Duxford - End of Flying Legends airshows
If the Science Museum is anything to go by, "revisualising the interpretation" means aim everything at kids, "press here to learn more" and nobody else matters.
Clearly something that is lost on the 'luvvies' at IWM.
Agree!!
Have been to RIAT - enjoyed it with the NOISE et al., However, it cannot / does not match the 'music' of 'Merlins' and BIG radials et al.......
Whilst I cannot put 'numbers' on it, there are quite a lot who come from 'The Antipodies' simply to attend Duxford - and as many other airshow venues / museums as they can fit in as well.
I know 'we' did!
It IS 'the complete package'.....IMHO.
C'Mon IWM.....Catch up!!!
Have been to RIAT - enjoyed it with the NOISE et al., However, it cannot / does not match the 'music' of 'Merlins' and BIG radials et al.......
Whilst I cannot put 'numbers' on it, there are quite a lot who come from 'The Antipodies' simply to attend Duxford - and as many other airshow venues / museums as they can fit in as well.
I know 'we' did!
It IS 'the complete package'.....IMHO.
C'Mon IWM.....Catch up!!!
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Diversity is now the way of this PC Country.The IWM has fallen in with the dreadful changes to the RAF Museum,I very much doubt that such shows as the Flying Legends will be around anymore!.The Flow has gone and the hard work by the Late Tony Harold and his support team at Hendon is no more.Yes you guessed it ,it is run by a fairly youngish woman,who does not understand Big Boys Toys!!
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There are plenty of airfields that could host the event, but the cost of putting on such an air show is way in excess of any likely income. It certainly doesn’t makes sense to be based at Duxford and hold an air show elsewhere, with development threatening so many other airfield basing elsewhere is precarious.
Most likely opportunities to fly during Duxfords regular events will be offered, using existing crowd control, insurance and traffic arrangements, thereby avoiding expense of special event costs.
Most likely opportunities to fly during Duxfords regular events will be offered, using existing crowd control, insurance and traffic arrangements, thereby avoiding expense of special event costs.
It would be good to know what sort of income came into Flying Legends (pre-online only booking) and what their costs were. By the numbers attending and the price I would be confident they more than broke even. At a museum which, after all, is fully supported by the taxpayer in the first place.
Eye watering costs
It would be good to know what sort of income came into Flying Legends (pre-online only booking) and what their costs were. By the numbers attending and the price I would be confident they more than broke even. At a museum which, after all, is fully supported by the taxpayer in the first place.
The difference between static and flying exampes are a million miles apart in both time and money required,plus the actual unique experience. Shows like Legends have become so normal we forget what effort is required to assemble and operate formations of this type,
In fact you could not put a true cost on it as it requires a large input of enthusiasm and volunteer effort.
You have to have very deep pockets to 'operate' warbirds, and the opportunity for other people to enjoy seeing and hear them fly was a mutual benefit at Duxford.
The difference between static and flying exampes are a million miles apart in both time and money required,plus the actual unique experience. Shows like Legends have become so normal we forget what effort is required to assemble and operate formations of this type,
In fact you could not put a true cost on it as it requires a large input of enthusiasm and volunteer effort.
The difference between static and flying exampes are a million miles apart in both time and money required,plus the actual unique experience. Shows like Legends have become so normal we forget what effort is required to assemble and operate formations of this type,
In fact you could not put a true cost on it as it requires a large input of enthusiasm and volunteer effort.
Just look at the support from some of the US based warbird owners for Legends over the years, in flying stuff over, and with the likes of Steve Hinton participating, as well as the late Horward Pardue, the Friedkin family, Rod Lewis and others, not to mention those from France and Scandanvia, and elsewhere.
Legends is not just TFC, but TFC bringing the worldwide warbird community together at Duxford for one event.
Shame the ladies at IWM are too ignorant to grasp this, but then they are just museum administrators, nothing else.
I sympathise, the same thing happened to both my sister and brother in law a few years ago. It's a time that, despite being state pension only, I'm grateful about being an old fart.
I suspect that, many of them won't be so bothered about dipping into their wallets to take part in a new show that is to be held at a venue without those historic to them connections.
And that's why, when people mention the likes of Sywell and Old Warden etc as venues, or even some others, the lack of a historic connection to a USAAF airbase seems to be lost on many.
Unfortunately we've now lost almost all those bases from an aviation point of view, so that makes the loss of Duxford for Legends much more of an issue to the whole raison d etre of the event, which I think will be lost at almost any other venue that they can move it to.
Cunning Artificer
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I just wonder of the Legends grew too big with so many visiting aircraft? The gate takings don't grow at the same rate and the Legend's share then gets spread too wide, across too many aeroplanes.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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I would have said there weren't quite as many participating aircraft in the last several years, European based aircraft have certainly been fewer I think.
I wonder if Legends should be "rested" for a further year with a view to reassessing Duxford with IWM as a venue for 2022.
I wonder if Legends should be "rested" for a further year with a view to reassessing Duxford with IWM as a venue for 2022.
