Hi all,
A few weeks ago I visited Tangmere for the first time since I was quite small about 15 years ago. It’s an excellent museum with a huge amount to see, including both some excellently presented aircraft and a huge amount of smaller artefacts and memorabilia.
On arrival one is greeted by this handsome Wessex HU5, which has recently been repainted on the visible starboard side.
The exterior aircraft park also displays two handsome Harriers, allowing close comparison of the design differences between Sea Harrier F/A2 and Harrier GR3. With the revolting weather when I visited one could almost imagine being on the deck of the Hermes in a South Atlantic gale.
There’s also a Sea Vixen FAW.2 and a Meteor F8, the latter gradually being repainted. 43 Squadron RAF operated Meteors from Tangmere for a year or so at the end of the 1940s.
However the outdoors highlight for me was the Phantom FGR.2 XV408 which I had last seen at Fairford in 2003 – this was in the last stages of a magnificent repaint into the commemorative blue scheme seen in the early 1990s. The quality of the job was superb, and it’s a shame there’s no hangar space for this beauty to go into!
Inside, there’s a huge amount of displays related (to a greater or lesser extent) to the history of Tangmere. Highlight for me was the very moving display of the remains of Sgt. Dennis Noble’s 43 Squadron Hurricane, in which he was shot down and killed on 30/08/1940.
In the main hangar are the wonderful air speed record-breaking Meteor and Hunter, made famous by “Teddy” Donaldson and Neville Duke, respectively.
There’s also another of my highlights, the Swift FR5 – like the Meteor and Hunter these are owned by the RAF Museum. The volunteers were busy building two Spitfire cockpit section replicas, so there was a lot of workshop clutter around the Swift, but it could still be appreciated. In general I appreciate a bit more space around aircraft to really take them in, but this is difficult to achieve for a small museum with limited resources!
Lastly in this hangar the Museum displays replicas of the prototype Spitfire K5054 and an early Hurricane I, the latter with rather incongruous exhaust pipes! It strikes me that this would be an ideal place for the Cambridge Bomber and Fighter Society’s fabric-wing Hurricane I and Fury restorations when done, if they can’t find a more nearby home. Both aircraft are indelibly associated with this illustrious station.
The Merston Hall has been built since my last visit, and houses a fine Lightning F53 (albeit painted to represent F.6 XR753) and one of only a handful of Sapphire-powered Hunters to survive. Again, a large amount of bits and pieces made fully appreciating the aircraft a bit tricky!
The final hall is a semi-temporary building forming a covered restoration area, and taken up by a Vampire T.11:
That was about it for a lovely museum! Good to see lots being worked on, and a large number of other visitors enjoying the displays. Before I left, I couldn’t resist photographing my transport for the day (my blue 1976 Raleigh Phantom) with another blue Phantom of a similar vintage…if only I could cycle up the hills with two Speys strapped on the back!
By: The Bump - 1st November 2017 at 17:04
The ‘other’ museum chain Alan 😉
By: AlanR - 31st October 2017 at 05:39
On our only visit to Cosford some years ago, we found the staff very helpful and friendly.
By: The Bump - 30th October 2017 at 15:55
I made an impromptu visit back in May after unsuitable weather cancelled a flight in a helicopter with a Spitfire and Hurricane at nearby Goodwood.
My stand out memory were the knowledgeable guides on hand to show you round the cockpits or flight sims.
I sat in a Hunter nose section and had a play with a Lightning mock up simulator.
It made a refreshing change from the disinterested volunteers at a large museum chain I could mention!
By: bleeming - 29th October 2017 at 22:15
Plenty of spares for the Sea Vixen that crashed :angel:
By: skyskooter - 29th October 2017 at 19:32
An excellent pictorial review of this niche museum. You did well Tin Triangle to frame each aircraft without surrounding clutter. You must have a good wide angle lense. The Phantom looks stunning and so much better than its former drab grey. Well done.
By: cabbage - 28th October 2017 at 19:02
The red Hunter used to be the Gate Guard at RAF Melksham, in the early 60’s.
I remember it well, along with a hangar full of aircraft cockpits, that as an enthusiastic 6 year old I was allowed to explore.
Ah, memories.
By: Ant.H - 28th October 2017 at 16:28
Thanks for the explanation on the Hurri markings PeteP, and for the links. As I said above, the amount of work that’s gone into the museum in the last couple of decades is staggering and it doesn’t go unappreciated.
As for Suez stripes, as already mentioned there is at least one potentially airworthy SeaVenom in the US painted in Suez colours, and an airworthy T.55 Vampire has also recently appeared on the North American show circuit dressed up as a Suez-striped Venom. The SeaHawk at Malta Aviation Museum is also kept in Suez colours.
By: Wyvernfan - 27th October 2017 at 20:47
I’m sure there’s also one or two Sea Venoms around including overseas that are painted in Suez markings!
Rob
By: snibble - 27th October 2017 at 19:47
I wonder if the hunter is the only aircraft displayed in suez stripes? there can’t be many types entitled. seahawk, wyvern, canberra? Not a huge amount of any of them around them around.
By: PeteP - 27th October 2017 at 17:32
Does anyone know when or why it picked up the Polish insignia on the engine cowl? It is of course in 1sqn Battle of France colours so the Polish addition makes no immediate sense.
Yes, it does look odd but there is an explanation. During the summer holiday months we ran a special exhibition on Polish and Czech airmen in Sussex during the Second World War and the Hurricane was temporarily given the markings of Josef FrantiÅ¡ek’s R4175. Although most of the temporary markings have now been removed with the end of the exhibition, the Polish insignia has yet to be done.
There’s a news item on the change of markings here: http://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/news/change-of-markings-for-the-museums-hurricane and a report on the exhibition here: http://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/polish-and-czech-fighter-pilot-exhibition
Incidentally, the Phantom repaint is the work of just one dedicated volunteer who’s been beavering away for the best part of this year outside in all weathers – I’m sure he’ll be delighted to know his efforts are being appreciated.
Pete
By: David Burke - 27th October 2017 at 10:46
Colerne would have been the venue
By: AlanR - 27th October 2017 at 10:24
Is the red Hunter the one I saw at either Colerne or Chivenor back in the mid-60’s
Along with an ME.163 ?
By: Ant.H - 26th October 2017 at 23:10
The replica Hurricane I has a Land Rover engine fitted and it used to be towed outside and fired up, hence the unusual exhaust pipes. It’s static only but I think the idea was to make it as convincing as possible for film work, etc. Does anyone know when or why it picked up the Polish insignia on the engine cowl? It is of course in 1sqn Battle of France colours so the Polish addition makes no immediate sense.
As you say, great museum with loads to see. Amazing how far it has come since I first visited as a kid back in the 80’s. The quality of the Phantom re-paint is absolutely breath-taking!
Thanks for sharing!
By: Wondy - 26th October 2017 at 21:37
Lovely Photos and report. Thank you for your time in posting Tin Triangle.
By: Mothminor - 26th October 2017 at 21:17
Lovely scheme on the Phantom. Really like your last pic, TT 🙂
By: Aviart - 26th October 2017 at 14:52
Is there much in the way of WW2 Luftwaffe relics at this museum?
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October 26, 2017 at 1:23 pm