Aviation museum ideas?

Good to see you yesterday Steve – will keep mum about the SF scheme – inspired! Dont know if you got my text….

Ref cutaways – the super RAF Museum Hunter cutaway (ex MOSI) sits at Stafford in store – IIRC an early mark – maybe an F4 – its fab!

ATB TT

Open cockpits are a good idea as interactive exhibits, but with certain limits. If it means access steps ect these need to be safe, its not H&S gone made, its common sense. Far easier to use a cockpit section, this can be displayed at a ground level with a simple wooden frame to access the cockpit, the side of the airframe can also be ‘cut out’ to improve access.

Remember seeing a cutaway Catalina at Pensacola Museum. The whole aircraft had been cut down the centerline and all the crew positions and structure could be easily seen. Not sure if its still there ?

The same question could be applied to any aircraft, DC-4 at North Weald. If we can not be bothered to preserved the complete aircraft, which I think we should, then scrap the wings, cut the fuselage down the middle, mound the thing at ground level so the public can sort of ‘walk in’

Also remember a very well prepared Jet Provost at Halton / Cosford tech training school which had most of skin removed revealing the structure, cable runs and engine, very interesting.

East Fortune don’t have an open cockpit policy these days, though I remember as a kid sitting in one or two, and more recently accessing the Vulcan cockpit. The Comet 2 C and BAC 1-11 and Concorde are open to walk through though the cockpits are sealed. In the Concorde hanger they also have the front section of a 707, which again the cockpit isn’t accessible, the left side of the fuselage is set up with 4 push button info stations, whilst some seats are in place on the right hand side with a TV on the bulkhead playing a video about air travel from that era.

As an exhibit this for me works very well, though I’d rather have more of the aircraft and have these in 2 different sections along it’s length rather than side by side.

The Museum have been able to adapt one of the original airfield technical buildings into a science of flight area for kids called “Fantasy of Flight”. Lots of “experiments” that can be done by the kids, the instructions are clear enough that even a non technically minded parent can see what spinning the wheel or pressing the various buttons do to a physical models. Some of the experiments have 2 or 3 stations so the kids can “race” to achievement. There is also the try and land the aircraft type, but in East Fortunes case, it’s an airship as that ties in with it’s history.

Even if you don’t have kids with you, the mechanics of the experiments are viewable (within mesh cages) so an adult passing through who has some technical knowledge can view the engineering side of what’s going as well.

I think that it’s a great way to incorporate the how it all works with a bit of fun, rather than just letting kids sit in a cockpit making usually wrong type of aircraft noises.

I’m a big fan of getting people into cockpits, however, unless they are “child-proofed” they can, and will, suffer. We always do it under close supervision including correct and safe entry and egress and all is normally well.

However, there are always some who regard it as a chance to go mad and misbehave. It is worth reminding people that, whatever it is, it is not a toy but an historic artifact. Close and knowledgeable supervision is all that is usually needed to ensure your pride and joy (both child and cockpit) remain unharmed.

It is a small risk but definitely worth the buzz of seeing folk experiencing what it is like in a real aeroplane – as well as enjoying the fruits of your labours.

Small cockpits can’t usually be modded much to allow easier access but larger ones can. This is where a cockpit “rig” comes into its own and these, suitable designed, can even allow the wheelchair-bound access. Each case is unique and it only takes enlightened imagination to provide a exciting and accessible exhibit.

Additionally, some old flight gear can work wonders in enlarging on the cockpit experience. It easily increases the authenticity of the experience at very little additional cost. Just a helmet, mask and goggles do the trick and makes visitors realise that the cockpit can be a tough environment for the crew. I still marvel at how a radar operator, for example, sat in the back of a fast jet, head down on at the scope, trussed up like a turkey, thrown about in manoeuvreing, at night and under punishing “g” still managed to perform a successful intercept.

Anon.

I think walk through/sit in displays are a great draw for “kids” of all ages. A video camera can not replace the feel of being in the fuselage or flight deck.

