No Duxford Military Vehicle Show in 2015

No Duxford Military Vehicle Show in 2015 – The newsletter circulated by the volunteer group at Duxford confirms there is no show in 2015. Several reasons are given notably a desire to concentrate on two, two day air shows purporting to yield a higher return on investment. The supposition being 2014 was possibly the last vehicle show in the traditional format.

thats not good, does that mean the model show will not be there as well

Could they not combine air and vehicles?

Quote from the IWM

“Following a review of how budgets are allocated at the IWM, there will not be Military Vehicle Show or a Spitfires, Merlins and Motors event held in 2015.”

This news is most unwelcome, it was one of my favourite shows. Are there any alternatives?

My belief is that the money generated by this show provided the funds to keep the runners at IWM, well, running.

If that's accurate, what happens now?

:-(

This news is most unwelcome, it was one of my favourite shows. Are there any alternatives?

 

My belief is that the money generated by this show provided the funds to keep the runners at IWM, well, running.

If that's accurate, what happens now?

 

:-(

I am not too sure that that is accurate, I think that the cancellation of the show is due to the major changes in funding and the changes in the management structure of the IWM. I hope that it is purely to help the IWM stabilise themselves in 2015.

Any queries please contact

Esther Blaine (eblaine@iwm.org.uk).

Remember that there's more than one organisation on site, working to many of the same goals. The Duxford MV show was put on by both the museum and DAS (the MV Wing).

While the museum may have had to pull the plug on the show, it'll be important to find another way of supporting DAS and their works in maintaining the running vehicles, restoration workshops, etc.

DAS is a volunteer charity so is dependant upon things like donations and the show tank rides etc. for income alongside funded restoration project works for the museum.

Gutted for the hobby and more importantly the people that run it.

Many years ago I visited the show in a friend of a friends Jeep and that show got me hooked for life.

All I do is take my vehicles to shows, I have no experience in running shows but In my opinion Duxford Military show could be great. for the following reasons:

location: great transport links with M11 and A14.

Facility's: the biggest and best aircraft museum in the country with a brilliant military vehicle museum, hard standing, plenty of space for loading/unloading, it has a proper arena to displaying collection and private vehicles and even a runway to do the same. Space for camping. Very secure site not like other shows like W+P

Now ask yourself which other show has half of these things and doesn't charge exhibitors

The only thing I would change is make it 2 day event as would likely attract more people (exhibitors and public and stall holders) from further afield. and if the stall holders pitch prices are anything like air show days then cut the prices of pitch s. and allow exhibitors to sell items

Playing devils advocate here: If it became a 2 day show Possibly ask for a donation £5 from exhibitor and ring fence it for use on the show or military vehicle wing/DAS, after all again ask yourself which other show has half of these things and doesn't charge exhibitors and remember its £17.50 Adult to enter the show. You could even sweeten it by seeing if the petrol station will do a discount on fuel for exhibitors only. as I know a small 1940's show managed to do that.

As per the above posts and what i picked up talking to the guys on the gate ant this years show

Half the problem is that the museum doesn't support the show apart from the listing on there website. Do they not see that they also financial and advertising benefit from the show as it is let alone if they actually supported it more than they did.

As I said All I do is take my vehicles to shows, I have no experience in running shows these are just my views.

Again I'm gutted for the hobby and more importantly the people that run it.

Half the problem is that the museum doesn't support the show apart from the listing on there website. Do they not see that they also financial and advertising benefit from the show as it is let alone if they actually supported it more than they did.

I don't think that's fair to say, the show was a collaboration, and had a good deal of support from both museum staff and the volunteers.

As I said just going off what the chaps at the exhibitors gate were saying, who were DAS and Military vehicle wing personnel.

I was sat at the gate for 30min+ chatting to them so it wasn't a case of flippant remarks etc.

Over the years speaking to DAS and Military vehicle wing personnel and radio group the recurring theme is that the museum doesn't support the show enough. even some museum staff have stated "no that's nothing to do with the museum" when members of the public have asked about the military vehicle show.

It's not to say it couldn't have used more support mind you, just that by nature it was a collaboration. We're all dependant upon charitable funding etc. and there's never enough to go around.

It would have been nice to see what we could do with more resources, advertising, etc.

