View Full Version : RAF Museum Hendon
thunderbird7
29th Jul 2018, 09:13
Visited on Thursday for the first time in 30? years....
Now, call me a grumpy old git but.... I couldn't help but be struck by the fact that despite pushing this whole RAF 100 thing, they haven't finished their re-organisation or displays yet - shouldn't that have all been completed by the time the 'celebratory year' began?
And having been (re-)inspired by the excellent Spitfire film, aired in cinemas recently and equally saddened and yet inspired by the lives and deaths of Geoffrey Wellum, Tom Neill and Mary Ellis, i was expecting an amazing Battle of Britain display..... which isn't finished..
A real shame. The Claude Grahame-White building and WW1 display is excellent and really well put together. The 'old' main building is still full of all the fantastic machines I remember, plus others.... although not finished... But what has happened to the galleries full of paintings and aeronautical memorabilia, all so fascinating to spend time browsing through? Offices now.
The entrance area and 'old' Battle of Britain hall is now a fairly uninspiring display area apart from the Sunderland and the 'new' H6 hangar, 'the RAF in the 90s and a time of uncertainty...wtf?' is poor. The space is badly used and the displays are.... crap. With a pointless USAF replica C130 nose in there. More aircraft could be displayed and it seems to have lost the point of the RAF and is more of a blown up recruiting office for all trades..
..and don't get me started on the mickey mouse logo on the tat in the shop...
Anyway, rant over.
Lima Juliet
29th Jul 2018, 09:37
Grumpy old git - sorry,you did ask :E
The logo, is that the awful green and yellow thing? I really do think that the RAF’s media people are so far wide of the mark at the moment. We seem to be on a race to the bottom where everyone in uniform has to be a ‘hero’ and no one can aspire to excellence amongst the Branches and Trades. We seem so intent on being almost reverse-inclusive where it is almost uncool to be aircrew these days! Further we seem to give BAME and gender too much coverage which then disenfranchises the majority as they rarely get proportionately represented in media and given the ‘good deals’ because they don’t fit the media profile - we are so hungry to grab headlines on this that we are generating internal disgruntlement within our own Service.
NutLoose
29th Jul 2018, 12:26
Says it all really
https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?145417-The-new-RAFM-Hendon-where-have-the-aircraft-gone
Flypast did an interview and they stated they didn't move the Sunderland as it was too fragile, one wondered if they could have would another aircraft have departed.. It does seem to have lost its purpose and the world class collection has been scattered, but to be fair, Cosford has gained from it.
i cannot understand all these plastic replicas either, you do not go to see the national art collections to look at a print hanging on the wall.
NutLoose
29th Jul 2018, 12:33
A lot of the BOfB aircraft are at Cosford now BTW
oldmansquipper
29th Jul 2018, 15:14
Grumpy old git - sorry,you did ask :E
The logo, is that the awful green and yellow thing? I really do think that the RAF’s media people are so far wide of the mark at the moment. We seem to be on a race to the bottom where everyone in uniform has to be a ‘hero’ and no one can aspire to excellence amongst the Branches and Trades. We seem so intent on being almost reverse-inclusive where it is almost uncool to be aircrew these days! Further we seem to give BAME and gender too much coverage which then disenfranchises the majority as they rarely get proportionately represented in media and given the ‘good deals’ because they don’t fit the media profile - we are so hungry to grab headlines on this that we are generating internal disgruntlement within our own Service.
Spot on LJ. However, I would add after "meejah profile" the words ".....and their 'not so' hidden agenda.
the power of propaganda?
thunderbird7
29th Jul 2018, 15:27
Says it all really
https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?145417-The-new-RAFM-Hendon-where-have-the-aircraft-gone
Flypast did an interview and they stated they didn't move the Sunderland as it was too fragile, one wondered if they could have would another aircraft have departed.. It does seem to have lost its purpose and the world class collection has been scattered, but to be fair, Cosford has gained from it.
i cannot understand all these plastic replicas either, you do not go to see the national art collections to look at a print hanging on the wall.
Thanks for that link - seems I'm not the only one then!!
Herod
29th Jul 2018, 17:20
Come to Cosford guys!
beamer
29th Jul 2018, 18:52
Grumpy, I can but agree. I went there a few weeks ago with some friends, none of whom were ex RAF, and all came away very underwhelmed. The new WWI/RFC building is excellent but the rest of the place was very much work in progress with very little sense of purpose. Even the shop seemed to be full of tat whilst the small cafe was very expensive.
