This contribution deals with an experiment al aero-thermal investigation of a highly loaded transonic turbine nozzle guide vane mounted in a linear cascade arrangement. The measurements were performed in the von Karman Institute short duration Isentropic Light Piston Compression Tube facility, allowing a correct simulation of Mach and Reynolds numbers as well as of the gas to wall temperature ratio compared to the values currently observed in modern aero engines. The experimental programme consisted of flow periodicity checks by means of wall static pressure measurements and Schlieren flow visualizations, blade velocity distribution measurements by means of static pressure tappings, blade convective heat transfer measurements by means of platinum thin films, downstream loss coefficient and exit flow angle determinations by using a new fast traversing mechanism and freestream turbulence intensity and spectrum measurements. These different measurements were performed for several combinations of the freestream flow parameters looking at the relative effects on the aerodynamic blade performance and blade convective heat transfer of Mach number, Reynolds number and freestream turbulence intensity.