BBMF longevity?

HMS Victory…..https://snr.org.uk/heritage/hms-victory/
Tank museum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tank_Museum with a mix of some public but mostly charity donations including.Lottery..http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-40812423

so does this indicate a charity status might be the future? but then BBMF would need to fund workers and premises…

HMS Victory is still a commissioned warship in the Royal Navy so its maintenance is out of their funds topped up by public sources like the lottery etc but she is unique so it is in the nations interest to maintain her, the Lancaster is a rare bird but not irreplaceable.

The BBMF however could always flog a spitfire if they need to top up the purse as they have a few.

Curlyboy

things may have changed since I last visited and spoke with them but I thought the RNHF operated a mixture of both? The Sea Vixen and Fury T20 being on the civil register already operated to CAA regs but the Swordfish and single seat Fury operated to military regulations? certainly the hangar was set out with civil and military areas and the two operations were kept separate.

Currently yes, but working towards all civvie.

Navy Wings CEO Jock Alexander wrote the following on their website back in Dec 17.

Finally, Navy Wings will be working on a plan to support the Royal Navy as they transfer the Historic Flight aircraft to the civil register, with the aim of transferring them into Navy Wings ownership. This will clearly require an uplift in our fund-raising capacity, but it is really important that we achieve this, lest the remaining Swordfish, the Sea Fury FB11 and the Sea Hawk are sold privately and possibly disappear overseas.

Does it really cost that much to operate the BBMF? Obviously in general terms it does but compared to a Typhoon what’s the comparison like? Personally the flight is very special and have been seen by millions, just think of the almost hysteria when XH558 retired.

Hi All,
Being that the same ideas have been aired about winding up the Red Arrows in recent years if there had to be a cut which do think would go first ?

Geoff.

Whether it is a paid for airshow or a free seaside show, I notice the crowd have a hushed respect when the BBMF fly followed by a round of applause.
I think most people understand the significance as well as enjoying the spectacle.

You have my sympathy Tony, darned I-pads are a ****** for doing that, had it myself on several occasions.

At airshows of course it’s a captive audience; but I’ve been up to Kenley a couple of times for BBMF flypasts and there are usually several hundred people waiting to see them and not just those of a certain age.

It wasn’t that funny……

It wasn’t meant to be funny, it’s the damned ipad changing words again as I type and me missing it doing it.

Both the current and last OC of the BBMF have spoken at length about if funding and public interest is there then they aim to fly them for as long as possible! Another 100 years has been mentioned on more than one occasion!

“…..but that said the Fleet Air Arm hysterical successfully moved over to the private side of things.”

It wasn’t that funny……

Moving on….. things may have changed since I last visited and spoke with them but I thought the RNHF operated a mixture of both? The Sea Vixen and Fury T20 being on the civil register already operated to CAA regs but the Swordfish and single seat Fury operated to military regulations? certainly the hangar was set out with civil and military areas and the two operations were kept separate.

I think many thinking or introspective (okay, that may be a minority :)) people make the connection.

How could anyone see the Lancaster drop poppies and not make the connection?

However, the rest of the time when appearing at displays and aviation events, they’re likely “preaching to the choir”.

… and for the brilliant job in encouraging the public to remember the bravery of our brave men and women in WWII.

In no way denigrating this sentiment, I wonder if that is the case? Absolutely yes here on this forum and in any other similar setting where anoraks (self deprecating) and service men or women gather. But the man or woman in the street; do they look at the Lancaster, or a Spitfire or Hurricane and think of the humanity of it all? I certainly hope so and would imagine direct descendants of those involved probably do. But how many people simply see an old aeroplane and think “that’s cool”?

I did hear crewroom chat about the possible withdrawal of public funding, maybe connected to the forthcoming SDR – the same chat in which possible disbandment of the AAC/withdrawl of Wildcat, were mooted. As ever, these considerations come and go, but it’s good that the RNHF have found a way forward. Whatever happens, I’m thankful that during my lifetime the BBMF has helped to ensure that I’ve seen more Spitfires than Cessnas, and for the brilliant job in encouraging the public to remember the bravery of our brave men and women in WWII.

I would doubt it, there isn’t really anything that possibly cannot be remanufactured, the only thing I could see being future problems would be Avgas supply and the RAF budget constraints, but that said the Fleet Air Arm hysterical successfully moved over to the private side of things.