The trouble with public votes is that you usually end up with the best known/best publicised winning it when the depth of the field is largely unknown. Personally, I’d like to see someone like Frederick Sanger commemorated as this is a chance to raise worthy profiles, but it will surely be Stephen Hawking or Rosalind Franklin.

In defence of the RAFM shop at Hendon, when compared to museums of many different themes up and down the nation it isn’t that bad at all: it has the usual offerings and a bit more. I’m a pretty frequent visitor because of DoRIS and think the shop’s book selection is reasonably varied, the second-hand section is always worth a good look too. As far as the specific area of models is concerned, they cater for what will sell, no use complaining about that, it’s a sensible approach. The London branch of what is probably Britain’s biggest plastic model emporium is only 200 metres away from the car park too and it’s stock is also limited and much less than their old shop by the station used to be, that is the way retail has gone.

Quite agree with John.

The onward march of development in London is simply overtaking the Hendon site. Let’s not forget that it was half a century ago that the site was chosen, it was in the capital, it had good rail and motorway links, it wasn’t a bad choice. Fifty years earlier than that and Hendon was still partly rural.

Perhaps two sites might enable the RAFM to come close to ‘being all things to all men’? An airframe-based museum at Cosford where the collection could be united so that things like the Lincoln could be in a Bomber Command Hall and all of the Axis aircraft seen as a collection. They could even build a new Battle of Britain Hall.

At Hendon, retain a smaller site which fits the more modern (and funding-friendly) museum remit with themed exhibitions, interactive exhibits, use the galleries again for some smaller artifacts and retain a few key airframes. The archive could stay there too and even expand a touch.

Won’t happen though.

Supplementary:
Summarising, Bomber Command hit the ground running changing as they went at the start of hostilities, including personnel being posted to form new units from active ones.
Although the USAAF structure evolved with time, they formed and trained Stateside as units initially, and came over as operational units, so the opportunity to complete a tour as a crew was there from the start.

Which way do you go in? I tend to go via the M25, M3 and straight on through Richmond. Usually (relatively) straightforward.

Discovery does take getting used to. I’ve often started on files on microfilm, books or something I’ve pre-ordered because I know the reference and then find the others in the paper index and have them delivered while I look at the first things!

Isn’t the stone in the wall a memorial for a single fatal crash though?

This is welcome news and grateful thanks are due to those whose diligent work made this possible.

Absolutely concur. It’s one of those gems of an aviation museum. The staff are so welcoming and knowledgeable and the exhibits so well presented.