I took quite a few photos yesterday, but there was rather a high reject rate when I looked at them on the laptop at home. This was probably down to the low light levels, no tripod, and a point-&-shoot digital camera. In the main halls (the 1918 hangers) I found the best results were achieved with the flash turned off, I even managed to get a reasonable photo of the Battle without flash 😮
The Whitley model is from an architect’s model on display. Probably done when the museum was in the planning stages. I think they were a bit optomistic to include another Whitley inside the building too.
The Grahame-White hanger was open as you can see, but while I was in there it didn’t attract too many visitors.
Anyway, here are the ‘best’ of what was left. I expect they duplicate some of the shots that have already been posted on her from other’s visits to Hendon, but hopefully there a few new angles. I do have a few more photos which I will post if there is enough grovelling 😀
Geoff.
By: von Perthes - 9th November 2004 at 08:09
Sorry Phil, but the above photos are the only ones I have from the visit. The rest have deleted due to not being up to standard, i.e. too dark etc.
Geoff.
By: STORMBIRD262 - 9th November 2004 at 05:37
More More Pretty please Geoff.
Thank’s Geoff 😀 , Amazing Photo’s of some great aircraft 😮 , More More Please :p , Any more of the 262 would be nice :rolleyes: , Cheer’s all, :dev2: Tally Ho! Phil. :diablo:
By: trumper - 8th November 2004 at 18:12
‘fraid not, Trumper. There are no original ‘109s airworthy in Europe, only Hispano Buchons, some of which have been re-engined with DBs.
I was’nt just referring to flyable 109’s 😀 ,there are a few 109’s in Europe but for a few brief years Black 6 WAS the most original/only one flying.
By: von Perthes - 8th November 2004 at 17:06
Steve,
You should have seen some of the photos I sadly had to delete!
The shot looking up at the Lanc nose reminded me of the comment you made about Hadyn (?) saying it looked like a face!
Geoff.
By: Arabella-Cox - 8th November 2004 at 10:30
Some great shots there Geoff, especially the rear view of the Me262 and the view looking from the balcony towards the Bomber Command Hall. 🙂
Note to self – go and have another look at Hendon soon…
By: srpatterson - 8th November 2004 at 02:52
Sorry I wasn’t there Geoff, but Mrs. P was still recovering from my last visit (the one without her).
Sorry I didn’t get to your museum. I did make it to Kent, but we only had time to visit Faversham. Funny thing, did you know that they brew beer in Faversham? In fact, Spitfire is brewed there. Amazing what you can stumble across on these little visits. Just thought you’d like to know.
Best wishes,
Steve
By: Flood - 8th November 2004 at 01:27
Great photos alright – I look forward to visiting one day (sigh – so very far away).
Would someone please tell me about the engine/windscreen/undercarriage thing that appears in a couple of the photos. Looks like a Gladiator to me.
Thanks, D
http://forum.airforces.info/showpost.php?p=316875&postcount=47
Flood
By: Smith - 8th November 2004 at 01:20
Great photos alright – I look forward to visiting one day (sigh – so very far away).
Would someone please tell me about the engine/windscreen/undercarriage thing that appears in a couple of the photos. Looks like a Gladiator to me.
Thanks, D
By: Flood - 7th November 2004 at 23:25
Nice to see that the former Omani Hunter PR10 is still out in the open…
Flood
By: trumper - 7th November 2004 at 23:19
The Me 109 in the photos in the desert camo…was it the last airworthy Me 109…..before they decided to put it in a museum?!?!?!?
It was the most original 109 left flying ,certainly in this country.There are others in varying stages of originality now in Europe but Black 6 was the best [in my opinion 😀 ].
Shame it’s been sent to a mausoleum 😡
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 7th November 2004 at 23:01
Nice photos Geoff. It’s a shame that so few people bother to walk over to the GW building – in my view, it’s one of the gems of the collection.
