Royal Air Force Museum - London UK

[nuuumannn]

It's worth remembering that the RAF Museum collection also has an He 162, two Fw 190s, including the world's only two seater (The other was previously on display at IWM Lambeth), an Me 410, Me 262, Me 163, Bf 109G, Fi 156, Fa 330, Fi 103, two A 4s (V2) as well as a host of German rockets, missiles and weaponry. Some of these airframes are on display at Cosford, near Wolverhampton. There might be others I've missed.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Unfortunately I didn't make it there in time while the museum was still open. I know they have a JU 87 and a JU 88 there

Was that in 2009? I flew up to London on a weekend trip. Went out to Hendon, just to find out it was closed for renovations. Fortunately I flew up to London again to see my 49ers play, and was able to make it to Hendon that time. The best collection in the world in my opinion. Close second would be the NASM in DC.

Chicago? I only live a few hours west. Me and the wife dive over to Chicago from time to time.

 

[MilitaryAttractions]

Was that in 2009? I flew up to London on a weekend trip. Went out to Hendon, just to find out it was closed for renovations. Fortunately I flew up to London again to see my 49ers play, and was able to make it to Hendon that time. The best collection in the world in my opinion. Close second would be the NASM in DC.

Chicago? I only live a few hours west. Me and the wife dive over to Chicago from time to time.

Very awesome Museum indeed! I was there in the Summer of 2010 actually. Only reason I didn't make it into the BoB hall was because it's separate from the rest of the Museum and didn't even realize it existed until I was leaving the museum. It's a good thing those planes aren't going anywhere, so there's always next time. I havent been to NASM in 15 years, and at the time I was still a boy and didn't have much interest in planes. Definitely meaning to go back there someday. I went to PIMA Air and Space near Tuscon AZ just last spring. That's actually the next set of pictures I'm working on posting on the website. On the same trip I also went on the tour of AMARG aka "The Boneyard" where the government literally keeps thousands of planes that are awaiting destruction, being overhauled or scrapped for parts and sold to other nations. The only other Air Museum in America that I really want to see is Wright Patterson in Dayton Ohio.

I'm located about an hour west of Chicago myself. You ever been to Rockford Airfest? They seem to put on a pretty good airshow there.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

We just moved back to the US last year.

Yeah I went to Rockford last year, and plan on going this year. Fifi will be there.

 

[MilitaryAttractions]

Yea I was there last year too. I liked the harrier demonstration with the mock-bombing, climbing into the lancer B1b cockpit was pretty cool. FIFI has come to my local private airport a couple times (Dupage Airpot) and its pretty funny seeing the biggest WWII bomber around a bunch of Cessna's and pipers.

If you haven't already you should check out the Museum of Science and industry. They have the other only remaining JU87 in the world and the only Type 9 Uboat

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The museum in Chicago does not have the only remaining Ju 87.

The RAF Museum in Hendon has one in thd Battle Of Britain Hall.

 

[MilitaryAttractions]

The museum in Chicago does not have the only remaining Ju 87.

The RAF Museum in Hendon has one in thd Battle Of Britain Hall.

Yes theres 2 of them left. Ones at Hendon and the other at Chicago

 

[Airframes]

There are plans, in an advanced state, for major changes to RAFM Hendon, which include a huge glass tower, with some aircraft, including WW2 examples, suspended, as if being viewed in the sky.
Whilst this might be very 'artistic' and probably dramatic, personally I think it'll spoil things where the Battle of Britain Hall collection is concerned. The BoB Hall has already been messed around, with very dim lighting and 'arty farty' light and AV shows, compared to how it was in the past. The exhibits used to be able to be viewed fairly close up, without obstructive barriers or other hindrances, with good, clear lighting, allowing photography at ground level and from the balconies. In my mind, such rare, and important airframes shouldn't be used as part of an overall 'artistic display', but displayed in such a way that they can be seen easily, and fully appreciated, at ground level (which also allows them to be moved if required), where every detail can be studied by those who want to do so.
But then, I'm just an aviation enthusiast/amateur historian, not an artistic director trying to make a name for him/her self ....

 

[meatloaf109]

"After the light show, our own Interpretive dance troupe will re-enact the Battle of Britian"
(Apologies to Monty Python)

 

[nuuumannn]

Their reanactment of Pearl Harbor was a sight to be seen...

 

[nuuumannn]

Terry, haven't heard much about the Battle of Britain Beacon for awhile; I was hoping they'd canned it, frankly - they could put the money to better use.

As for Stuka survivors, there's a Ju 87B forward fuse and wings surviving at Sinsheim and a Ju 87R without an engine at the Deutches Technik Museum in Berlin. Both are unrestored in an 'as found' condition, and its a shame that the Berlin one isn't done; they just need an engine.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yeap seen both of those.