Dalek Invasion at Fleet Air Arm Museum

Saturday 18th August to Sunday 19th August 2012 - comments (0)

The number of Daleks descending on the Fleet Air Arm Museum on 18th & 19th August has just increased to include a very rare sighting of an original 1960s Dalek last seen in public in the 1980s.

The Dalek is the most complete surviving example of a 1960s Dr Who TV Series Dalek in existence. It was featured in virtually every episode from 1963 to 1968 as the enemy of the first and second Doctors. William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton. It was probably the first Dalek to speak, uttering the chilling command “You will move ahead of us and follow my directions!”

What is known for certain is that its dome and neck assembly were the ones through which William Hartnell’s head emerged in the one-off 1964 episode The Space Museum. The dome was specially converted to tip up and all the markings of that conversion plus the alterations are evident, as is the configuration of wheels which allow the dome to perform a full 360 degree rotation whilst remaining perfectly centred.

The BBC were short of Daleks for the second adventure and so, for The Dalek Invasion of Earth (1964) two new Daleks were commissioned from Bill Roberts of Shawcraft Engineering. Shawcraft designed the components to be transferable so that if a dome or shoulder failed to function a component from another Dalek could be interchanged to save wasting recording time in studio.

The lower section of the Dalek on display in the Museum comprises the shoulders from one and the skirt/base of the other of these two new Daleks. The shoulder section can clearly be recognised as the one which dramatically emerges from the Thames in The Dalek Invasion of Earth.

The Dalek, valued at an amazing £50,000, along with an original feature film Cyberman costume will be on display at the Museum. A further army of twenty Daleks and their evil accomplices including Davros, Miss Hartigan, Cybermen, Ice Warriors, Pig Slave, Weeping Angel and many more will form the largest gathering of Daleks this side of Planet Gallifrey.

To add to the fun and terror of the day, children are encouraged to wear Sci-Fi fancy dress. Throughout the day there will be a variety of family activities plus a short stage play, entitled “The Master Strikes Back”, an obstacle race and an Audience with the Daleks when you can ask the more friendly Daleks the questions on everybody’s mind such as, “How do you tell the difference between boy and girl Daleks?”

In addition, Dr Who traders and celebrities will add to the occasion. The day will finish with the March of the Daleks when the army of Daleks and their evil friends will parade through the museum ending under Concorde for a giant photo opportunity.

Doors will open to the public from 10.00am and normal museum entry prices will apply. To avoid queuing on the day, tickets will also be available in advance on the museum website and in the Museum Shop.

Fleet Air Arm Museum RNAS Yeovilton Somerset BA22 8HT

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