we should
aim to preserve one or two inside and leave it at that.

Yep, lets learn from the Concorde mess.

Dave

New Zealand doesnt have an Air Force any more so cant have a historic flight 😉 (a bit of a flip comment but now the A-4’s have gone you only have C-130’s and P-3’s – all very sad considering wht might have been)

The RNHF are not an active squadron within the FAA, the aircraft are owned and operated by a Trust within the MOD (some please give chaper and verse). The BBMF are a unit within an RAF Command and are staffed by full time RAF maintenance crews assigned to that squadron/flight.

They have two, both still operate under the military serial system and are owned by the MOD on long term loan/lease/etc.

I accept the areguement about the Bev being significant, however the RAFM one was well beyond saving and now we only have one there is no use crying over spilt milk.

we could argue that whilst technically interesting they could hardly be described as ‘combat veterans’. They might well have made a contribution to intercepting ‘Bears’ over the North Sea but is that as important as the Beverley’s role in the unstable Middle East?

Every single bit as important, next time an aircraft flies over your house, if it isnt wearing Red Stars on the wing you can be partly thankful to the Lightning and the Phantom. The Cold War was just that, a WAR!

Hendon as a Museum has a mandate to preserve historic aircraft and educate people about their history and that of the RAF. My interest in aviation (of any kind) was well and truly cemented in the very fabric of my being when, as a 5 year old, I was taken to Hendon by my Dad! At that time I dont think the Halfax ha been raised and the Lanc as still in the corner of the main hall. The Bev was outside and the lights were still on. I was well and truly hooked.
If we are to preserve the legacy then a very important part of that process is to “get em while theyre young!” A 5 year old cant see the dust on an aircraft, does not care if there are any instruments in a cockpit he cannot get to and certainly doesnt worry too much if it isnt in exactly the correct colours (I’m not saying these things arent important, just that young children have to wait until they becosme grumpy old men to realise they are).

As a museum and an educational tool, well Hendon is fine (it worked for me) its not perfect but its fine.

I would like the following on my wish list.
1. Lights turned on please.
2. The collection of VC currently “out the back” given a little more prominence. I always go ion here and always come out in tears (yes I did go around when I was 5)
3. The Battle to be moved to a position of more prominence
4. The Battle of Britain experiance is great but is intereferes with the BoB hall when not showing, how about making the display screens movable so they can be raisedout of the way. And turn the lights on please.

ps where does one draw the line between north and south?? I need to know whether I live in a wasteland or no

Top of the Oxford road in Abingdon, thems all a bit queer beyond that 🙂

Then he ‘forced’ me to drink sherry with him.

Emva Cream? You are Dr Evadne Hinge and I claim my five pounds 🙂

We are hoping to upgrade one of his entries in the Guinness book by getting type no 487 in the Rearwin!

he wont fly it if it still looks like an RAC van!!

Happy Christmas Melv 😀

IIRC There is a contract between the current occupiers and the MOD. They are very cagey about giving out details of this not because of commercial worries but because is “may” undermine any long term planning which they wish to enter in to so the local authorities “may”view the base in a different light. ….Allegedly

Needless to say that when they were asked if teh runway could be dug up and used in the recent upgrade of the A43 al la Greenham Common and the Newbury Bypass, a very firm NO came back.

That said I dont think it’ll ever happen but its good for a few urban legends.

That hurt!!!!