RAF Museum Hendon
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RAF Museum Hendon
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.
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.
Grumpy old git - sorry,you did ask 
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.
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.
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Says it all really
https://forum.keypublishing.com/show...-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.
https://forum.keypublishing.com/show...-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.
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A lot of the BOfB aircraft are at Cosford now BTW
Grumpy old git - sorry,you did ask
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.
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?
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Says it all really
https://forum.keypublishing.com/show...-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.
https://forum.keypublishing.com/show...-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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
Pedro.
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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.
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.
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!
Have they really got plastic replicas at Hendon?
Might have to re-visit Cosford in September then!
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Some of the WW1 ones were done in NZ and flown I think using some original parts.
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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?
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