OVER 700 children descended on Imperial War Museum Duxford for a fun-packed day of hands-on science activities. As part of National Science and Engineering Week, the event was organised by the museum s department for learning. The Science Connections DUXF

OVER 700 children descended on Imperial War Museum Duxford for a fun-packed day of hands-on science activities.

As part of National Science and Engineering Week, the event was organised by the museum's department for learning.

The Science Connections DUXFORD event took place in AirSpace, Duxford's education award-winning exhibition and introduced children to rockets, model aeroplanes and the scientific nature of air.

There was an introductory demonstration, and then children had a go at designing, building and testing pneumatically powered rockets capable of leaving a launch pad in excess of 100mph and climbing to over 100m.

They also learnt how to assemble a large model aeroplane and to find out how they fly and are controlled.

Putting all of this fun activity into context, children then learnt about The Nature of Air, how it behaves and how it can be harnessed for flying.

The children also found out about parachutes from members of the newly opened Airborne Forces Museum and had a chance to make their own.

Other activities included the history of jet engines, making paper aeroplanes and using flight simulators, learning about survival in the polar regions, ariel photography, codes and ciphers, explosives, aircraft conservation, forces and motion, and structures.

Children also had the opportunity to meet and interact with re-enactors representing George Cayley, 18th century pioneer of aeronautical engineering, Percy Pilcher, designer of the famous Pilcher Hawk glider in the 1890s and astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

This event is part of a packed programme of learning activities at Duxford. Further information is available at www.iwm.org.uk/duxford or by calling the department for learning on 01223 499 342.