I visited today with my son, my first trip since the late 80’s I think and what a great little museum. There are some wonderful exhibits there, and a very poignant display of some Hurricane wreckage recovered from under a street in Brighton in the mid 1990’s. A flight sergeant Noble was finally laid to rest with honours. I went back to the display several times as I just found it very moving indeed.
There are some “hands on” simulators for the youngsters, as well as a Hunter cockpit open for all to try. Talking with one of the volunteers the local development is encroaching and the museum is planned to move to a new site, but they were unable to relocate close to the control tower which is a listed building. From a distance you can see the slow decay of the tower which will soon be in the middle of a housing estate. Perhaps if it is closer to “habitation” it may not be vandalised as much as it appears to be now.
By: Arabella-Cox - 8th May 2010 at 18:39
Another museum with a silly no-photography rule?
It wasn’t like that in my day!
By: BSG-75 - 8th May 2010 at 18:37
Sorry Pagen, the current Mrs-BSG has the digital camera today and I left my phone in the car, the museum doesn’t allow photography in areas other than the two aircraft halls. If you are ever in the area though, take a look.
By: pagen01 - 8th May 2010 at 18:30
Wheres the pics BSG?
It is kind of sad and ironic that most Fighter Command airfields have lost their tower, while I bet all/most ASUs still have theirs.
By: BSG-75 - 8th May 2010 at 18:21
I ammended the name, memory loss at 44….:o
It is a really nice little place (and I mean little only in size, in no way patronising), we were there for about four hours, I hope that the move is a success for them, its just a crying shame that they couldn’t make use of the tower as part of the museum.
By: Arabella-Cox - 8th May 2010 at 18:10
West Malling, Hawkinge, Warmwell….all survived the Luftwaffe but not the developer.
I think you will find the Hurricane pilot was Sgt Dennis Noble…not Arnold. 43 Squadron loss, 30 August 1940.
I am glad that what I started as long ago as 1974 (we opened in 1982) is still going strong – even although I am no longer involved down there.
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May 8, 2010 at 6:03 pm