Happy Birthday Royal Air Force Museum Hendon 40 yrs old today

You can tell it’s their birthday – they use candlepower lighting! 😉

re;

are these the same ones used by the RAf exhibition team?

There is the North Africa one in the top of the control tower in the bomber hall.

I trecal from my first visit in 1975 there were several dioramas with models.
They showed a typical scene from various theaters of WWII showing the aircraft and markings used.
Any one know if they’re still around? I didn’t see them during my last visit.

I remember those too, no idea where they went :confused:

Another pic from the guide book.

Stranraer and….. Er Canberra ????

Looking at that floor layout am I right in thinking only two aircraft haven’t moved?

I trecal from my first visit in 1975 there were several dioramas with models.
They showed a typical scene from various theaters of WWII showing the aircraft and markings used.
Any one know if they’re still around? I didn’t see them during my last visit.

Another thing I recall is the only American aircraft I saw on display was the Sikorsky R-4 “Hoverfly”.

Nice pictures. Just how I remember the early days

Here are some memories from August 1973….Tri-X in D76 for those interested…the abiding impression of the place was the pristine condition of the exhibits in light and space..and I particularly liked the upper galleries too. Still love the place though, we are very very fortunate to have it.

re;

it took some work to get the rare airframes, obviously many a/c have been collected from all over the world ie Typhoon, Stranraer, P40, Beaufort, Hind…

I first went there in the Spring of 1973. I drove to Hendon expecting to see road signs for it. Finding none I stopped a AA man and he got directions over his radio! Always surprised me that they had kept so many different types when so much was scrapped during and after WW2.
mmitch.

Happy Birthday RAF Museum

My first visit to the RAF Museum was during August 1974. It was my first trip to England and high on my list was a visit to Hendon. I arrived camera and tripod in hand only to be told that I couldn’t use the tripod. I pleaded my case to the attendants (I had come all the way from Australia) and they took sympathy on me. I was asked if I could be back at Hendon at 8.30am on the coming Sunday. Apparently the Museum didn’t open on Sunday until early afternoon in those days. i promptly arrived at the appointed time and was ushered into the museum. The only restriction was that I had to take off my shoes if I left the carpeted walkways and stepped onto the white concrete. I had the RAF Museum to myself for a 3 hour private photo shoot. Fantastic.

I’m sure such a concession would not be made today. I have never forgotten the kindness the museum staff extended to a young chap from Oz. In my duties at the Royal Australian Air Force Museum at Point Cook I try whenever I can to emulate their example.

Keith Gaff

My father, being ex RAF and a very skilled model maker, needed no excuse to regularly visit the RAF museum as soon as it opened. I remember several early visits and as he often had to go to Hendon to an engineering firm to get spare parts for his job the RAF Museum became a very familiar location when I accompanied him during the school holidays. All those great aircraft on display plus they seemed to have many more galleries with artwork and other exhibits on show. Any one remember the gallery showing WWII escape aids? I think it was to do with the BBC ‘Secret War’ series (they are mentioned in the article above)? I also remember some WWII German aircraft on display outside near the Beverley before the ‘BoB’ building opened.

I still try to get along to visit a few times a year and it is a very special place.

🙂 Lobster

I’ve still got that guide book somewhere! I spent ages getting my Airfix models to make a representation of the plan shown! My Dad took me a few weeks after it had opened,I remember it being a long walk from the train station! One of my mates is a volunteer there and I pop up there a couple of times a year,I would love to see the Halifax restored,but apparently there’s no money for it…..but there’s millions for ghastly tower thing?.

My first visit was in about 1974, my dad took me there as he was about to leave the RAF & was staying in London for a weeks induction into the Civil Service 🙂

Hope the RAFM don’t mind me showing the guide book from that day 😀

& the goods on display=

My first visit was in 1983; my most recent was to see RedTails in the cinema last month.
Most memorable visit was seeing a large gathering of the ‘few’ there in 1990.

Happy birthday RAFM!

Time flies! I took my new girlfriend there soon after it opened :). Now she’s Mrs Schneiderman so no harm done.

re;

I have no problem with the museum, just wish more of the airfield could have been saved. Remove those ludicrous yellow bollards so they can get period vehicles down to the Graham White Hangar, open the doors and roll a plane or two out! That would be perfect…

… all the same I pop in every time I am down in London…

… oh and wing leader should be on the school curriculum! Its incredible…

I recall a visit one afternoon in the late 80’s and was surprise to see AVM Johnnie Johnson all by himself sat at a table in the aircraft hall signing paperback copies of his book Wing Leader. This was in the days before you had all the book and print signings like you do now. He’d clearly just come from an enjoyable lunch!!!
Still got my copy.

Happy Birthday RAFM, only been once, that was late last year, very impressed, now want to keep going down to visit