People are generally blinded by sunlight when they come out of the Bomber Command hall and can’t see the GW!
By: Lamps - 7th November 2004 at 21:45
Great photo’s Geoff….I agree with you Robbo as when i went last to the museum, it was packed, and when i got to the GW building it was empty…..definitely a hidden treasure!!!!
The Me 109 in the photos in the desert camo…was it the last airworthy Me 109…..before they decided to put it in a museum?!?!?!?
By: Flood - 7th November 2004 at 16:13
Amazing how technology in restoration has progressed, or perhaps people simply are willing to take the time and expense more these days to get old wrecks back to pristine condition.
And again I’d ask just how much of the original would remain, apart from the identity…
Flood
By: von Perthes - 7th November 2004 at 16:10
I hope to be going again next month Cees
Let me know when you know the date Cees. Perhaps I (& maybe a few of the others) could meet you there?
Geoff.
By: von Perthes - 7th November 2004 at 16:07
Dear old Black 6, I was there for her first ever flight. I know someone who has a nice bit of skin from this aeroplane in his museum (wink wink!)
I wonder who that could be then…….? 😉
Geoff
By: Dave Homewood - 7th November 2004 at 13:00
Indeed it is a very interesting monument. I can see such a recovered artifact playing an important part in telling the story of the aerial battle, but I dear say if it were recovered today it’d go into a restoration hangar and roll out flyble. Amazing how technology in restoration has progressed, or perhaps people simply are willing to take the time and expense more these days to get old wrecks back to pristine condition.
I must have been walking round with ‘cloth eyes’ when I was there, because I’m sure I’d have photographed it if I’d seen it. I can’t even blame it on being in a darkened corner in those days!
By: whalebone - 7th November 2004 at 12:59
The Hurricane is the remains of Geoffrey Maffett’s Hurri (please correct me chaps if I am wrong as this is all from memory as I do not have my books here!). It was recovered in the 80’s IIRC byGeoff Rayner – He wrote a superb book called One Hurricane – One Raid. Poor old Maffett baled out but his chute either failed to open or he was too low. The resulting sculpture is a fantastic tribute to a brave man and the Few.
One Hurricane – One Raid.
It is a superb read, there are a couple on e bay at the moment.
By: HP57 - 7th November 2004 at 12:53
AFAIK the Hurricane has been on display at Hendon since the early eighties. I have seen it when I visited Hendon the first time in 1987 (and it wasn’t the only one having been there many times, I hope to be going again next month). This wreck in itself serves as a very powerful monument to the sacrifice the “few” made during the Battle of Britain.
Cees
By: Dave Homewood - 7th November 2004 at 12:48
Thanks for the Hurricane details. I don’t recall seeing it when I visited in 1993 so I guess it may not have been on display then.
Dear old Black 6, I was there for her first ever flight.
What? Back in the 1940’s? Or post-restoration?
By: Canada TD - 7th November 2004 at 12:37
Some lovely photos, thanks Geoff.
It is nice to see the Bf109G “Black 6” looking so lovely – these are the first photos I’ve seen of it since it crashed.
That Hurricane is a bit worse for ware. What’s the story with that? Mind you, it’s in about the same state as Sir Tim Wallis’s one was when he got it, and his now flies. Looks like Hendon should send it off the Hawker Restorations.
The Hurricane is the remains of Geoffrey Maffett’s Hurri (please correct me chaps if I am wrong as this is all from memory as I do not have my books here!). It was recovered in the 80’s IIRC byGeoff Rayner – He wrote a superb book called One Hurricane – One Raid. Poor old Maffett baled out but his chute either failed to open or he was too low. The resulting sculpture is a fantastic tribute to a brave man and the Few.
Dear old Black 6, I was there for her first ever flight. I know someone who has a nice bit of skin from this aeroplane in his museum (wink wink!)
regards to all….
Sign In
November 7, 2004 at 9:13 am