In the US there are some great examples of walk through aircraft, and the type does not seem to be an issue. The B-29 Command Decision at the USAF Museum has a Plexiglas wall/tunnel and allows you to walk from the bomb aimers station (bomb sight and forward window removed) to the bomb bay, USMC Museum at Quantico has a CH-46 fuselage that you walk through and exit from into a Vietnam scene. Many places have cockpit sections/procedures trainer that are open to sit and I think they can be done so unsupervised if they are in reasonable sight of docents if things get out of hand. Proper railing needed.

I think the best bet is to get a fuselage of a retired but not especially valuable or priceless airframe and allow walk through and sit ins. Again I don’t think the type really matters to most folks. Yes knobs will get broken off, and there will be wear and tear, but use it for a decade or so and replace when worn out. You don’t want people to trash a Lancaster, but a retired helo, transport or airliner may be more expendable and almost as valuable as a hands on exhibit. “kids” (like me) just want to get in and make airplane noises. I think there is a museum that uses a S-2F for this and they lets folks play all around it as a touch aircraft.

Good candidates to give you the walk through/sit in, and plenty of candidate airframes around:
DC-4/C-54, DC3/C47, S-3 Sea King, CH-46, S-2, regional airliners, Buffalo/Caribou (although Grandma might have a hard time getting to the flight deck), C-119, Viscount, Convair Twin, Metroliner, etc etc. You could even do fuselage only in a cradle lower to the ground, making entry/exit much easier. Larger fuselages would be tougher and more expensive to move, and would take up more room.

Morayvia at Kinloss has 5 cockpits and aircraft that are open for people to sit in (under the supervision of volunteers) and experience what it was like, we have a policy of “if you can get in it”, “you can get in it” Its always amazing looking at kids faces when they sit in the cockpits. We have the following always open, Vampire T.11, Canberra TT18, Jet Provost T.4, Nimrod MR2 (Cockpits) and a complete Sea King HAR 3 helicopter.

The museum at Old Sarum has some 25+ cockpits open for sit in and look in

What is needed is a 737/A320 fuselage from the Kemble scrap heap from the floor up and fit it out with various stations that explain the likes of radar, navigation, bomb aiming.

BOMB AIMING!!!?

In this day and age with computers ,software etc most of these things would be doable —-if it breaks down ask a 6 year old and they will reboot it and rebuild it and even reprogramme it 😉 .

It’s amazing how quickly a bunch of 5 year olds can reduce something to a pile of bits when a grown man with power tools will take days to achieve the same result.

I think museums do need to adapt to a new generation but not to the determent to the older ones. What ever happened to the RAF’s ‘Nimrod’ trailer? That was a good walkthrough exhibit. What is needed is a 737/A320 fuselage from the Kemble scrap heap from the floor up and fit it out with various stations that explain the likes of radar, navigation, bomb aiming. Of course that costs money.
I like open cockpits, like Old Sarum but find them a bit dead. rather than lots of cockpits one, or tow accessible ones would be better. Lets have the panels lit up, when I move the throttles lets have speakers with the appropriate noise, same with the undercarriage, have a ATC tape on a loop.
My pet hate is poor descriptive sign boards. I know its a voluntary museum but the Midland Museum only have a very small sign with each type name on it . Unless you know your types its very anonymous. Without signage its just a line of different looking aircraft without any story.

I think this is why it’s good, where possible, to have a duplication of certain types in a museum. A comparatively common type can be displayed with a separate cockpit to sit in, that way the complete aircraft is preserved in good condition and it doesn’t matter if the cockpit gets a bit bashed around.
It’s an extremely valuable experience to actually sit inside a cockpit, and not just for kids! When I went to the Midland Air Museum a year or two ago, one of the highlights was squeezing into the driving seat of a Meteor F8. You just don’t get the feel and smell and claustrophobia from standing on some steps and peering in. You have to accept a bit of rough treatment in return for the memorable, hands-on learning experience you’re leaving the kid (or adult!) with.

