Interesting question. Obviously there was no ATC as we know it today. I am not sure when inland radar coverage of the UK started? I have spoken to plenty of veterans who served during the war and post war, and some ATC staff from post war and it was all very ad hoc. I met a vetran who delivered Mosquitos to Turkey in 1947 and there was no en-route ATC through Europe then. With regard to D-day there certainly was radar coverage but I don’t think there was control as we know it apart from vectoring fighters to targets. I have researched 264sqn, a Mosquito night fighter squadron who was active over the beach head from D-day for around two weeks and they shot down a good number of the Luftwaffe with the help of ground based radar in the UK, and within a few days mobile unites in France.

Interesting so AJJ got some info in the early 60’s that changed his mind? Do we know how much damage occurred at Hendon? You would think that was quite well documented?

Wartime airline flights were generally for government approved passengers only. How many people were involved in this deportation as I guess the DC-3 would have only carried 25 or so passengers on such a long trip? I would think that is is more likely that they were dropped by ship in Lisbon.

Have read about the Hudson having ‘wet wings’. They were prone to catching fire if there was a undercarriage collapse or any sort of crash landing. I don’t know if the earlier Lockheed twins had them?

Interesting I thought that there was a Handley Page that was in Newfoundland for an Atlantic attempt but after Alcock and Browns success it was flown to the USA for demos, but that was a V/1500. I can only assume that it was sent to the US for some sort of demo, perhaps to lead to licence production??

Great news, St Athan has been such an inaccessible place with a great collection. Definitely one to visit next summer, and no M4 tolls by then too!

Heard that PSA has been moved at Coventry in order that dismantling can start. Good news but sad she is going to somewhere as inaccessible as St Athan.

I have not been to Hendon for around a year so can not massively comment on the two new exhibitions. I am saddened by the BofB hall, they could have easily kept a core of BofB aircraft and still celebrated the 100th with other exhibits. One thing has struck me on visits over the past 2-3 years are the staff/volunteers in the halls, I am unsure which category they fit into? The ones I have spoken to seem to lack basic knowledge and are more there to keep the kids under control and direct people to the toilets etc. Come pare them to the enthusiasts I met at both Old Sarum and Bournemouth museums this year and they are in a different league. In my experience if the RAFM could recruit such volunteers it would be a much better place.