The irony of the BoB hall closing while the country dithers about EU membership is exquisite!
Not to acknowledge 'Their finest hour' is nonsensical,as other posters have said it was the RAF's defining moment and the consequences if lost were grim at the least and catastrophic for the allies at worst.
The men and machines of the RAF at that time were the tangible proof that we could hold our own after after series of losses across Europe and Africa, in other words, they gave hope which was in short supply.
I have been to Hendon several times in the past few years and the exhibits and museum do need refreshing, the BoB hall in particular is a bit gloomy and the theme a little jingoistic in my opinion.
I would like to see more on the build-up to the BoB, the 'phony' war, the disaster that was the BEF, to put the BoB into context which might make 'Their finest hour' even finer for those who come to learn.
The RAF museum's vision for the future isn't inspiring IMO, too much is open to interpretation
http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/document...14_to_2019.pdf
Noted that in this document, WW1 to WW11 are viewed as a chapter, whereas I see them as two distinctly separate events in terms of the RAF.
I sincerely hope that the BoB's significance is upheld by the museum, not do so would be a travesty imo.