The Brooklands Wellington section is a great example; didn’t they build it with leftover odd bits of geodetic from the restoration of the complete one? So not an artefact that’s too priceless to let the kids into, but one that leaves them thinking. Perfect!

It’s a challenging one especially when some of the younger kids give the controls a right old working over.

How very true. Only last weekend I witnessed kids yanking and pulling on cockpit items and controls whilst their parents or supervisors just looked on and watched. And when you ask them to be gentle because it’s ‘very old and delicate’ they look at you as if you have some sort of attitude problem.

Open cockpits are great for all ages to experience and learn from, but left unsupervised they will soon be trashed!

Rob

Regarding the engineered walk through exhibit, Brooklands constructed a Wellington fuselage using left over framework from the R-Robert restoration. It is fixed to the hangar wall and is fitted out with all the crew stations bar the tail gunner’s. It is often missed but two young members of my family (steered into it by me) found questions to ask.
mmitch.

Bovington tank museum have an interesting sectioned Centurion that my children liked. Other favourites of theirs are the Hendon Sunderland and the Solent Skies Sandringham. The Brooklands Wellington fuselage section was another good one. I pointed out that it was covered with canvas which made them think and comment “no protection”. I then pointed out that 1.0mm of Aluminium wasn’t actually that much better . I could tell that after that they appreciated a bit more what the crews were up against.

Tangmere have some good simulator set ups with an automatic time cut off so no arguments about how long someone has had.

At RAF Cosford (for example) they could tow some of the airframes outside in front of some neutral period backdrop so that they could be photographed; turn them around, open cockpits and access panels, a little set-dressing and maybe a few re-enactors (or period clothing for the general public to try on and pose with the aircraft)?

Obviously, it would require aircraft to be stored in proper hangars and to be in a condition to be ground-handled but nothing that would prevent their being displayed indoors or that would lead to unnecessary damage (due to weather, mishandling or wear).

With the large number of fighter types that are scrapped, it shouldn’t be hard for a museum to get a cockpit.
The Wright-Patterson museum has some always had an open cockpit, for awhile it was a Phantom once used for film work and now (or the last time I was there) a F-16. Even at my age and years of being around military aircraft, I’ll confess to climbing in them. 🙂

Yes, access can be a challenge, but a purpose built mockup (or even just a panel and Glareshield) for wheelchair-bound visitors could address that issue.
Knobs and sharp edges are easily made safe. Likewise radioactive dials. In the future, flat panel displays could be replaced by computer flat screen giving a virtual experience.
My point is, the problems are easily solved.

It’s a challenging one especially when some of the younger kids give the controls a right old working over.

We have a number of aircraft open to sit in regularly (Firefly, Sea Venom, F-111 Module under supervision, Winjeel, Dove) but have also restored the interior of the Viscount so you can sit in it, plus one of our volunteer members rewired and set up the cockpit so all the panels light up like they did (you can press buttons etc to operate various banks), and he took it one step further and has a media player running on loop with the sound of the autopilot system going so it sounds like the aircraft is alive. Oh and the best bit is that he also has the engine fire alarm switch working and if a kid is misbehaving and they flick that, it stops them in a flash 😀
Said member is almost complete converting all the backlit panels and gauges in the DC-9 simulator over to LED. Looks so good film crews are using it, he has done a top job.

With the other aircraft, it is simply a matter of requesting. The hardest one to access is the Beaufighter, from the belly up, and that is a tough call for older visitors. Inside is not much better, its cramped to say the least. Other aircraft however we are building access stairs so people will be able to walk up and peer in.

Like everything it’s always time and money.

Cheers

How about something like this?

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Or this?

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Or even this?

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A number of good ideas expressed here. There nothing as dispiriting as trying to photograph a cockpit interior
through crazed discoloured perspex. It’s nice to be able to sit in a cockpit, something my wife and I did in a Jet Provost at Cosford.

(Also sat in Phantom and Lightning at RAF Bruggen)