Another tuppence’ worth…

I first visited Duxford sometime in the mid-70’s during a annual Summer holiday – not long after IWM started moving in (?). At that time there was no Superhangar (soon to become Airspace), No AAM, and No Land Warfare Hall. No Concorde, no Airpeed Ambassador or Avro York, no Skyfame collection

There were a number of the larger aircraft, Victor, Shackleton, Sally B (Ok I know she’s never been an IWM Exhibit, but you know what I mean) parked on the apron, but they were a fair way from the single crowd barrier, adding to the feeling of “indifference”.

As I remember the environment/atmosphere around the hangars was wide open, and very quiet – although IWM and one or two other small restoration groups were there there was no OFMC or Fighter Collection, and no ARCo etc. The static rebuild/repro of Big Beautiful Doll was awaiting shipment to Lambeth.

Even though I was already an “aviation nut”, the whole place felt slightly “dead” – perhaps it was better at weekends, but it was certainly dead mid-week. To the casual visitor it who perhaps did not appreciate the aircraft in themselves I suspect the atmosphere at that time was totally uninspiring and probably boring.

Since then I have visited many times, both on display days and on non-flying days, and the whole atmosphere has changed, each addition (building wise and collection/operator-wise) has added to the life of the place, whether or not I like the look of some of the buildings.

The place now feels “alive”, you can see the restored exhibits, see real live engineers working on real live aircraft that drip oil in the Fighter collection hangar – if you are lucky you may see one of them run-up or even fly. Surely this must catch the attention of the younger visitor and stand a chance of getting them hooked on aviation?

As has been said in earlier posts, the remit of IWM is wider than aviation alone, and even though tanks and boats don’t really do much for me, they do make a refreshing change, and remind me that aviation isn’t the only thing around (expects instant ex-communication from the forum).

So, I prefer Duxford as she is now, a living, breathing airfield, which is a mix of static museum pieces and live flying machines.

As for the newer buildings, hmm.. I’d rather see all the unique or significant exhibits undercover in “out of character” buildings than have one or two expensive “in character buildings” housing only a few exhibits whilst other airframes corrode away out of doors.

If we can get more under cover by “hanging them” then so be it – at least they are being preserved for the future, and could always be lowered and displayed back at ground level at a future date if funds and space ever permit.

Of course, as we move on we learn – I hope the Airspace exhibits are going to be hung (hanged 😀 ) in a manner which does not harm their structural integrity for the future – unlike past hangings (not at Duxford) which may have compromised the integrity of other ‘planes.

As Setter and others have said, some view AAM and the Superhangar as out of character – perhaps IWM should be strongly encouraged to develop and enforce a coherent development plan, which might include advice on the general style of new buildings, perhaps set exclusion zones on some areas of the airfield, so that the very different atmosphere behind the hangar line can be preserved – I too find that the area behind the hangars (to the North of them) feels very much “untouched” and “special” even when there are hordes of airshow go-ers thronging around the south side of them.

As others have said, I think it would be unrealistic to stop and or return the site to any particular fixed point in time – how far back should we go – why stop at the 1940’s? Let’s go back to the era of the Gaunlets and dig up and remove the hard runway :diablo:? Oh, might that mean the end of Legends and other shows as it would mean only grass-friendly aircraft could operate! It might also prevent arrival of further exhibits by air too….. All of which help bring in the punters, and help keep the place viable. A living organism develops or it dies, I know which I’d prefer to see happen at Duxford.

So… Duxford in 2040?

Mistakes may have been made to date in terms of allowing the new buildings to look the way they do, but hopefully IWM will learn from them, and future development may be more “tasteful”? I would like to think 2040 would find a “New phase” of static hangars/display buildings, probably to the West of Land Warfare Hall – yes it will restrict parking on display days, yes it will mean a long walk from one end of the site to the other, but I am sure this can be overcome with a passenger transit system such as the current(?) land-train. Thinks – with the spiraling cost of oil, the spiraling costs of airframe insurance, and ever less helpful EU-Legislation, will we still even be seeing flying displays by vintage aircraft in 2040, display-day car parking may be the least of our worries 😮

Perhaps all the existing hangars to East of AAM (apart from the then 30year old Airspace building which might serve as a good gateway to the whole complex), could be filled with flying examples/collections inc the long awaited Beaufighter restoration, The Luftwaffe collection inc a Me 262, Me 109 and Fw 190, and the 70% complete rebuilt ex-Chinese Stirling :diablo: (Think of a larger form of the current Fighter collection/Arco hangars/buildings of today) and the state of the art IWM restoration suite.

Until funds are limitless (oink, flap, oink, flap…oh look there goes a flying pig…), then over crowding and “hanging” must surely be better than leaving planes outside to rot. In 2040 I would like to think there would be very few exposed airframes on display (except perhaps the newly retired Eurofighter Typhoon F1 and the J35 “Seafire II” FRS3 Prototype 😉 ). No doubt many of the indoor examples will still be hanging on wires, but at least they will be out of the weather.

I too find AAM difficult as a photographer, as the planes are so crammed in, but at least this means my grandchildren stand a reasonable chance of still being able to see reasonably well preserved samples of the Blackbird and the F111 in thirty five years time. I would also like to see plenty of thought given to disabled access, as I will be 80 in 2040, and would like to think my (likely) wheelchair-bound/infirm status would not stop me from getting a good view.

If RAFM Hendon ever has to relocate then I guess its movement to Cosford might be a better bet than to Duxford – if nothing else it might help reduce metrocentricity?

