Milestones Of Flight, RAF Museum Hendon

I went down on Tuesday to see the Douglas Bader exibiton, most disappointing thing I’ve ever seen, total waste of time & placement & the main thing he’s famous for & which they have in store isn’t included.
I can’t believe that total wate of time, money & effort show, Their Finest Hour is still closing down the BoB hall too. & what’s Been said about charging for the parking???? If they stick that old fart that sits in the kiosk waving at you in a home where he belongs then they won’t need to pay his wages & could bin that rediculous idea as that will stop me ever going in there. The lighting is attrocious & that stupid cafe in the main hall is a waste of space, why put that there when the most expensive cafe in the world is a 30 sec walk away, 1 of my favourite areas I always liked was the upper & lower gallerys with their displays of the airship gondola & ww1 workshops etc, all gone now, why????
I counted 14 staff in the main & bomber command halls, only ever remember seeing 1 or 2 years ago so why are they saying there isn’t enough staff to open the graham White hanger? There was 4 guys in the BoB hall when it was all but closed, surely they don’t need 4 guys to watch a closed Sunderland. Rant over!

I think the Science Museum at Lambeth does the ‘milestones of flight’ far more affectively, but without naming it as such!

Slight correction – the Science Museum is in South Kensington, the Imperial War Museum is in Lambeth. Two very, very different areas!

I think the Science Museum at Lambeth does the ‘milestones of flight’ far more affectively, but without naming it as such!

Definitely! But without lighting it as effectively:(

‘Milestones’ was opened on the 17th Dec 2003.

In this day and age when every event or activity has to have a ‘buzz word’ or be reduced to the minimium number of intial letters. The ‘Milestones’ was probably decided upon because they missed the Milluneium and were too early for Centenery of Flight. I suspect the name will eventually be dropped. I still think that at least one aircraft type, Gnat T1 ?, should be included in RAF display team colours, there is a lot to say about RAF pre war training, the Hendon Pageants and post war aerobactics display teams.

Paul

Was “Milestones” actually just the RAF museum putting easily moveable and recently restored/acquired/returned airframes in the new building?:)

Yes, without doubt…..it is a world-class collection. Don’t be too put-off by the apparent criticism of RAF Hendon; in my recent experience (and I hadn’t been for years previously) it exceeded my expectations with a few notable exceptions.

I read a lot of contradictory posts here about the RAF Museum. As one who has to share out visits sparingly I want to make the most effective use of my time in the UK. I have already earmarked North Weald and Bletchley Park and another Duxford visit and probably Biggin Hill in the summer. I haven’t been to Hendon for years and years, so would it be worth my while?

If we’re talking about true “Milestones”…

Keep the Bleriot XI (one of the first really practical and recognisable aeroplanes) as well as the Camel and LVG, as they show how far aviation had come by the end of WW1. The airship gondola exhibit is pretty significant too.

Not sure about the Hart? I’d certainly keep the Gypsy Moth though (the birth of affordable aviation and all that)

I’d thin out the WW2 fighters. The ME262 is undeniably significant, but does one really need BF109, Ki-100 and P-51? The latter two would look better at Cosford near the Ki-46 and near the other US stuff at Hendon respectively. I think to show the development through WW2, maybe Gladiator, Spit VB or BF109, and Me262. As for the Tempest, I reckon it’d be better at Cosford with the training displays. Nowhere at Cosford is target-towing depicted currently. The Mosquito should probably stay. It is quite seminal, and pretty much represents the zenith of piston-engined development.

What’s left? I have no objection to there being a Eurofighter Typhoon, but maybe the prototype would be better off at Cosford.
The Harrier and Hoverfly (to my mind) have an obviously assured place. And to represent the dawn of modern fighter aircraft, how about including the Phantom?

I would get rid of the Miles Mohawk from the RAFM altogether. Don’t get me wrong, it is a luscious aeroplane. But seminal? Does it say anything that the Gypsy Moth doesn’t? I for one would much rather see it pottering about over Old Warden on a summer’s evening.

The Mew Gull is an interesting exhibit, as it makes a nice memorial to Henshaw as well as representing the catalytic effect on aircraft development of inter-war air racing.

And lastly, just to irritate lots of people :diablo: but accurately portray Milestones of flight, I’d get one of those remote-control UAVs now used over Afghanistan etc (or at least a model)

Just my thoughts…

I think the Science Museum at Lambeth does the ‘milestones of flight’ far more affectively, but without naming it as such!

Couple if things I would like to see done with the Milestone exhibition.

Move the Tempest and Mosquito to the main display hangars. (Tempest could even go to Cosford ?)
Take the P-51 off that silly merry go round thing.
Send the Typhoon to Cosford and if necessary re hang the model Typhoon.

At ground level display the P-51, Spitfire, Me-109 and the Ki-100 (better if RAFM can find a restored Zero) in a tail to tail circle and display Me-262, Meteor (ideally an F4), Mig-15 and F-86 also in a tail to tail circle.

The Camel and Fokker do look good hanging up, but it would be nicer to see them with their respective collections.

Leave Harrier GR3 on its pole in the hover but the Hoverfly lacks impact, better to replace with a Whirlwind in SAR yellow, hanging with a winchman in situ.

The Moth and Mew Gull look good, with perhaps another one of similar vintage, DH88 replica maybe ?

And finally my pet project, a Hawk (red arrows) Gnat (yellow jacks) Lightning F1 (firebirds) and Hunter (black arrows) all hanging from the roof in a tail chase.
All very important RAF types, instantly recognisable to the general public and very colourful. The Hart could also fit this theme nicely, recalling Hendon’s pre war aerobatic displays.

In the vain hope that the new DG reads this a lot of valuable floor space can be gained by getting rid of the civil EH101 and the silly Chinook mock up. Also move the Cafe to the upper floor / balcony area and make room for a Tornado F3 and Harrier GR7.

Paul

On walking into the Milestones of Flight building, one thing that struck me was that most of the aircraft displayed didn’t really seem worthy of the title of ‘Milestone’.

I think the problem here is that you’re confusing what it actually is as opposed to how it is ‘marketed’…

…after all ‘Milestones of Flight’ sounds a lot more catchy than ‘that new entrance lobby / display building thingy’! 😀

I think we have to accept that big, expensively funded, developments at national air museums aren’t really designed for those with a real interest in aviation; they are designed to attract those that have little to zero interest.

One thing though…..I can’t criticize the lighting! 😉

If it was a “Milestones of Flight” exhibit then surely some airframes taken from Cosford and the Science Museum woud be more appropriate than some of the choices in Milestones.

Bf-109, Mosquito and P-51 are all worthy of display, but “Milestones”? The Me-262 and Harrier I can live with, but a Tempest target tug ?

Its a bit of a “mish-mash” all round and while the timeline display was of interest to my son and I, we looked at most of the aircraft out of interest only and not as “Milestones” as such.

Whilst the Tempest, with its black and yellow undersides did complement Black 6’s sand scheme, I fail to see how it was a significant point in human kinds achievements in aviation…top marks for interior design and display, the interactive screens are very good, but milestones?

Dean

It has been publicly stated that colour schemes had an influence on the choice of airframe !