Go see Aviation History game…

B-58 ” Greased Lightning” [USA]
Charles Blairs P-51 Excalibur [ USA]
Any where there is a flying Mosquito
Apollo 11 CSM [USA]
Buffalo airways fleet of DC-3 and C-46’s [Canada]
Prototype Mosquito [UK]
Space Shuttle [USA]
B-29 ‘Fifi’ only flyable B-29 anywhere [USA]
Most exhibits in Museum of Flight
deHavilland museum

The Cockpit section of ex-TF-FIE a 727-108 the first ever passenger jet in Icelandic service in registered in 1967. The cockpit is now at the Icelandic Aviation Museum at Akureyri.

Good heavens – the first passenger jet I flew on was an Icelandair 727. I can’t find the diary I kept on that trip but if it is the same one would I go to see it? – strangely no.

It is interesting what creates that emotional resonance – as Kev says, it is the people associated with them. For me, not an aircraft linked with me but those flying boats linked to the many people I’ve met who built them (and flew them) and their stories of what they went through. And the Deperdussin is a link to people I’ve met whose family flew pioneer aircraft – including a Deperdussin on floats.

James, you do realise that for museum curators trying to understand why people travel to see their exhibits and what creates an emotional response, you are opening a difficult can of worms with so many varied responses?

OK, so if we need to specify which particular airframes, then my list (here it is again) is pretty much “any” for all apart from the obviously unique ones, but I’ve added some locations that I’d like to visit anyway.

Convair Delta Dart (Udvar-Hazy Center)
Hughes Spruce Goose
Curtiss C-46 (any)
Boeing Stratocruiser (any)
Saab Lansen (le Bourget)
Mig-25 (any)
Ilyushin Il-2 (any)
NA Valkyrie
Tupolev Tu-144 (Sinsheim)
Space Shuttle (Udvar-Hazy Center)

My ten, in no particular order:

UK:
Stranraer at Hendon
Alcock & Brown Vimy
XH558
Romaine’s latest Bolingbroke

USA:
B-36 at Wright-Pat
“Glacier Girl”

Finland:
Humu
Fokker D XXI – both @ Keski-Suomen museum, I think.

Russia:
Both IL-2’s

Here:
FM213 – she never disappoints.
Sproat Lake Mars’ – in flight, I’m sure it (they) are as awe-inspiring as the Vulcan!

Hmmm..Difficult.

1.Wright Flyer in the US. You can’t not see it, really.
2. USAF Museum for the B-47. Such an elegant thing, not a machine I’ve ever seen, and utterly groundbreaking in its day.
3. Udvar-Hazy centre for the Horten 229. Kinda speaks for itself!
4. Russia, to see the recently-restored IL-2 with air under its wings.
5. Southern Africa, to watch DC3s still earning their keep supplying remote villages well into the 21st century.
In the UK, I’d go with:
6. Lancaster R5868 at Hendon. As a single reminder of the sacrifices made by Bomber Command, its hard to beat.
7. Comet 1XB G-APAS at Cosford. A flawed triumph, but a triumph nonetheless: the first jet airliner in the world.
8. Blackburn Monoplane at Shuttleworth. The oldest British aeroplane flying…
9. Vulcan XH558. Love or loath the Vulcan To The Sky project, for sheer aeronautical spectacle, it’s hard to beat a proper Vulcan take-off with wingover. Watching it brings a tear to my eye, guaranteed.
10. Hendon (well, currently Rochester) for the Defiant. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Defiant, don’t know why. Also, its total uniqueness makes it special.

Interesting that Spitfires haven’t really featured – we’ve got one vote (on another forum) for the BBMF Mk.II, IIRC. I’ll have to start compiling the results, I guess.

I hadn’t really considered flying aircraft that I’d travel to see; I should read the brief more carefully!

Some excellent choices already but it could be grounds for a whole new thread…..‘aircraft I have never seen fly’?

Aircraft that there is a possibility that I may one day see fly and would travel to see would definitely include the Blackburn Buccaneer, BAC Lightning and Fairey Gannet (;))!

I think the reason that some US bombers are featuring so prominently with the UK voters is that we’re a little spoilt for choice when it comes to other aircraft; has anybody even voted for a Spitfire yet? And yet in the UK we can see a (flying) B-17, B-24, B-25, B-29 and B-52 all on one site.

As promised the reasons behind my choices:

B-24 Liberator KN751 – RAFM Hendon

Simply because in September 1945 it was serving with 99 Squadron on the Cocos Islands, as was my father.

