The 'new' RAFM Hendon , where have the aircraft gone

” …It is due to open to the public at the RAF Museum at the former Hendon Aerodrome either later this year or early in 2019…..”, cynically I wonder if it will ever be open to the public or they will have the staff to man it, considering the amount of recent exhibit closures.

Sheesh….

John

Coming soon to a Hendon near you

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6001845/Bombs-away-Iconic-Dambusters-raid-Virtual-Reality-users-experience-heroic-WWII-mission.html

Moggy

If you want a dignified and informative RAF museum Hendon -sorry that option is not available.

If you want education = Hendon
If you want aircraft = Cosford

Simples

Curlyboy

Anthony Livingstone Great, A museum created to celebrate all thats good about the RAF ,turned into a kiddies kindergarten.> I think the museum should dispose of the aircraft and just put a childrens sandpit and slides in their place. You really have lost the plot!

https://www.facebook.com/rafmuseum/videos/10156536370857612/

Brian

Luckily we are not lacking good aviation museums in the Uk and Hendon will slide down the list of enthusiasts being now worth one visit to tick off the rare items. I doubt that the RAFM Hendon will miss the return visits from us, they have a different target which is fuelled by the current trends. Sadly the money spent is a reflection of what it costs to engage pro companies on a tender basis .

DaveF68
Mosquito…… Science Museum… precedent…..

Not aware of that one – do you mean TV959 at IWM?

I am afraid I suspected this would be end result when I visited and started a thread ‘Sad RAF Museum’ several years ago. The Bomber Command hall was a mess then and you could only get in the Graham White building during a couple of hours a day.
The Battle of Britain hall was in need of a revamp certainly but not at the expense of chucking the iconic aircraft out. I don’t think I’ll waste my time going to see this ‘museum.’ If the RAF Museum really spent £25M on this perhaps they should have a look at Brooklands who made a vast improvement including the hangar move with £8-9M!
mmitch.

What a waste of space the BoB Hall is now, should of been filled with new gems like a Boston, Vincent, Buffalo.new exhibits keeps the interest not gimmicks .

They could of (sic) filled the BoB with such gems, but is there a Boston, Vincent or Buffalo anywhere looking for a home? I’m not convinced!

I did cringe a bit when I saw this tweet. I don’t think that MOTAT was deliberately trolling with their response.
https://twitter.com/Swatchway/status/1021409495698804737

DaveF68
Mosquito…… Science Museum… precedent…..

Glad it wasn’t just me. Her accent as she ran through the Spitfire patter was especially beguiling.

Moggy

To be completely fair to SouthernAir99 in these PC times, Moggy, beauty is in the eye of the beholder……

…she was rather lush though!!

J

It should be said that the delightful Italian girl manning the Spitfire Experience on the day of the press preview was both enthusiastic and knowledgeable enough.

Possibly prettier than Southern Air99 judging by his profile image here too.

[add your own smiley here]

Moggy

What they have done to the Sunderland is appalling. What next, chop the arms of a statue in the British Museum so they can put it against a wall.

Glasgow transport staff are fantastic – the less said about the building the better….. and as for the lack of aviation content…

I did 4 days re-enacting at Glasgow Transport, the staff were fantastic considering that bloody stupid independence referendum was on at the time. But we were not allowed to display a Union Flag.

I am now a cynical perhaps wiser person and see this trend when land has a value but its current use is not making a profit. A last effort is made to show they tried and when that does not work out they can sell off parcels of land. I suppose its called asset stripping, this is the un spoken aim at the former RAF Hendon site. Give it 5 years and the new re vamp will be declared dated and more land sold and profit cashed in,leaving just the listed CGW building and contents.

Its the only explanation I can think of to cover this rush to remove aircraft and replace with gizmos. As for staffing, well that sadly is not new and having informed guides was clearly not part of the recruitment. In contrast my visits to Midlands air museum, Glasgow transport museum and Morayvia Kinloss have resulted in great interaction with staff.

I applied for a job to man the spit experience, and in spite of my enthusiasm and some knowledge of the Spit, and historic aviation in general, I was turned down, or rather after interview received not even an email to say sorry but you didn’t get it. Even when prompted for constructive advice about my interview I was ignored.
Now the experience is experiencing closures (probably due to lack of staffing) and they have some staff who couldn’t care less.

This is partly why I don’t go anymore…

Spent 4 hours there today, after travelling 200 miles, to find the Spitfire experience closed, along with ALL the sims. Absolutely dreadful papier-mache animals littered throughout as “comparisons”, making already difficult photography absolutely futile. It’s still not finished, with building work and associated detritus spoiling the ambience. F35 was found, nicely camouflaged against a grey roof – nearly missed the plastic beast. £5.00 for a can of fizzy orange and a pastry. Only 1 cafe open and the shop was being massively restocked. Hung around in case they changed their minds about opening the Spitfire Experience, but no – even though it was being advertised on the screens along with the non-existent 4D rides. Spoke to a couple of staff, but got the distinct impression that they really couldn’t have cared less. Iconic aircraft are missing, at Cosford (much better place) or in storage. Finally (phew) looking at the simply dreadfully positioned plastic Hurricane at the gate from mid-car park, the wings took on the look of being anhedral. Must be the heatwave. There are many good points, however, but if they are going to close the Spitty experience, they should say so on the website, which like the whole of the physical site, could do with a bit more work and panache. I guess I better expect the flames now, but these are my feelings from today.