Jim has been speaking on cruise lines as an Aviation Historian for several years and has travelled to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Canaries, Madeira, Europe and Round the British Isles with various cruise lines. Cruiselines report that he keeps the theatre full. Jim is able to add destination aspects to his talks. He has found aviation is very popular on cruiselines.

Jim started his RAF service by studying electronics for three years in radar and wireless and was then commissioned into the flying branch. He flew for five years as an Air Electronics Officer on 617 (Dambusters) squadron with the Avro Vulcan aircraft, met Barnes Wallis with the Dambusters and has researched the dams raid. He was then seconded to the Army for three years as a Forward Air Controller supporting the army with NATO jets from his armoured Ferret Scout Car. Returning to the Royal Air Force he flew for five years in his second cold war bomber the Handley Page Victor on in flight air to air refuelling operations. Finally, he became an RAF specialist in Electronic Warfare – the technology to detect and jam radar systems.

His latter career in Industry was in marketing and he was a Marketing Director at GEC Marconi in IT systems. Jim has a wealth of aviation knowledge and speaks on subjects from Chinese lanterns to space technology. What he does welcome are aviation stories and experiences from the audience which always adds to the presentation and his knowledge.

Jim Barnes Expanded Talk Explanation

1. The Peoples' Vulcan Bomber - in readiness for action
Jim Barnes relates the story of how the iconic Vulcan bomber came to be one of Britain’s greatest technical achievements, how it was going to be used in the Cold War and the challenge of getting the Vulcan back into the air for air shows. There is also the Vulcan’s participation in the Falklands war. Jim illustrates his talk with video clips and some unique slides.

2. Women take Over - that superior race! - Those Magnificent Women in their Flying Machines.
Come and listen to Aviation Historian Jim Barnes tell the story of how some very courageous and talented women contributed to their country when the men disappeared. Jim compares the success of the Air Transport Auxiliary women with the unhappy story of the Women’s Air Service Pilots and how women became expert in flying and instructing on fighters and bombers like the Spitfire and Lancaster – yes superior to men!

3. The amazing Engineer Barnes Wallis – Airships a bouncing bomb and the Norwegian Fjords Escapade.
Aviation Historian Jim Barnes started his flying career on 617 (Dambusters Squadron) and met Barnes Wallis and a number of the Dambusters. The presentation describes this most remarkable British engineer who designed Airships, a bouncing bomb and heavy precision bombs before designing swing wing aircraft. Jim has researched the Dams raid and met with the Barnes Wallis family. He includes the topical chase of the Tirpitz in the Norwegian Fjords and the Norwegian campaign.

4. The Story of Concorde from Success to Demise
Jim Barnes traces the British and French development of this Iconic Supersonic Transport. From political agreement to technical achievement and profit. He concludes with the crash that should never have happened and the human errors that contributed. How Concorde flew again and even a hint that it may be resurrected and yes, take to the skies again!

5. The mysterious disappearance of Amy and Amelia - Women in Aviation - they're better than men!
There can be no doubt that women have made a big impact on aviation. Aviation Historian Jim Barnes looks at the way women made world news and innovation in the story of flying. Amy Johnson and Amelia Earhart to the Red Arrows bring that ‘superior race’ into why they are better than men and the many ‘firsts’ they achieved in the air and in engineering as women in aviation.

6. Fascinating Tales from Balloons, Barnstormers, famous British and German Pilots who developed the fighter.
So where did aviation start? Aviation Historian Jim Barnes tells the story of balloons to the pioneering work of the German Air Force and Royal Flying Corps 100 years ago. The talk includes development of what was a new element in 1914 – the aeroplane and the new dimension ‘Air Power’ what was Great Britain’s and Germany’s achievement? Much has been written but we look at the most interesting stories of men and their machines.

7. Great Britain – we invented the Jet engine and led the world in Aviation
Jim Barnes traces the all British invention of the jet engine by Sir Frank Whittle and how we showed the world the first airliners and became early industry leaders in aviation which further led us to some exceptional developments in propulsion. We take a look at Britain’s latest invention which will take you anywhere in the world in less than four hours: lunch in Sydney, anyone?

8. Destination Falklands - Air to Air refuelling development and the Handley Page Victor Tanker.
The history of Air to Air refuelling in the early 1900’s to the Falkland conflict and the remarkable story of getting a Vulcan Bomber to Port Stanley and back is the subject of Aviation Historian Jim Barnes’s talk. Jim relates from his five years spent on air to air refuelling operations with the Handley Page Victor and where air to air refuelling started. The Falklands Victor refuelling was the greatest transfer of fuel by the most sophisticated Cold War aircraft and the longest Cold War bomber in RAF service.

9. So how did we get into flying and where are we now? Anecdotes for cruisers
Aviation Historian Jim Barnes presents the development of flight from 400 BC, Sam Cody’s first Army aeroplane, aircraft which were world beaters to Concorde and the space race. He also reveals the latest plans for high speed travel and living on Mars.

Jim has been cruising for six years and has experience with Fred Olsen, P & O and SAGA cruise lines. Feedback from cruise lines is that' he always keeps a full theatre even in good weather'.
Jim Barnes Cruise Experience

Fred Olsen
24 Sep 2012 Boudica Southampton Western Med Southampton
18th Oct Balmoral Barcelona Mallorca Gibraltar
L1703 13th Mar 2017 Balmoral Bermuda Azores Southampton
W1919 12th June 2019 Balmoral Liverpool Norwegian Fjords

P & O
E501 14th Jan 2015 Oceana Roseau Dominique Azores Southampton

SAGA
5th Oct 2016 Pearl 11 Southampton Canaries.

CMV
20 Dec 2015 Magellan Tilbury Canaries Tilbury
16 Apr 2016 Marco Polo Tilbury Round Great Britain and Honfleur
P728 12th Dec 2017 Marco Polo Bristol Canaries Madeira
C808 15th May 2018 Columbria Tilbury British Isles Discovery
R902 15th Mar 2019 Astoria Bristol British Isles Discovery

Jim is also an experienced tour escort with each of his lines and is known for his personality in hosting cruise passengers on excursions

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.