Duxford Military Vehicle show is what it is/was a friendly show offering more historical items of interest than any other show past or present on an historical site of aviation interest spanning almost a century. I have been to all except one and will miss it for whatever reason the decision has been made that there is no show in 2015. Possibly the powers to be will reconsider for 2016, those old enough may recall mileage payments were made to assist vehicles attending the show in the early days. Gradually these payments were removed and latterly payments became the exception from the norm for exceptional vehicles of interest. If you have tried putting on a show you know the costs are prohibitive, possibly the return on expenditure just doesn’t justify all the costs involved. Think of the fuel cost alone for the armour displayed in the arena and where does that monies come from. Monies generated at the gate go to the Museum it’s there site, monies from vehicle rides go’s to the main body of DAS not the vehicle section who get an allowance and have to be creative when spares are required. As for a two day event on site that has been muted for years, almost from the first way back in the seventies. One of the stumbling blocks has been for security purposes the evening night-time separation of the show and the main site and its policing.

I'm old enough to remember when the Duxford MV show alternated with their bus show and was the first weekend in August, perhaps that is the future.

Though the show is fairly local for me, to be honest it was only a shadow of it's former self in the last few years, and adding the model show and book fair merely papered over the cracks. It also become a 'premium' event (which meant IWM Friends had to pay full price). The expensive entrance price did not encourage modellers to attend the model show either.

It seems to have lost support from the MV owners too, I can remember the area north of the Land Warfare Hall was full of visiting vehicles, which extended around the arena. To be fair I can remember shows before the LWH and American Air Museum were built, when the British Army turned-up with Warriors and the USAF arrived with an M113.

These days it seems to be the museum's own vehicles plus a lot of Land Rovers!

jh

I'm old enough to remember when the Duxford MV show alternated with their bus show and was the first weekend in August, perhaps that is the future.

 

Though the show is fairly local for me, to be honest it was only a shadow of it's former self in the last few years, and adding the model show and book fair merely papered over the cracks. It also become a 'premium' event (which meant IWM Friends had to pay full price). The expensive entrance price did not encourage modellers to attend the model show either.

 

It seems to have lost support from the MV owners too, I can remember the area north of the Land Warfare Hall was full of visiting vehicles, which extended around the arena. To be fair I can remember shows before the LWH and American Air Museum were built, when the British Army turned-up with Warriors and the USAF arrived with an M113.

 

These days it seems to be the museum's own vehicles plus a lot of Land Rovers!

 

jh

As I mentioned before I have attended all but one show and remember the combined MV and Fire Rescue show's but not alternating bus shows and looking at the show pamphlets find no mention of them. Duxford is what ever you won't it to be like or loath pricing is purly down to the owner's of the site the IWM and being critical is simple. You are spot on saying today's shows are a pore imitation of those of days gone by. Takeing a vehicle to a show is expensive be it a tank or a LandRover a jeep and getting the military to attend is pot luck. Yes Duxford has attracted some special vehicles and criticism like it or not it is/was a vehicle show models and books have become part of it .

Having consulted Professor Google, it seems the IWM is seeking to save £4million quid, hence the cancellation of many shows, though I would have thought special events actually raised income. If you look at the Duxford website there are going to be only three airshows this year, nothing else at all.

The situation means that parts of Duxford are under threat, notably the education centre, http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Imperial-War-Museum-Duxford-lose-jobs-education/story-24535236-detail/story.html

The local MP (at Duxford) has raised the situation with George Osbourne, who promised the IWM a grant of £8million over the next five years funded by fines on the banks, however this money has yet to materialise. http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Bankers-fines-fund-Government-investment-IWM/story-25212978-detail/story.html

The work on the American Air Museum comes from lottery funds, so I assume that is secure.

jh

As there is not going to be a main show (for this year at the very least), what would you like to see instead?

us hairy handed sons of toil down at the Military Vehicle Wing would like to find ways of still getting people down to see us and what we have. We also need to keep our funding coming in so any thoughts on that would be great.

cheers

paul

I really enjoyed Duxford and seeing the variety on offer,

It seems to me that the basics are:

I want to bring my truck.

I want see other peoples trucks

I don't want to pay full whack to do this as I'm already paying to bring my truck.

I imagine the public want to see them too.

A decent cafe that I don't have to get a mortgage for a cup of tea.

Some where to dispose of cup of tea two hours later...

If Duxford is not an option, North Weald? Cambridge airport? somewhere else close by? Just thinking/typing out loud. There must be a solution and I wish the DAS well, they have always been very helpful in the past.

I really enjoyed Duxford and seeing the variety on offer,

If Duxford is not an option, North Weald? Cambridge airport? somewhere else close by? Just thinking/typing out loud. There must be a solution and I wish the DAS well, they have always been very helpful in the past.

There is a small museum at North Weald and there are a number of shows at the site already, http://www.northwealdairfield.org/Campaign/Latest_News/Events/events.html I understand the September show is the main military one.

jh