RAF Museum Hendon

[Seamus]

Spent a very enjoyable day with the old man yesterday visiting the RAF Museum at Hendon. Only the second time I've been there, and not for 13 years, so was pleased to see hoe the collection has grown into a thoroughly excellent one, with some lovely and rare aircraft exhibited; Beaufort and Stranraer spring to mind. My only gripe with the place is the poor lighting in most of the halls, particularly the BoB hall, which makes photography a real challenge, especially when, like me, you don't know what your doing and only have a crappy point and click at hand.

Still, I thought I'd share some photos that were half presentable and that would be of some interest (hopefully)

I've got a lot more, but due to the lighting are pretty poor and grainy, but can post if someone wants to see a particular aircraft in the museum

Cheers

Shaun

[Mike]

Nice pics!

Why is it that aircraft museums seem obsessed with hanging aircraft from the ceiling in crappy dim lighting with daylight shining in & ruining the chance of getting a decent photo*? Don't they understand that people want to get NEAR these beasties? Seeing a Typhoon in the air doesn't give you a decent sense of scale, and cramming them together like that gives you bugger all chance of getting any good pics*. Bloody arty farty museum curators!

* Present company excepted

[Fmk.6john]

Nice pics Seamus, Hendon is a challenge for photography but with a little practice and the right gear (not really expensive stuff) you can bang out some good pictures.

My own personal feeling is that DA2 does not belong in the Milestones of Flight Hall but then again whenever does the RAF Museums listen to it's visitors .

Regards,

John.

Edited May 30, 2008 by Fmk.6john

[Roland Pulfrew]

Mike

To be fair to the RAF Museum, I think their problem is now space, or a lack of it. Although the museum is in a reasonable location it has now run out of exhibit space. That leaves them in the awkward position of how to display things when something new arrives. I (IMHO) consider that it is time that the museum was moved to a larger site. I would say that, ideally, it should be at an active or recently active ex-RAF airfield. Somewhere that the standard RAF pattern hanger layout still exists that would allow all of them to be used. Can you imagine 3/4/5 standard hangars all linked together with a glass walled and roofed walkway. Exhibits could then be displayed inside and "out" but still protected from the elements. Decent ramp space outside would allow larger assets to be displayed - VC10 tanker or Nimrod MR2 anyone? A suitable airfield would allow flying displays, a la Duxford. My only problem is which airfield?

Alconbury? Too USAF. Bedford? Too non-standard. Coltishall? To remote. Leeming? Future uncertain. Scampton? Too far north? Upper Heyford? Too USAF. Lyneham? - Lots of ramp space. Lots of hangar space and closing around 2012/13 Any other options?

I was at the museum on Wednesday and was a bit taken aback - the layout is odd. It used to follow a logical flow charting the development of air power from its early beginnings to the present. What was quite scary though was to find equipment in the museum that were new or relatively new to the RAF when I joined. Phantom, a JP5 (which is in my log book), a Tornado GR1 and now a Typhoon!!!!! There are even two B57 training rounds which were closely guarded secrets in the late 80s.

What did surprise me though, was seeing the Typhoon (propeller version) next to a Tornado GR1 and realising just how big the Typhoon was............... or how small the Tornado is!!

Edited May 30, 2008 by Roland Pulfrew

[AnonymousA667]

The lighting in the BoB hall is definitely a pain. Whilst I understand the need for the lights to be down during the media presentation they could at least raise it in between times.

