Matt.

If you go to Kew please have a read of the National Archive website first. Just the bit that tells you what you need to gain access and what’s expected of you while you’re there.

Basically, it boils down to this:

You and anyone with you who wishes to go in will need a reader’s ticket. You will need a passport or driving license with photo ID. You will then have your photo taken and a readers card issued.

As it’s your first visit take the 20 minute guided tour. It will familiarise you with the place (which is massive) and the guide will show you how to carry out your research.

As Ross said, the staff are very helpful but will NOT do the work for you. They are there only to guide and advise. Incidentally, take any advice Ross offers, he is very experienced.

You can photograph documents and images from micro film readers in certain areas. This might save money on copying charges however flash is NOT allowed.

Expect to spend the whole day there and not get half the information you expected. You will find various difficulties, legibility of the documents being one. Time will fly.

Do NOT take a pen. Some of the stuff you might want to look at could be original documents therefore they only allow pencils. Take several and a sharpener.

Copying. Expect to pay around 25p per copy. Some Operational Record Books (Squadron and Station Diaries) are very short and to the point. Others seem to include every detail of the minutiae of Squadron and Station life. My advice would be to copy all of it and then read and disseminate the information you require in comfort when you have time.

Matt, it’s a great place.I’ve been a few times now and found the experience thoroughly rewarding. To start with, if I were you, I’d look at the ORB for Weston Zoyland as that’s your main sphere of interest. Expect there to be hundreds of pages though. With experience you will learn what is of value to you and what is not.

Above all, enjoy it. Treat the place, the information, the staff and your fellow researchers with respect. That way I am sure you will have an enjoyable and rewarding day. One thing is very certain. When you realise the sheer amount of information available to you, it will open your eyes to the prospect of turning what is in effect information overload, into a very detailed history of Weston Zoyland.

Regards,

kev35

Thanks for the advice, well i sepnt an hour or 2 there todsay, and it is a massive place. I manged to look the minutes of meetings and weekly accounts of operations and thing the squadron got up to.

I found most of the staff very very helpful (besides 1) but i onlyu skimmed the surface i shall go back again in the next day or to, to get look into the squadrons that operated from there.

There were some letters written by the station CO about the expansion of the airfield which were interesting.
I ask about seeing as (fingers crossed) there will be a museum could they loan some of the doccument, they said no but maybe i can sort something. Otherwise i wil have to copy all the publications to read and digest at leasure.

I will keep you posted and i recomend a visit

Ill keep you posted as when i find important things

Thanks to all (especially kev35 and ross)

XH668
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Herbalaire Vaporizer

Ahh

Ive been looking at some websites (and i cant seem to find much about weston zoyland at the moment) but im gettin really confused expecially with this records office at kew, i dont know what i have to do and all the rest.

I think i might give them a ring in the next day or to along with hendon.

Can anyone give some friendly advice as to how to research theres sort of things. Ive a novice and i dont pretend to be an expert so im totaly stuck.

Thanks
668
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Uggs

I think Colford has a made a point that has been possibly overlooked.
Making an assumption on XH668’s behalf here, I’m guessing he is reffering to the Mustang I as operated by the RAF (inc RCAF) and not the prototype XP-51 (originally made to British requirements, I know)

Yes the assumption was right a mark 1 mustang flown by the RAF, what i need is all of the measurements to make a detailed model of the a/c. So i wondered if anyone had that information somewhere or can recommed somewhere to get that information from?

I would like to make a “large model” which is what the LMA do, i have spoken to a number of them and what i need is dimensions of pretty much everything.

After posting this i thought would there be an old book that engineers might of had which gave all of the dimensions?

Thanks to everyone whos posted so far
668
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How To Use A Vaporite

What the heck did you type into google!?

Just put “RAF museum reserve collection” into google and this was the second website it found (after a Forum thread here about the place……) – http://www.aeroclocks.com/images/pics_articles/Stafford%20June%2006.pdf

Jon

😮 flippin heck i missed that one, i dont tend to open up the pdf links

Problem solved, looks like i shall have to get a visit down there

Thanks again
sorry for being a pain

All these question will pay off one day

668
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The aircraft is in the EAA museum in Oshkosh and mighty fine it is. Doubt they would help though…better buy the olf P51 Mustang Airfix Modellers Book N0.3 has a chunk about Mk1 modelling

Ok thanks i will try and hunt 1 down, or someone who has one.

Once i get dimesnions i can then scale them up or down accordingly

Thanks for the help on this one guys
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