That’s the kind of reason I was hoping to see posted – Thanks!

:D:D:D They will outed (or routed!) one day!

Across the different forums this has been posted, I think the Hughes HK-1 is coming in near the top, with multiple votes for the B-36.

There may be others who wish to travel to see Gannets, but I think they keep it quiet…

Soooo, I’m alone in wanting to travel the planet to see the mighty Fairey Gannet!:eek:

Well I’d never have guessed there would be a Ganneting of the thread! I can let you have pics of the Aussie ones in Queensland, NSW and Victoria (at Moorabbin) to save your pennies. 😀

That would be very much appreciated, in your own time James.:)

If I’m reading right it looks like so far that the XB-70 Valkyrie is the most populor, followed by the B-29 & B-36 – looks like US bombers are in vogue.

I have to confess I feel very lucky and blessed to have seen so much visit the UK in my years going to airshows etc. However the following I would travel for sure to see. The trouble is 10 is just not enough 😀

1) Bac Lightning(if one is ever to fly again)
2) Blackburn Buccaneer(as above)
3) Ilyushin Il-2
4) P-38 Glacier Girl
5) Mig 3
6) Saab J-29 Tunnan
7) Saab Draken (seen before but want to see again)
8) Saab Viggen (Briefly seen once many years ago)
9) B-29 FiFi
10) Messerschmitt 262

Top that the following I hope see again flying in my lifetime
1) Mossie
2)Messerschmitt Bf109
3) Blenheim
4) Fairey Firefly

As promised the reasons behind my choices:

B-24 Liberator KN751 – RAFM Hendon

Simply because in September 1945 it was serving with 99 Squadron on the Cocos Islands, as was my father.

Vickers Wellington N2980 – Brooklands

A remarkable survivor with a combat history, returned to the place of its birth; very sympathetically ‘restored’, complete but allowed to remain ‘the sum of its parts’!

Westland Wessex XP142 ‘Humphrey’– FAAM Yeovilton

First, last and only anti-submarine helicopter to actually take-out (if not sink) a submarine; a record held for nearly thirty years. It was on display at Yeovilton within two months of the end of the Falklands War.

TSR2 XR220 – RAFM Cosford

Could have picked any number of aircraft from Cosford but picked this one as another remarkable survivor and as a reminder that greatness is achieved not only by having the talent to do something but also the will to do it.

Vickers Vimy – Science Museum London

An aircraft that typifies the courage of the early pioneers; the slim margin between death and immortality didn’t stop them.

‘Lady Be Good’ – Libya

A time machine required for this visit unfortunately; what an experience it would have been to stand in the desert and reach back into time and touch the past. A very moving human story too, that unfortunately ended in tragedy for the crew.

P-38 ‘Glacier Girl’ – Greenland (I know, I know!)

Another outing for the time machine; probably the most audacious recovery of a ‘lost’ aircraft so far. Experiencing this aircraft deep under the ice must rate as the most incredible ‘preserved’ aircraft visit ever!

Saturn V – USA

Never seen one and always wanted to.

B-36 – USA

Ditto.

Tu-95 Bear – Russia

Ditto.

I would probably have listed something from the NASM Washington DC except that I have actually been there so it got bumped from my list! Overall it isn’t difficult choosing where to go; the tricky part is naming one aircraft only. 😮

Hard one for me but here goes.
1. Peter Jacksons replica RE8 in New Zealand
2. Howard Hughes Spruce Goose USA
3. Loch Ness Wellington – Brooklands
4. P51 Precious Metal – USA
5. That flying Sturmovick – Russia
6. Jerry Yagens Mossie – New Zealand
7. The complete Sweedish Bulldog – Sweeden
8. Glacier Girl – USA
9. B38 Hustler ‘Greased Lightning – USA
10. Old Rhinebecks Curtiss Travel Air (id have to have a flight in it) – USA

OK James – I´m going to make a list that is a little different than those seen so far – as it purely concentrates on civilian or groundbreaking machines. I´ll first of all go with the local Icelandic content.
Douglas C-47A TF-NPK / exTF-ISH name Gljáfaxi / ex-43-30710. This aircraft came to Iceland brand new during the war and was used by the base flight at Keflavik AFB. After the war, it was sold to Air Iceland as TF-ISH Gljáfaxi and became the first modern passenger aircraft this country had ever had. It continued to fly passengers until 1973 when it was converted to a crop duster and flew in that role until 2008 IIRC. Very, very historically significant aircraft for Iceland.

