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Aviation nerd in London, England. What to see?

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Aviation nerd in London, England. What to see?

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Old 18th Dec 2022, 21:09
  #41 (permalink)  
 
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He's coming for a week, including Christmas, not a month.
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Old 18th Dec 2022, 23:28
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Is the collection just north of Gatwick still there? Fabulous visit if it is.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 00:01
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I was also going to mention the Cabinet War Rooms. Also, before you go, take a look at www.bombsite.org - It's a website showing locations of bomb damage from WWII (though it looks like it's not working at the moment)

When you walk up Exhibition Row to see the Science Museum, look at the stone walls of the buildings around you and how there are big chunks missing from the stone in places ... then go and look up that location on bombsite.org
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 01:29
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Many are recommending Hendon but the OP has been there, done that, he says.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 01:50
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Originally Posted by Brutha
Yes, to second other recommendations, the Science museum is worth a look. It's not the Smithsonian, but they have at least one really historic aircraft, the Vickers Vimy that Alcock and Brown crossed the Atlantic in
Make that two - the Supermarine S.6B that won the Schneider Trophy in 1931. Also on display is the trophy itself - without doubt the ugliest trophy I've ever seen!

The Schneider Trophy is a sculpture of silver and bronze set on a marble base. It depicts a zephyr skimming the waves, and a nude winged figure is seen kissing a zephyr recumbent on a breaking wave. The heads of two other zephyrs and of Neptune, the god of the Sea, can be seen surrounded by octopus and crabs. The symbolism represents speed conquering the elements of sea and air.
The description doesn't do it justice - you have to see it to appreciate it.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 06:08
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Gatwick Aviation Museum is still there and thriving, sadly it's closed from 19 Dec to Jan 5.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 08:20
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The Science Museum has so many historic aircraft - the S6B, the Vimy, the Spitfire/Hurricane pair, the P1127, the Gloster Whittle., the sole surviving Fokker monoplane The only downside is the presentation - so much packed into a relatively small area, and the ceiling/walls painted a really dark blue.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 08:38
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Amy Johnson's DH60 "Jason" too, showing that Amelia Earhart wasn't the only daring aviatrix in the '30s.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 09:06
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Apollo 10 is still there I believe
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 11:09
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Has to be Duxford!
Both the amazing American museum and the British ‘superhangar’ are worth going for just by themselves. Also, as mentioned, the Land Warfare museum is excellent, as is the Airborne Forces museum.

Best way is from Liverpool St to Cambridge-probably quickest to get off at Whittlesford and pre-arrange a taxi.
You will need a whole day…..

You will not be disappointed!
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 12:14
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Originally Posted by meleagertoo
They would be no better informed if they believed that Alcock and Brown were the first either...
I always thought they did the first non-stop one; did I miss something?
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 15:37
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Originally Posted by Brutha
I always thought they did the first non-stop one; did I miss something?
They did. You didn't.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 15:39
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An RAF airship (L.34?) beat them by a few months, but they were the first non-stop in an aeroplane.

The US Navy beat them too but it took them three and a bit weeks, lots of stops and lots of aircraft.

I think I read once that far from being the first, as many Americans believe, Lindbergh was actually the 127th to cross the Atlantic by air.
It's a strange number to pull out of thin air so it could be right...
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 15:42
  #54 (permalink)  
 
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All these recommendations for Duxford, Old Warden etc. assume that the trains are going to be running to get there, and even more importantly, get back again.
I wouldn't even consider anywhere reliant on mainline trains.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 17:17
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Originally Posted by DHfan
An RAF airship (L.34?) beat them by a few months, but they were the first non-stop in an aeroplane.
No, Alcock and Brown were the first non-stop, period.

They landed in Galway on 15th June 1919; L34's crossing (from east to west) took place on 2-6 July 1919.

The airship did, however make a return flight to the UK a few days after arriving in New York, so can claim to have made the first transatlantic return flight.
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 17:58
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Originally Posted by DHfan
All these recommendations for Duxford, Old Warden etc. assume that the trains are going to be running to get there, and even more importantly, get back again.
I wouldn't even consider anywhere reliant on mainline trains.

They don't assume that, they all recommend to verify .
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 19:05
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Originally Posted by DHfan
This would be a good idea as many of the OP's countrymen believe that Lindbergh was the first to cross the Atlantic by air.
Originally Posted by Brutha
I always thought they did the first non-stop one; did I miss something?
So they were, but there's a critical difference between that and the post you were responding to which was re 'the first to cross by air'. No mention there of solo...
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Old 19th Dec 2022, 19:45
  #58 (permalink)  
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Closed until Jan 7th, but maybe other interested people are reading:

https://www.wingsmuseum.co.uk/
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Old 20th Dec 2022, 03:52
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What if it turns out to be a nice warm sunny day and you like general aviation. You could go to White Waltham. I flew a Slingsby and a PA-28 out of there with an instructor several times. Or you could just watch(and see if you can peek at the interesting aircraft in the hangars) and grab a snack at the flying club or...........

.....spend some real money on a Spitfire ride at Biggen Hill(or just take the very good tour of their facilities and watch other people paying for Spitfire rides).
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Old 20th Dec 2022, 08:23
  #60 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by DaveReidUK
No, Alcock and Brown were the first non-stop, period.

They landed in Galway on 15th June 1919; L34's crossing (from east to west) took place on 2-6 July 1919.

The airship did, however make a return flight to the UK a few days after arriving in New York, so can claim to have made the first transatlantic return flight.
That will teach me to rely on memory - and I only looked it up a a couple of days ago...
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