Just back from Hendon. I felt like meeting a ex girlfriend who you once loved very much and after several years you meet again and you are massively disappointed and long for the past. 

I must have been to Hendon 30+ times over 43 years and it gets less exciting each time. Quiet when I got there just after 10, but busy by 11. I largely avoided Hangar 1, it is not a museum really. Hangar 6 (Grahame-White) was a good as ever and thankfully quiet. I still love to wonder how the Fe2b and Gunbus ever flew let alone fought a war! Hangar 5 still seems half empty and just full of screens. They could really do with at least a Tucano and a Puma in here. 

Of the original hangars there are still small pieces of pleasure to be found. In a small area near the entrance is a lonely cabinet that contains some legendary trophies. Although not RAF linked here is the original Hendon aerial derby trophy from 1919, the MacRobertson and Schlesinger  race trophies plus several others, all priceless. The area that detailed Hendon’s history has gone, galleries are still empty. The EH101 has mostly gone, still some bits around like the tail rotor. That leaves a big gap ad there is a big gap in front of the Lanc  as the cafe has gone from that area. The bomber hall has improved since my last visit. In some ways anyway. The entire exhibition that covered the USAAF has sadly gone. Now very little exhibition material about Bomber Command and WW2.

It feels like the museum is being sanitized of anything that related to wars and conflict. The aircraft are largely in great condition and nicely displayed, they just mostly lack context. For instance some still have the display boards from the 80’s/90’s that are much more detailed. The new boards are dumbed down with little aircraft history. I want to know which squadrons, and where, they served. But I am a geek after all.

Rob