Originally Posted by
tucumseh
Things may have changed over the years, but if I recall the RNHF was not funded by MoD in the same way BBMF is. I know I was told it was ok to support them (with kit) but don't put in in writing... They were given what we could do without, but weren't included in LTC bids. In that sense they were treated much the same as apprentice training schools, whose trainees loved the opportunity to do some work in the various museums. If we still had apprentices, I'd say amalgamate.
i think you are right Tuc. Also, for RAF
PR the BBMF is only joined by the Red Arrows and now a very small handful of RAF display types (Chinook, Tutor and Typhoon). Add to that the Falcons, QCS and the RAF Bands then that is it. Whereas the RN has the Black Cats, RN Parachute Display Team, Royal Marines Commando Display Teams, HMS Victory, Royal Navy Field Gun teams, Royal Marines Bands, Mast Manning Display Teams and then the Historic Flight. Seeing as flying is not the RN’s core business it is not surprising that it chooses to fund the RNHF via seperate means.
Moving onto the BBMF, it is incredibly cheap for what it provides for the RAF, far more so than the Reds. That said, the Reds are also an important part of the RAF’s
PR and also for international outreach. So trying to compare the RNHF’s importance to the RN to that of the BBMF to the RAF is not really a fair comparison in my humble opinion.