as well as to disrupt, degrade or deny the adversaries' ability to benefit from use of the spectrum. The Ukraine conflict has demonstrated both sides’ reliance on EW equipment, and the need for rapidly changeable capability. This lecture will give an overview of the subject of EW:  why it’s needed, what it is, how it’s done and will leave the audience with thoughts for future developments

13th January 2026

Aldon Ferguson - RAF Eagle Squadrons

Three RAF fighter squadrons (Nos 71, 121 and 133) were manned entirely by volunteer US pilots prior to USA joining WWII.  Renowned military historian Aldon Ferguson shares details of who and why they volunteered, their training and operational flying and mutual hate of Nazis.  The Eagle Squadrons virtually missed the Battle of Britain but were encouraged by its success.  The entry of the US into WWII caused the three squadrons to be absorbed into the USAAC at RAF Debden, Essex in September 1942.  Although active for only a short time they were credited with 41 enemy aircraft destroyed by 71 Sqn, 18 by 121 Sqn and 14½ by 133 Sqn.

10th February 2026

John Day - Racing to Victory

The Schneider Seaplane Races, held between WW1 and WW2, played a pivotal role in ensuring Britain had the fast aircraft needed to win the Battle of Britain.  To win the Schneider Trophy race three times Britain developed powerful and reliable engines and learnt how to design high-speed monoplane aircraft. These advances in technology were adapted and implemented in the RR Merlin Engine, the Supermarine Spitfire and the Hawker Hurricane.

The talk includes many period photos and personal reminiscences of our speaker John Day, who was a Hawker Aircraft Apprentice and his Father who was employed by Hawkers for 50 years

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....

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