RAF Hendon Battle of Britain hall closing
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nnnaaaa - it's not "political correctness gone mad"
far more likely you get a new boss and he/she just wants to change everything to show "they've made a diference"
happens in all walks of life (unfortunately)
In 6-7 years time the next new boss will bring it all back again......
far more likely you get a new boss and he/she just wants to change everything to show "they've made a diference"
happens in all walks of life (unfortunately)
In 6-7 years time the next new boss will bring it all back again......
Let's hope that you are right, HH. The real test will be if there is a move to do the same with the Bomber Hall, a far more contentious issue. If that does happen then I would suspect that PC is indeed a factor.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
FB, the Cold War is not PC either as many of our new friends were targets. A Google image of a target with DGZ was deemed inadmissible as it was in a 'friendly' State.
Met a Latvian a few years ago, they were in their 20s then and had no idea that their capital was a principal target. They couldn't grasp the idea at all.
Met a Latvian a few years ago, they were in their 20s then and had no idea that their capital was a principal target. They couldn't grasp the idea at all.
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Through extensive consultation, the Museum has examined and reviewed its visitors engagement with its exhibitions. This has led to the commitment to provide broader context and richer narrative to its interpretation in order to tell the story of the Royal Air Force.
"Richer narrative" do f off..
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Newt, I heard years ago they had a complete set of rare original manual donated, they copied every page onto their digital archive then destroyed the originals. Not cool.
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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.
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.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
In my case the seeds were probably sown when my uncle gave me his aircraft recognition cards. The Japanese ones were hard - I remember the Betty. I had Allied and German and Allied Pacific as well. Wonder what they would be worth.
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Sorry, but trying to tie with this in with the EU referendum is ridiculous. And so is going on about political correctness.
As said, it's a new broom, one who does not quite grasp the significance of the Battle of Britain admittedly, but there you go. The entire Hendon site needs a facelift, reshuffle and complete spruce up, and in the absence of merging them into a single location RAFM would do better to look at how their two sites can tell the RAF story in collaboration rather than try to tell the same story twice. For example, there is the Cold War museum at Cosford, so why try to re-tell it at Hendon?
But yes, losing the Battle of Britain hall is very unfortunate and definitely to be regretted.
As said, it's a new broom, one who does not quite grasp the significance of the Battle of Britain admittedly, but there you go. The entire Hendon site needs a facelift, reshuffle and complete spruce up, and in the absence of merging them into a single location RAFM would do better to look at how their two sites can tell the RAF story in collaboration rather than try to tell the same story twice. For example, there is the Cold War museum at Cosford, so why try to re-tell it at Hendon?
But yes, losing the Battle of Britain hall is very unfortunate and definitely to be regretted.
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Sir Glenn Torpy is the chairman of the RAFM, however I suspect the change is being driven by Maggie Appleton as the newish CEO.
It's a museum and trustees should recognise heritage, the significance of artefacts and events and put them in their proper perspective.
It's a museum and trustees should recognise heritage, the significance of artefacts and events and put them in their proper perspective.
From Linked in:
Before joining the Royal Air Force Museum in January 2015, Maggie worked in Luton for 12 years, for six as Director of Museums and latterly as the Chief Executive of Luton Culture, the charity that comprises the arts, libraries, community centres and museums in the town. Her previous roles were in Stevenage and at the Royal Armouries.
Maggie led the consultation, fundraising and development of the HLF funded Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton that opened in 2008 and welcomes over 200,000 visitors a year. She was also responsible for securing the medieval Wenlok Jug for the UK after it was export stopped in 2006..
Before joining the Royal Air Force Museum in January 2015, Maggie worked in Luton for 12 years, for six as Director of Museums and latterly as the Chief Executive of Luton Culture, the charity that comprises the arts, libraries, community centres and museums in the town. Her previous roles were in Stevenage and at the Royal Armouries.
Maggie led the consultation, fundraising and development of the HLF funded Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton that opened in 2008 and welcomes over 200,000 visitors a year. She was also responsible for securing the medieval Wenlok Jug for the UK after it was export stopped in 2006..
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so you get a pro to run the museum............. nothing wrong in that (and I supect getting the good people of Luton into any cultural building must have been a great challenge)
Lets just see what happens going forward
Lets just see what happens going forward
But what does this fragrant lady know about the spirit and history of the Royal air Force - tiddley-squit is seems. If someone has Glenn Torpy's ear can he not be persuaded to tell her what is what over a G&T
Wander. If you go to her Linked in site , you will probably also get up details of a number of her various and highly qualified team running the show....
(Don't expect to find anybody with whom you have been acquainted though )
(Don't expect to find anybody with whom you have been acquainted though )
Last edited by Haraka; 7th Jun 2016 at 06:03.
I think what caused disgust was that for the last few months the aircraft there were dismantled 'so that we can determine how much if any restoration is required.' This was an underhand way to prepare them for removal. I wonder what will happen to the central memorial, a crashed Hurricane in which a pilot died. Will it be put in store or worse as a 'piece of junk'?
mmitch.
mmitch.
I don't doubt they are highly qualified "museum" people, but surely in the same way that a natural history museum would need some appreciation of natural history, running the RAF Museum surely need an appreciation of RAF and military history, and aviation - where Michael Fopp did such a good job (Standing by for incoming.....)