Roland, whilst I can see the merits of your argument I can't see it happening. Large sums of money including lottery funding have been spent on the current sites at Hendon and Cosford. Cosford actually is a site where they have utilised existing hangars to good effect, although you could say the same for Hendon which although vastly re-developed still includes original hangar structures within the complex. I can see Mike's point but I think suspending exhibits is pandering to the lowest common denominator - Joe Public. To be fair the Cold War display at Cosford is something of a jewel in the crown, notwithstanding some tasty looking airframes hanging from the ceiling.

peebeep

[Howard of Effingham]

thanks guys for these nice photos.

i last visited the RAF museum on may 10th and have done every so often for many years as i used to live within

walking distance when i was a lad. the museum has changed a lot over the years and i agree it is very good at the mo'

having gone thru a bad patch in the mid to late 1990s.

on my last visit i was glad to see the bucc' in the BC hall, the P-47 next to the tempest and the RAuxAF vampire next to

the meatbox.

while i like interactive displays some these and others in the museum leave a bit to be desired. really good was the

CH-47 display with the engineering mockup cockpit and cabin, along with the display relating to the two RAF chinook

aircrew who have won DFC's for their work in ZA718 - bravo november which i enjoyed a lot.

trevor

Edited May 30, 2008 by Howard of Effingham

[daz greenwood]

I'll be going to the RAF Museum early next month.

And i'm hoping my Nikon can deal with the lighting coz otherwise it will be a waste of time going.

I wonder if Bravo November will end up in the museum?

Edited May 30, 2008 by daz greenwood

[AnonymousA667]

When you going Daz? Me and the Boy are always up for a trip to Hendon.

peebeep

[daz greenwood]

June 9th I think Paul my brother is organising it as an early birthday treat for me. Although I would have preffered Duxford or Bovingdon. I just might spend the whole day in the Bomber Hall.

Edited May 30, 2008 by daz greenwood

[Heraldcoupe]

Spent a very enjoyable day with the old man yesterday visiting the RAF Museum at Hendon.

I was there with my son yesterday too - small world!

A few years back I took my wife (then girlfriend) who owns, and can operate, decent photographic kit. By now she's had enough of the place though, and has a job dictating more sensible working hours than mine. That leaves my photographic capability pretty limited, so few images worth seeing from yesterday.

Cheers,

Bill.

[dylan the rabbit]

The thing with shooting in the BoB hall is (if you don't have a tripod - and let's face it, it's a real shag lugging one round the whole of Hendon) to increase the ISO in your camera, shoot RAW so you can control the white balance when you edit the shots, and try to use the lowest shutter speed you can manage without shaking. I got some ok shots from last year. I'll try and post a few later on.

The chap in the hall did explain to me that the current lighting crapness is purely down to budget.

Nick

[daz greenwood]

Ok Nick I don't think we will be visiting the BoB hall just milestones and The Bomber Hall.

[Seamus]

Its a real shame that the BoB hall is lit that way as it has (arguably) the star items in there. I'd have loved to get some decent shots of the German aircraft in particular, but with the equipment I've got, it really isn't possible

[daz greenwood]

The thing with shooting in the BoB hall is (if you don't have a tripod - and let's face it, it's a real shag lugging one round the whole of Hendon) to increase the ISO in your camera, shoot RAW so you can control the white balance when you edit the shots, and try to use the lowest shutter speed you can manage without shaking. I got some ok shots from last year. I'll try and post a few later on.

The chap in the hall did explain to me that the current lighting crapness is purely down to budget.

Nick

I was thinking about shooting in JPEG Nick.

[dylan the rabbit]

Did you ever get hold of that copy of Photoshop Daz?

As a very quick suggestion, it's always worth shooting in RAW.

You then open that camera file up in Photoshop, and from there it can be saved as TIFF, JPG, whatever you want.

The beauty of RAW is, you can control all aspects of exposure, shadows, highlight, colour temperature (ever taken a shot on film indoors without flash and it's come out orange? That's to do with the temperature of the light, measured in Kelvins, reacting with the film. It gets more complicated to explain than that so I won't for now!), etc, so you can make a better final shot.

It also means any shot you may have under/over exposed, or used too much flash, can be saved.

Shoot in JPG, you don't have any of these "saves" for your shots.

All of the halls are a little dark, especially the bomber halls, and I remember the Lanc being tricky to shoot coz its' so blick.

BoB hall's still worth a go if you have the time!

Nick

[AnonymousA667]

BoB hall's still worth a go if you have the time!