On the assumption that building land is far more valuable in North London than Lincolnshire, why not move the whole collection up to Scampton, keep the Sparrows there and move the BOB Flt in from Coningsby and turn the place into a living and breathing museum.
jindabyne
29th Jul 2018, 20:35
Going there in October with an esteemed RAF Air Cdre and a retired RAAF chap. Will report back.
Following a dialogue that I had with the museum about a year ago, over a free donation of my paintings, I am not anticipating a warm reception.
Strange bunch.
retreating blade
29th Jul 2018, 20:49
I last visited some ten years ago and was delighted to see a Whirlwind Mk10 on display that I last flew in Cyprus in 1970. That made me feel very old! Wonder where it is now?
Pedro.
NutLoose
29th Jul 2018, 23:04
I last visited some ten years ago and was delighted to see a Whirlwind Mk10 on display that I last flew in Cyprus in 1970. That made me feel very old! Wonder where it is now?
Pedro.
Still there it seems
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/westland-whirlwind-har-10/
jindabyne
30th Jul 2018, 08:42
BGG
Undeserved comment old chap. They owe me absolutely nothing.- quite the reverse.
Davef68
30th Jul 2018, 12:13
What you are seeing is the very definite change in direction after the departure of the last Director General (Rumoured to be related to the Egyptian P-40 situation) and the appointment of a new CEO with no military background, but a strong 'social history' CV.
Presumably the Trustees felt they needed to do something to make the Museum more 'relevant' to today's audience, hence the shift to look at the people as well as the equipment, and associate the equipment with the people who operated it.
I'm not sure I like it, but if it secures the long term financial viability of the Museum then we have to suck it and see.
Mortmeister
30th Jul 2018, 14:31
Interesting one this. I have never been to Hendon, but was seriously considering the idea of a visit. Having been 'educated' at Cosford I thought I should check out the supposedly 'senior' museum.
Have they really got plastic replicas at Hendon?
Might have to re-visit Cosford in September then!
Davef68
30th Jul 2018, 15:17
Have they really got plastic replicas at Hendon?
Only the F35 I think, plus some very good WW1 replicas built 'as new'
NutLoose
30th Jul 2018, 15:52
Some of the WW1 ones were done in NZ and flown I think using some original parts.
It's Not Working
30th Jul 2018, 16:35
Some of the WW1 ones were done in NZ and flown I think using some original parts.
Would that be at Wigram? I did an exchange there in the 80s during which I had a good look around the museum and behind the scenes where there were a bunch of, let’s call them, 'senior riggers' doing stuff with wood and string I’d only ever seen in pictures. They really knew how to display aircraft as well, each was displayed in various states of repair/readiness telling its own little story. I understand Wigram has gone, did the museum survive?
NutLoose
30th Jul 2018, 16:49
Here you go
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/whats-going-on/news/snipe-albatross-re-8-unveiled-by-raf-museum/
http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/about-us
It's Not Working
30th Jul 2018, 17:55
Thanks Nutloose. TVAL, wow, what a place to work that would be.
Put an experienced ex-military person in charge instead of these ignorant non-understanding idiots.
oldmansquipper
30th Jul 2018, 21:19
Sadly U.K. Military museums are being turned into theme parks. Little respect left.
However, elsewhere......
https://www.forces.net/news/germany-highlights-forgotten-base-raf-celebrates-centenary
In which Rod Hawkins makes a very valid point. The fact that Laarbruch is described as a "forgotten base" says it all.
IMHO, The Laarbruch museum is a bit special and well worth a visit. Ex Servicemen and women are assured of a very warm welcome.
reynoldsno1
30th Jul 2018, 23:13
I understand Wigram has gone, did the museum survive?
Yes, it did
https://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/
NutLoose
30th Jul 2018, 23:40
Thanks Nutloose. TVAL, wow, what a place to work that would be.
Yes it is owned by Peter Jackson the film director of Lord of the Rings, he also owns the model company mentioned too.
heights good
31st Jul 2018, 14:44
Well I have to disagree, I really enjoyed Hemdon nd have been twice in the last 4 yrs. My young son loved it also.
my only criticism is the cafe which had a pretty poor selection.