TF-OGN the first (of only two) aircraft to be completely designed, built and flown in Iceland. It is now part of the Icelandic Historical Aviation Society´s collection and has been fully restored – an estimated 85% of the original being used in the restoration.

The Cockpit section of ex-TF-FIE a 727-108 the first ever passenger jet in Icelandic service in registered in 1967. The cockpit is now at the Icelandic Aviation Museum at Akureyri

Stearman TF-KAU / ex 41-7997 This aircraft has some interesting pedigree. Along with US P-40´s of the 33rd Fighter Squadron, she was flown off the USS Wasp off Reykjavik when the Americans took over the occupation of Iceland from the British. Through out the war she was used by the american forces and sold to Icelanders after the war and used for flight instruction and as a private aircraft until crashed in 1953 It has now been beautifully restored and is flying

Waco YKS – 6 being restored to flying condition by the Icelandic Historical Aviation Society to look like a YKS – 7 TF- ORN the first aircraft of Flugfelag Islands #3 and the start of continuous airline operations in Iceland. The original TF-ORN started flying in 1938 but was destroyed in a crash in 1942 IIRC

For the international content it proved a bit harder, but here goes.

Wright Flyer 1 – the original at the Smithsonian. Does not really need any explanation as this is the start of controlled, powered flight

Vickers Vimy of Alcock and Brown at the Science Museum in London. This is an aircraft that shows the extreme development taking place over 16 short years – from the hop at Kitty Hawk in 1903 until the first crossing of the Atlantic in 1919. It also goes to show how conflict can influence development of new gadgets – if it had not been for the first world war, the development of aircraft would have been very significantly slower, the Vimy never built, and the Atlantic not crossed for decades.

Douglas DC -2 Uiver at Lelystad. One of very few DC -2 remaining, I chose this example because it would be easiest to get to. The DC – 2 is the first modern commercial aircraft – an aircraft that set the standards, indirectly, for what we are flying even today. The DC – 2 is also very important historically for it´s role in the 1934 MacRobertson London to Melbourne Air Race, where a commercial DC – 2, with a load of passengers, came second to a purpose built racer – the Comet. I think that pretty much signals the way forward for commercial aviation.

Not having a Heinkel He 178 available, I´ll have to go for the Gloster E28/39 at the Science Museum in London. The He 178 and E28/39 were at the cutting edge of technology, and introduced the world to a new form of propulsion that is still with us today and is the foundations of modern day air travel and the air industry as we see it today. Again, like with the Wright Flyer, it would take a world war and millions of lives to develop this technology to usable standards for commercial needs.

Boeing B747 Prototype at Museum of Flight, Seattle. The 747 is an example of a bold vision being put into development and production even if it might take the company out of business – a process not seen too often these days. Despite it´s early problems and disappointments for the Boeing Company, it is still in production today, over 40 years later in it´s newest form the 747 – 8. Over those 40 years, I think the 747 has been the biggest single factor in making long distance travel affordable to the masses – so definitively on of the greats of history.

These are only the Civil aircraft. I could do another 5 on international stuff focusing purely on the military stuff :p:p

Heavens above, James either you have wider interests than I could have conceived or, God forbid, that damned programme gets an airing in Australia. If so, you Australians have my sympathy – no, empathy!

35 years of UK popular culture while I lived there. Remember I’m an ex-expat. I don’t think I ever watched it though. However I think it screens here, and probably raises the quality of the dross on what we call the ‘Plastic People Channels’.

Sorry Tine. 😮 It was a cheap shot, but remember, what’s worse than losing the EVSC? Winning. 😀

Anyway, back on topic, an interesting answer, Kev, thanks!

More needed!

James.

I’ve thought about this since you started the thread and in all honesty I’ve found it impossible to choose. There’s things I’d like to see obviously, but in every case it would be because I wanted to see or know more about the people associated with them.

The ironwork is fine and I can appreciate it but for me it always comes down to the people.

Regards,

kev35

May I remind you James, that we already won once and had several high rankings? Our 2010 entry finished 6th:diablo:

Will the big stick hold that lead, or do a Eurovision Belgium?

Heavens above, James either you have wider interests than I could have conceived or, God forbid, that damned programme gets an airing in Australia. If so, you Australians have my sympathy – no, empathy!

Arguably its not an aircraft and its not even on the world, but I wouldn’t mind travelling to look at the descent stage of the Lunar Excursion Module ‘Eagle’.
In view of the cost of that trip I’ll limit my list to one.