If you're there for the day, you can do the whole lot fairly comfortably unless there's anything you really want to linger over. If you want to look at the early aircraft then make sure you trip over to the Graham White Factory whilst it is open as the opening times are usually restricted. You should still have an hour or so left in the day to visit Hannant's.

peebeep

[dylan the rabbit]

If you're there for the day, you can do the whole lot fairly comfortably unless there's anything you really want to linger over. If you want to look at the early aircraft then make sure you trip over to the Graham White Factory whilst it is open as the opening times are usually restricted. You should still have an hour or so left in the day to visit Hannant's.

peebeep

I believe you need to get in there before midday as that's when they close it..

[Howard of Effingham]

I'll be going to the RAF Museum early next month.

And i'm hoping my Nikon can deal with the lighting coz otherwise it will be a waste of time going.

I wonder if Bravo November will end up in the museum?

daz, i'd say very likely indeed.

the space that they have has when i was there istr the following.

an engineering mock up of a CH-47 cockpit with a full instrument fit and cabin space back for at least 4 feet and probably 6 feet full size.

it was iirc, donated to the RAF museum by the makers of CH-47's, beoing vertol and is in 1st class nick.

as part of it as i said is a display related to the two RAF pilots who won DFC's in '718 and details about them. i am not sure if the copies

or the ones he was awarded but the medals of sqn ldr langworthy who won his DFC in the falklands, a picture of and details of him and his

citation have been displayed at the top of the small cabinet as i know he sadly died a few years back. with a similar entry for the chap

who won his DFC in afghanistan iirc at the bottom.

this excellent exhibit is near the EH101 prototype and the belverdere btw.

at the last club meeting this one of many things i was able to talk about in the course of the evening. the one chap whom i did mention

'718 to i had talked about a BBC Radio 4 programme which. was recently a great laugh and informative to listen to. it was in the its my

story series and was called simply 'flying bravo november' and was of excellent quality. i know it was on but finding a is too

hard right now, but its there somewhere, i have another way of checking and i'll see if they can confirm. he was gonna have a look for it

on the bbc website too. we feel unless '718 gets totalled [hope not mind] it will get preserved when it is or if it is retired from

service. its a cert.

hmm, just my pennyworth mind.

trevor

ps i do have a couple of treadhead projects on the go, btw. one is adding the gun set from a M16 halftrack to the body of a brit' comet

tank! :)

Edited June 4, 2008 by Howard of Effingham

[daz greenwood]

Can't wait to see the Comet with M16 turret mate.

Edited May 30, 2008 by daz greenwood

[tedtaylor]

Can't wait to see the Comet with M16 turret mate.

Daz take a tripod but phone first and they will issue you a tripod pass then add flash for fill in and most definitely take your pics in raw, I have taken some awfull shots there and rescued them i photoshop later.

Ted

[daz greenwood]

Ok thanx Ted and Nick for the advice. I do need some nice pics of the Lanc.

As I want a new wallpaper for my desktop. As I'm getting bored of keep looking at an A-10 lol.

Cheers Daz

[Fmk.6john]

Daz

Check ya mail box matey.

John.

[paul_c]

My only problem is which airfield?

Alconbury? Too USAF. Bedford? Too non-standard. Coltishall? To remote. Leeming? Future uncertain. Scampton? Too far north? Upper Heyford? Too USAF. Lyneham? - Lots of ramp space. Lots of hangar space and closing around 2012/13 Any other options?

St.Mawgan! loads of space and a nice long, long runway. ok, thats just be being selfish i know, but ive never been anywhere near London enough to visit Hendon

[AnonymousER99]

Whats the story with the crashed Lanc?? Anyone have more info or even better photos?? Looks amazing.

[Notdoneyet]

Whats the story with the crashed Lanc?? Anyone have more info or even better photos?? Looks amazing.

Mike,

It's a Halifax - I suspect that it is displayed like this because the parts recovered from a Scottish Loch/Norwegian Fjord couldn't be restored further. Great display though, pity that there's no airworthy example of one of my Dad's wartime A/C .

Cheers,

Ian

Edited June 2, 2008 by Notdoneyet