With a free day on Monday I headed over to London, which ultimately meant most of the day spent at Hendon. It’s my first visit since the Sopwith Dolphin unveiling in March, and since then the Sopwith Snipe and Albatros replicas have been assembled and put on display, and the RE8 has arrived and awaiting reassembly. There’s also a new exhibition in the factory behind the 1915 Watchtower regarding the Royal Flying Corps and other British Army aviation units pre-WW1. The Watchtower itself was mostly closed off with workmen so presumably something being put in there too.
Hope you enjoy the photos, have some more if of interest
Start of the display with Sopwith Tabloid replica behind
Behind the Tabloid, footage of 2 Squadron’s visit to Seaton Carew in the summer of 1914 is shown, brilliant footage of BE2’s landing and taking off on beaches and taxiing amongst crowds of public
Pre-WW1 Royal Flying Corps Sergeant
Albatros D.Va replica
Sopwith Snipe in post-WW1 markings depicting a 1 Squadron machine in Iraq, 1926, as flown by Flying Officer Dermot Boyle – who in 1972 as Air Marshal of the RAF was the founding Chairman of the Trustees of the RAF Museum
Late WW1 trio – Sopwith Camel, Fokker D.VII and Snipe
Crossley Tender in the Bomber Command Hall, being returned to working order
Never spotted this little chap before – His Majesty’s Pigeon NURP/17/F/16331, one of two Pigeons sent from a Curtiss H12 flying boat on 5th September 1917. The Curtiss H12 had landed to rescue the crew of an Airco DH4 of the Royal Naval Air Service after both aircraft had attacked two Zeppelins over the North Sea – the DH4 had been damaged by anti-aircraft fire by German warships and ditched into the sea, and when the Curtiss H12 landed and picked up the crew, rough seas prevented a departure, and a hole in the hull possible from enemy fire meant the flying boat had to be constantly baled out. Neither of the two pigeons reached their destination and so on 7th September another two were released, one made it back to Great Yarmouth and a Royal Navy Gunboat found the flying boat and rescued the crew of both aircraft. On 8th September an Army Officer found the body of Pigeon 16331 which had died of exhaustion not far from his destination – his body was preserved and is now an exhibit in the RAF Museum near the Supermarine Southampton flying boat hull
The fantastic FE2b Night Bomber, one of my favourite exhibits
BE2c, moved from the dark Bomber Command Hall and now in the well lit Grahame-White Factory
SE5A
Sopwith Dolphin
Phelon & Moore 3.5hp Royal Flying Corps model motorcycle
RE8 – 1917 fresh from the factory awaiting final assembly or 2012?
Bleriot XXVII Racer
One of the benefits of winter is that with the Grahame-White Factory now open until 6pm, you can get some nice night time shots of the original buildings from outside – and photography inside is easier too with no sunlight from outside and lights on inside
1915 Watchtower
Sopwith Strutter and Triumph Model H Motorcycle
By: SADSACK - 12th December 2012 at 01:17
re;
wonder if they have old fashioned loo paper in the gents 😉
I wonder if they will ever build a replica of the flight office? A tiny building that should not have been demolished, I wonder if there is any like it elsewhere?
By: flaikbait5 - 9th December 2012 at 20:15
Super pictures, thanks for posting these.
By: Mike J - 8th December 2012 at 11:32
I guess the only limits are suitable engines
They have been producing newly-built, reverse-engineered engines in New Zealand for quite a while now.
By: SADSACK - 8th December 2012 at 11:21
re;
where as its a shame the RE8 will not fly again, or the Albatross, where better to advertise the craftmanship? Hopefully clients will order more and who knows what we may see in years to come? I guess the only limits are suitable engines.
Persoanlly, a transport versions of the Vimy and DH9a would be interesting…
By: Mike J - 6th December 2012 at 18:15
Thanks for sharing Rob. They’ve done a great job of expanding and presenting the WWI collection under the new regime at the RAF Museum.
I’m really pleased that they’ve chosen to represent an inter-war scheme on the Snipe, there are so few surviving aircraft to represent the 1918-1939 era. The TVAL Snipes really are lovely, I spent quite a while looking at Kermit Weeks’ example yesterday, a work of art.
Now, Mr Dye, about that Siskin……….
By: Chris B - 6th December 2012 at 17:56
Very atmospheric pics.
Rail fares from Devon being so extortionate, I’ll be making one of my all too rare visits to Hendon next Wednesday afternoon. Also hope to drop into Hannants whilst in the area.
I hope that the GW Hangar will be open as advertised, unlike the last time I called in a couple of years ago!
Chris
By: Rlangham - 6th December 2012 at 17:36
Thanks all – the buildings are certainly treasures and interesting exhibits in themselves, perhaps my favourite touch is that even the toilets in the Grahame-White Factory (well, at least the men’s) are period, with Thomas Crapper toilets, porcelain sinks and Edwardian style urinal. Hopefully the office space in the Hangar will be utilised too, there’s a lift to go to the other levels so hopefully they get used for office space or public displays.
Personally I don’t mind the current layout of exhibits, if all exhibits from one era are in one spot there’s not quite as much variation, I like wandering around the hangars and stumbling across the Westland Wallace which I forgot they had etc, plus if one building is closed and your main interest is one era, such as mine, it doesn’t mean complete dissapointment.
I read the RAFM’s summary of their ten year plan on their annual report and it mentioned, amongst other developments, a new resturant in a period 1930’s building, possibly the workshops that are between Milestones and the Grahame-White Factory area?
By: SADSACK - 6th December 2012 at 13:24
re;
wonderful pictures. The night ones are timeless. It has taken a very long time to get those buildings saved, but it has been worth it. I went in the Graham White hanger and wondered if it would collapse, not so long ago. They have done wonders with it.
By: mmitch - 6th December 2012 at 09:48
Excellent report and photos Rlangham.
Perhaps the RAF Museum could now put the design team that laid out the G-W building onto the B of B or Bomber hall?
mmitch.
By: John C - 6th December 2012 at 08:21
Very good and thank you for sharing! During my recent sojourn in Japan I remember watching a BBC programme on iPlayer about the restoration of the Graham-White building so it’s nice to see the finished facility.
Shall have to nip down over the holidays and have a look!
By: Seafuryfan - 6th December 2012 at 06:38
Rlangham, thanks very much for posting these photos, it must have taken a while and is very much appreciated. Fascinating, particularly your notes.
RAF Museum: ‘Rlangham Style’
By: jeepman - 5th December 2012 at 22:56
Am I alone in thinking that it would be nice to get all the WW1 and before a/c (including the Snipe) centralised in the G-W area and quietly loose the “Milestones of Flight” theme instead using the hall as part of the general display area – perhaps for inter-war aircraft.
Nice to see that thought is again being given to “small exhibits” such as uniforms – bring back the gallery areas in the historic hangars!
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December 5, 2012 at 9:45 pm