Aviation places to visit, the `Where have you been` thread.

A few years ago now, I spent a very pleasant evening wandering the old airfield at Nuthampstead followed by dinner at the Woodman Inn. A surprising amount still remained of the airfield, including taxiways. I wonder if that B-17 Tokyo tank is still sticking out of a pond there?

I’ll start with a quick run down of the museums I’ve visited, Middle Wallop, Hendon, North East Aircraft Museum, Manston Spitfire and Hurricane Museum, Museum of Berkshire Aviation and the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection.
The aviation sites of special interest I’ve visited are, The Eagle pub in Cambridge although it was shut for refurbishment when I went 🙁 , the site of the Stonehenge airfield, Airmans cross a few hundred away site of the first Flying Corps personnel to die in an aircraft crash while on duty, the oldest surviving military aerodrome building in the UK at Larkhill a few miles away, I was born in the RAF hospital in Ely and I’ve been to the Somme and there is quite a bit of aviation history in the ground and that took place in the skies above (I little tenuous I know!).

I would certainly give this place a visit http://www.eastessexaviationsociety.org/East_Essex_Aviation_Society/Home.html

I kind of discovered it by mistake one day. very good, interesting historic premisis and simply full of artefacts & displays.

I would like to second all of the above, you would certainly need to allow yourself at least 3 to 4 hours at the Battle of Britain Museum Hawkinge, i normally try to visit 5 to 6 times per season as there is so much to take in.(Also Very Helpful and knowledgeable Volunteers)
I would also like to add Shoreham Museum in Kent, a well presented Museum for the aviation enthusiast.
Also the Wings Museum Balcombe West Sussex again with the above very pleasant volunteers at hand.

One other i have visited recently and that is RAF Uxbridge,an underground operations room,it includes a Museum, and a short film explaining its Operational use during the air Battles of WW2. there is no need to book a tour as you can now just turn up on the Day,(Saturdays and Sundays) with no admission charge, just a donation to help with the upkeep of maintaining a great part of our heritage.

On home ground I have to recommend Manston for the Spitfire and Hurricane Museum http://spitfiremuseum.org.uk/ and the RAF History Museum http://www.rafmanston.co.uk/.

I also like Hawkinge http://www.kbobm.org/, Brenzett http://www.brenzettaero.co.uk/Brenzett_Aeronautical_Museum_Trust/Home.html and certainly the Capel-le Ferne Memorial at http://www.battleofbritainmemorial.org/the-memorial/

This is my contribution for Suffolk, Martlesham Airfield Museum which is in the old control tower and I was astonished at how crammed with exhibits it is and its run by a great friendly team, their open days are great with a flypast of a spit or mustang usually.
http://www.mhas.org.uk/

Secondly Parham Airfield is good too.
http://www.parhamairfieldmuseum.co.uk/

Thirdly pay your respects to the American Airmen at Raydon Airfield there is a memorial there and an information display which is usually updated frequently with the latest preservation items linked to the Airfield. Morris Hammond occasionally flies over this Airfield in one of his Mustangs on his way to a display and has landed there when they used to have a Private Air show [stopped now]. This is one of the most complete Airfields surviving apart from sadly the control tower but there is a lot to see over a wide area considering it is now used for farming and industrial usage.

OK – in Devon …RAF Bolt Head and RAF Harrowbeer(Quite a lot to see at both of those)….and the site of Haldon Aerodrome …once the airport for Torbay and the surrounding area.
List here for Devon….lots of history in the county
http://devonairfields.hampshireairfields.co.uk/index.html