Cobham Hall Yeovilton Open Day 23/10/14

A great deal is on display – why not pop along and enjoy a day there – better than wondering. 🙂 I first went to the museum in the year it opened and have always been impressed by the quality of the displays and their development over the years. It’s also commendable that they open their storage area – many museums across the world do not.

Tim

Totally agree with you – but when I last went there (maybe four, possibly not more than eight years ago; I forget now) the Sopwith Baby and replica Triplane, Firefly, Skyraider, Albacore and possibly the Baka were all on display. Just hoping that they have been replaced with other fantastic new acquisitions, although that is a little unlikely.

Is the other Skyraider still scandalously outside?

Agree that FAAM does a great job in its main collection and by opening the store on limited, selected dates. But a weekend, or even a Friday / Monday would be preferencial. With a 400 mile 8 hour round trip journey, going to Yeovilton just for the Cobham hall open day mid week is a none starter. Shame it could not have been arranged either before or after their airshow. But I expect then them would have more people than can easily be accomodated in the restricted space of the Store building.

CADman, Cobham Hall used to be opened each Friday prior to Saturday’s air show, sadly very few people came as they wanted to see the arrivals, when one year only 20 people attended it was stopped
BobT

Agree that FAAM does a great job in its main collection and by opening the store on limited, selected dates. But a weekend, or even a Friday / Monday would be preferencial. With a 400 mile 8 hour round trip journey, going to Yeovilton just for the Cobham hall open day mid week is a none starter. Shame it could not have been arranged either before or after their airshow. But I expect then them would have more people than can easily be accomodated in the restricted space of the Store building.

Most aircraft museums would sell their souls for an attendance of 260 on a Thursday.
I have to admit that this open day along with the open week of the Beetham centre at Cosford in November have become unmissable annual events for me.

Just heard from the curator that they have now added a group that visited so the grand total is 278, that’s just for Cobham not including the main museum.

BobT

I hear all your comments
but I see unique aircraft safely under cover.
I forgive everything else. 🙂

Hear hear! 🙂 To be fair, FAAM are one of the better museums at rotating airframes on display! TT

Also a shame that the Museum has such a strange attitude to opening the Cobham hall Store. Whilst I understand the safety issues and the staffing required to open surely a Thursday in the middle of October is not going to attract that many people.

For those interested 260 people visited Cobham Hall today and a large majority then went across the road to visit the main museum, thanks to them all.

Most aircraft museums would sell their souls for an attendance of 260 on a Thursday.
I have to admit that this open day along with the open week of the Beetham centre at Cosford in November have become unmissable annual events for me.

If you pop along to the FAA Museum this Saturday (25th) you will see a stunning display of models on show.

I’ve been burning the midnight oil trying to get my latest creation ready in time – the Bartini VVA-14.

Come along to the Avon Scale Model Society stand in front of the Corsair and say hello.

Ken

A great deal is on display – why not pop along and enjoy a day there – better than wondering. 🙂 I first went to the museum in the year it opened and have always been impressed by the quality of the displays and their development over the years. It’s also commendable that they open their storage area – many museums across the world do not.

Tim

Seeing all those historics in store makes you wonder what is on display.

Hopefully it isn’t large empty spaces like IWM North…

iSNT THE BARRACUDA a BUCCANEER
BRIAN C D
WAKEFIELD

Brian, Duxman is referring to the large amount of wreckage on the hangar floor in front of the NA39(Buccaneer prototype)

HTH

BobT

iSNT THE BARRACUDA a BUCCANEER
BRIAN C D
WAKEFIELD

Also a shame that the Museum has such a strange attitude to opening the Cobham hall Store. Whilst I understand the safety issues and the staffing required to open surely a Thursday in the middle of October is not going to attract that many people.

For those interested 260 people visited Cobham Hall today and a large majority then went across the road to visit the main museum, thanks to them all.

I hear all your comments
but I see unique aircraft safely under cover.
I forgive everything else. 🙂

Also a shame that the Museum has such a strange attitude to opening the Cobham hall Store. Whilst I understand the safety issues and the staffing required to open surely a Thursday in the middle of October is not going to attract that many people.

Some great shots, I will make it one day. I had hoped the museum could expand ‘next door’ as the old Lynx hangars are now mostly empty. Shame about the Albacore as they spent so long bringing one back to life only to store it away again a few years later.

I see there’s even an example of that rare beastie the Fleet Air Arm Dalek…………..

Seems a shame that airframes like the Albacore and Firefly (IV or V??) are in store (snap)

Great pictures, thanks for sharing. I can’t help wishing the FAAM could expand their permanent display areas a bit, so that more of these wonderful machines could be displayed permanently. Something like a post-war training display for example, is sorely lacking, and the Meteor, JP, Gazelle etc could make a really engaging display. It’s also a shame that the WW2 stuff is so crammed that the Albacore and Firefly have to be in storage.
Of course it’s all money and practicalities of being on an active base, but still, one can dream…