Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Moving to the Battle of Britain Hall, there are two Hurricanes on display, an intact MkI and the wreck of a MkI. The complete aircraft was built around 1938/39, was part of the BEF in France, was assigned to 607 Squadron ( my local sqdn ) for part of its life. It survived the war after a number of repairs, and was used in the films 'Angels One Five', 'Reach for the Sky', and 'Battle of Britain', before moving to Hendon in 1972. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 26, 2009 Author Share Posted December 26, 2009 Junkers Ju87 Stuka. Built around 1943/44, the aircraft was captured This was one of twelve German aircraft selected by the Air Ministry for museum display, nine of which survive. It was almost made airworthy for the 'Battle of Britain' film, but this plan was abandoned due to cost. Think I'll leave you there for this evening! More tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Junkers Ju88. This aircraft was flown to Scotland in a defection during the Spring of 1943. With the aircraft came the latest version of the FuG 202 Liechtenstein BC A.I radar, complete with associated signals documents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Kawasaki Ki 100 Ib. Conceived as a stop gap high altitude interceptor, the Ki 100 Ib was one of the finest Japanese fighters of World War 2, although not introduced until 1945. It came about from the Ki61 who's liquid cooled engine suffered many problems, resulting in completed airframes with no engines. Three aircraft were modified to accept the Mitsubishi radial engine and the Ki100 was born. This aircraft in the Milestones hangar is the only survivor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Two Lancasters for the price of one. The first is from Duxford, the second at Hendon. Duxford's Lancaster was built in Canada in 1944 and served with No.428 Squadron (Royal Canadian Air Force) in the UK during the War. S for Sugar flew 137 missions starting in July 1942. For some time after the war, the aircraft stood as a gate guardian at RAF Scampton. It was moved to No 71 MU Bicester for refurbishing before arriving at Hendon in 1972. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 I also saw two Westland Lysanders during my visit. One hanging from the roof of the Airspace hangar at Duxford, the other in the end of the Battle of Britain hall at Hendon, as part of the 'Wings Over Water' display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Messerschmitt Me262, the shape of things to come. This example was 'born' on my birthday, 18 December, in 1944 at Leipheim. The first ever swept wing jet fighter, the wing sweep came by accident after the engines turned out to be heavier than expected. To correct the aircrafts centre of gravity, the wings were swept to shift the engine weight rearward, without realising the aerodynamic benefits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 There were also two Mosquitos to view over the weekend. The Black and Yellow striped version is a target tug hanging in the Duxford Airspace hangar, while the other is a B35 example in the Milestones hangar at Hendon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Airspeed Oxford. Yet another twin, and once more, two examples to see. The first hanging at Duxford, while the second is in the Bomber Hall at Hendon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 27, 2009 Author Share Posted December 27, 2009 Hendon has a P-47D Thunderbolt on display, but unusually, it is displayed in South East Asia Command colours. Built in June 45, it served with the Army Air Force until being sold to the Yugoslavian Air Force in 1952. It was brought to the UK by a collector in 1985 and was then exchanged for a Spitfire. After restoration, it was displayed at RAF Cosford for several years until transferred to Hendon in 2003. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 Actually built before the war in 1934, this Supermarine Seagull V was crated and shipped to Australia after its test flight. After its pre-war and wartime service, it went on to fly passengers and cargoes out to the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. A take off crash in 1970 ended its flying and it eventually came to the RAF Museum in 1973. The restored aircraft eventually went on display in 1979. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 Going from one Supermarine aircraft to a more famous one, here's a selection of the Spitfires seen over the weekend. The MkI and Mk24 at Hendon, while the silver finished Spit is at Duxford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 Probably the bulkiest aircraft on display at either museum is the Short Sunderland flying boat. Both spent time with the French Air Force after flying with the RAF. Duxford's Example Hendon's Sunderland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 Unlike many of the aircraft which were duplicated at each museum, the only Swordfish was at Duxford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Thanks for posting the pics mate ! We can moan about the way museums display aircraft but as a nation I think we are very fortunate to have such a rich heritage to have on display ! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 At least they are under cover and being looked after. Arranging how they are displayed can be changed. Hendon has two Hawker Tempests on display; the radial powered MkII and the MkV in Target Towing colours. The MkII served in the Indian Air Force after being handed over from RAF stocks in India in 1947. It was shipped to the UK in 1979 along with other Tempests eventually being purchased in 1987 and restored in 1990/91. The MkV was damaged in 1945 and repaired on site, then damaged again in '46, and repaired at Hawker Aircraft. In 1950 it was converted to a target tug. In 1958 it was a gate guardian at Middleton St George, moving to RAF Leeming in '63. It was restored in '68 and went to Hendon in 1972. MkII MkV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 Another great Hawker aircraft on display at Hendon is the Typhoon, believed to be the only complete surviving example. In the late 1940's, General Henry Arnold ( Chief of Staff of the USAAF ), collected sixty WW2 aircraft from all over the world and stored them at Park Ridge, Chicago, Illinois. They went on to become part of the National Air and Space Museum. In 1967, the RAF Museum requested the Typhoon in exchange for a Hurricane. It was restored and moved to Hendon for its opening in 1972. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 Hendon's Sunderland Hi Steve, I can remember going inside the Hendon Sunderland, back in the 1960's when it was on display at the old flying boat station in Pembroke Dock. The most fascinating thing to me was the galley, never having been inside an aircraft before, it seemed out of place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 (edited) Vickers Wellington BX. This aircraft was used during the filming of the 1950's Dambuster film as a camera ship, but also appeared briefly in the film. It's last flight was at the end of 1954 following the conclusion of the filming. Think that's it for WW2 types. We'll be moving on to post war next. Full aircraft history for those on display at Hendon can be found on the RAF Museum website - London Aircraft Collection - At the bottom of each aircraft page is a downloadable PDF giving the complete histories where known. Edited December 29, 2009 by Jessie The Jeep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Westland Belvedere Avro Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Both at Duxford, the Canberra and DH Dove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Handley Page Hastings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Harrier from Duxford and Hendon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Hawker Hunter at Hendon and Sepecat Jaguar at Duxford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie The Jeep Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 E.E. Lightnings at Hendon and Duxford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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