A Vulcan Bomber, Two Old RAF Boys and a Teacake

Finding inspiration in the most unexpected places.

I spent a morning at Newark Air Museum recently.

Now, before anyone asks, I'm not an aeroplane enthusiast. I don't know my Spitfires from my Hurricanes, and I'm certainly not someone who can identify an aircraft by the sound of its engine.

But I do like looking for inspiration in places I wouldn't normally find myself.

Sometimes that means getting away from the usual routine, putting the phone away for a bit and going somewhere completely different.

And that's how I ended up spending a morning wandering around an air museum in Nottinghamshire.

A Different Kind of Morning

I had a good look around the whole museum, exploring both hangars and the aircraft displayed outside.

There's an incredible amount to take in.

Aircraft of all shapes and sizes, old equipment, engineering, machinery and decades of history. Some beautifully preserved, others proudly showing their age.

And it wasn't necessarily the aircraft themselves that caught my attention.

It was the details.

The weathered paintwork, rows of rivets, faded colours, unusual shapes, old instruments and materials. Things that were designed with a purpose, long before anyone worried about whether they'd look good on Instagram.

There's something fascinating about that.

I found myself taking photographs of things that probably wouldn't interest your average aviation enthusiast. A bit of worn metal here, an unusual colour combination there, a collection of switches and dials that looked like something from another world.

Not because I had any particular use for them.

Just because they caught my eye.

And I think that's an important part of being creative. Sometimes you don't need to know what you're looking for. You just need to keep your eyes open.

Inside the Vulcan

One of the highlights of the morning was getting the opportunity to go inside the enormous Avro Vulcan bomber, XM594.

Standing underneath one of these things is impressive enough, but getting inside is something else entirely.

It's a maze of switches, dials, instruments and equipment. Everywhere you look, there's something going on.

 

I couldn't begin to tell you what half of it does.

Actually, make that about 95% of it.

But what really made the experience special wasn't the aircraft itself.

It was meeting a gentleman called Ray Harris, a former Vulcan pilot.

Ray told me that his last flight in a Vulcan was back in 1980, flying up to Goose Bay in Canada.

1980. 
      

Forty-six years ago.

And there I was, standing inside the type of aircraft he'd once flown, chatting to someone for whom this extraordinary machine had simply been part of his working life.

It's quite something when you think about it.

What looks like an incredible piece of history to me was once somebody else's everyday job.

And Ray had actually been there, doing it.

No museum information board or online article can quite replace hearing a story from someone who experienced it firsthand.

Tea, Teacake and a Couple of Old RAF Boys

After all that exploring, it was time for a cup of tea and a teacake.

And, as it turned out, another highlight of the morning.

While sitting having my brew, I found myself listening to a couple of old RAF lads chatting about their past.

Just two blokes having a conversation.

Remembering people, places and things that had happened years ago.

No big presentation. No rehearsed speech. Just memories being shared over a cup of tea.

And I found it fascinating.

Not because I knew much about what they were discussing, but because I love listening to people who've lived completely different lives from my own.

Everybody has a story.

And sometimes the best ones come from the people sitting at the next table.

I could quite happily have sat there listening for another hour.

Although I might have needed another teacake.

Inspiration Doesn't Always Look Like Inspiration

Running an independent clothing brand means there's always something going on.

New designs, customers, orders, marketing, deadlines, the next collection and a hundred other things competing for space in your head.

It's very easy to get caught up in the same routine.

And when you're constantly surrounded by clothing, design and fashion, it's tempting to look for inspiration in exactly those places.

Other brands. Other designers. Social media. The latest trends.

But I've always thought there's more to creativity than that.

Sometimes you need to go somewhere that has absolutely nothing to do with what you do for a living.

Walk around somewhere unfamiliar.

Look at things differently.

Talk to people you wouldn't normally meet.

Listen to stories that have nothing to do with your own world.

And just see what sticks.

I didn't visit Newark Air Museum expecting to come away with an idea for a new T-shirt, hoodie or collection.

And I'm not suggesting our next design will feature a Vulcan bomber.

But the shapes, the colours, the materials, the craftsmanship and the history all got me thinking.

More importantly, so did the people.

There's something about hearing someone talk with genuine knowledge and passion about their experiences that stays with you.

And perhaps that's where the real inspiration comes from.

Not copying something you've seen, but experiencing something that makes you think a little differently.

A Morning Well Spent

So, did I come away from Newark Air Museum knowing much more about aeroplanes?

Probably not.

Could I now identify a Vulcan's various instruments or explain how the thing actually flies?

Absolutely not.

But I did spend a few hours somewhere completely different.

I saw some incredible pieces of British engineering, explored two hangars and an outdoor collection full of history, went inside a Vulcan bomber and chatted to a man who'd actually flown one.

I listened to a couple of old RAF boys reminiscing about their past.

And I enjoyed a decent cup of tea and a teacake.

More importantly, I came away with a head full of thoughts, photographs and little details that might just find their way into something creative further down the line.

Or they might not.

And that's fine too.

Because not every experience needs to have an immediate purpose.

Sometimes it's just good to get out, look around, meet people and learn something new.

Inspiration can come from anywhere. You just have to be willing to go looking for it.

And if there's a teacake involved, even better.

Andy

Sauce & Brown — One of One Hundred.