Maybe 2040 will also find a Science Museum enclave at Duxford – with the current Wroughton collection on site?

Not sure my words have actually added anything to JDK’s piece, but thought I’d add them to the pot anyway…generally I think I agree with him, with the provisio that future building development should be better controlled in appearance and location within the site.

Paul F

Landplanes on Water…

Posts 156/185/189 and 190 suddenly triggered the old grey cells….many years ago there was a TV documentary on ag-pilots in Africa (IIRC), who got bored with the relative tedium of crop spraying.

Nearby was a lake or river – very still, very calm water.

One eveing (no doubt after a beer) they were seeing just how low they could get above thw water when one of them actually skimmed the surface with his mainwheels. Fortunately he didn’t dip his tyres in too deeply, or he would have instantly nosed over into the wet stuff. Having done it once, and got away with it, he repeated it, then they all tried, and before long found it was relatively “easy” 😮 to “water ski” their Agcats/Agtruks etc in this way. I remember camera shots showing the planes skimming down the river/canal/lake surface raising spray from their wheel for maybe 50 – 75 yrds at a time

Anyone else remember the documentary – given it’s nature it was probably shown on the then relatively obscure C4 (or BBC2)?

Paul F

Coming soon, to a shop/store near you..

More thoughts…..

I presume we may soon see the brand name Spitfire adorning such tasteful :rolleyes: items as “1940’s style digital radios”, “1940’s style 21st Century technology Multi-tools” “1940’s style Aluminium Thermos Flasks” and other such pseudo-1940’s reproduction styled tat, as has been seen recently bearing the name of an early American Atlantic-crossing flying machine…. Not sure Lindbergh actually took a digital radio with him, but maybe I’m mistaken…..

How many people will look at the brand “Spitfire” and think “..oh, that name means quality, heritage, strength, courage..” or whatever – I suspect far more will look at the perfume/luggage/pair of trousers and say “What the f0rk has that got to do with a Spitfire?”.

Unless of course the perfume smells of hot engine oil, hi-octane petrol and dope 😀 .

The well known beer brewed in Kent is acknowledged by SN to be named as a tribute to the Spitfire, and not to out of some misguided PR guru’s thoughts that the beer’s name will be associated with attributes of the fighter itself and thus lead gullible punters to buy it….or so they claim.

Whatever next….how about trademarking other famous aircraft, the possibilities are endless:

“Lightning” – A new Diet-product brand (think about it..)
“Swift” -a Next-day courier service
“Mosquito” – the ultimate Insect repellant

Think I’ll steer clear of the brand “TSR2” as I fear it’s not likely to come to much :diablo: ……

Paul F

‘Hogs at Airshows

In addition to Moggy’s comments about pairs of A10’s romping around East Anglia at near-treetop level, who else remembers their “pairs” act at IAT in the late 70’s and early 80’s at Greenham Common? (I know it’s RIAT now, but it was still only IAT in those days).

A pair of A-10s would take off together, and then show how effectively two of the beasties could keep a ground target under attack – their manouverability meant that they could bring one of the two Gatlings to bear for a potential firing pass every 20 – 30 seconds or so (well, that’s how I remember it).

They are indeed sadly missed.

Paul F

High Oil Prices are here to stay

Oil prices will stay high now that India, China and other emerging economies are growing, and expecting a “western” lifestyle – i.e. access to cars etc.

More demand on a limited resource = higher prices.

I believe that US won’t sign up to Kyoto because they truly see themselves as “beyond” such matters :diablo: as witnessed by my (albeit limited) first hand experience of dirt cheap oil/fuel prices and gas guzzling cars when over there. Unfortunatley, US is all too insular – try watching their “global news” programs and you will find very little mention of anything outside North America unless it directly impacts on US in some way :dev2: !

Until, and unless, they realise they too are citizens of the “global village” they will continue to act as they please, including consuming huge amounts of fuel. Sure they may have large distances to travel, but that does not stop people using economical vehicles rather than huge SUVs.

No doubt US will try to restrict the consumption of fuels in Middle East (e.g India) and Far East (e.g. China)as their economies boom, yet they will also defend the right of the USA to burn as much fuel as they choose :rolleyes: .

Either way, demand for oil is growing, and prices will never be as low as they were a year or two back – let’s face it, we’re all burning a limited resource.

Don’t ask me how we solve the problem :confused: , imposing limits on the emerging economies seems a little unfair, unless we in the developed world (esp. USA) too are prepared to limit our own use of oil – and if government taxes on fuel are the only way to limit consumption, then so be it.

Global warming used to be a “what if..” scenario, I think few people/nations with any common sense would now argue that it is not happening, all there is to argue about now is how fast it’s happening, and whether mankind has actually gone so far that global warming has become a self sustaining, and out of our control 🙁 .

Paul F

Talk Down?

Sounds like the film was based on Brian Lecomber’s novel “Talk Down” in which the female passenger of a Cherokee(iirc) is talked down aftewr her male pilot passes out. A good book, well worth a read.

Paul F

In Memory….

As discussed in thread above, yesterday I placed some flowers on the grave of Capt Short’s Flight Engineer, at about same time as Kev35 and others were hoping to place flowers on Captain Short’s final resting place in Manchester.

– May you Rest in Peace Gentlemen, and thanks for your contribution to the War effort.

Paul F

Second Gloster FSM

The second FSM ended up on a pole on a roundabout adjacent to Farnborough Airfield, close to the new hangars/tower/terminal development.

Paul F