Cosford and the Cold War Exhibition

[Andy K]

Don't know if it belongs in this subject but hey.....anyway I went to RAF Cosford yesterday and must admit to being thoroughly depressed at what they've done to the planes in the Cold War exhibition i.e. the lugs bolted to the planes so that they can 'hang them from the ceiling', the extra wiring on the Vulcan so that they can have a television in the bleedin' bomb day showing videos AND the fact that the F-111 is shoved in a corner. Also it's quite dark in there and added to the fact all the planes are so close together it makes photography rather tricky.

I know it's all designed to appeal to the masses rather than just aircraft enthusiasts but to me sticking f**kin great lifting bolts to likes of a Vulcan just constitutes vandalism. It was the same when they painted over the boobs of the nose art on a Gulf war Buccaneer at Cosford (The Guiness Girl) just in case it 'offends' anybody. In that case you may as well put covers over the nude statues in various art galleries. (Michaelangelo's David? Ooo you can't have THAT on display Mrs....)

Anybody else feel the same or is it just me?

Rant over!

Edited August 4, 2007 by Andy K

[Fmk.6john]

Don't know if it belongs in this subject but hey.....anyway I went to RAF Cosford yesterday and must admit to being thoroughly depressed at what they've done to the planes in the Cold War exhibition i.e. the lugs bolted to the planes so that they can 'hang them from the ceiling', the extra wiring on the Vulcan so that they can have a television in the bleedin' bomb day showing videos AND the fact that the F-111 is shoved in a corner. Also it's quite dark in there and added to the fact all the planes are so close together it makes photography rather tricky.

I know it's all designed to appeal to the masses rather than just aircraft enthusiasts but to me sticking f**kin great lifting bolts to likes of a Vulcan just constitutes vandalism. It was the same when they painted over the boobs of the nose art on a Gulf war Buccaneer at Cosford (The Guiness Girl) just in case it 'offends' anybody. In that case you may as well put covers over the nude statues in various art galleries. (Michaelangelo's David? Ooo you can't have THAT on display Mrs....)

Anybody else feel the same or is it just me?

Rant over!

Yes I feel very much the same, for the general public they have got something going i.e. attracting more people and getting the younger generation interested in aviation.

As for catering for the enthusiast I think they have missed the mark by a country mile, where do you start?, the building itself I think is a work of art and is very admirable and a bold departure from the norm but they have not utilised the space within to its full potential.

The entrance is just pathetic, a nice big double door with a great big structural beam obstructing it making wheelchair access difficult, the shop again is just pathetic, while I was there a wheelchair user got stuck halfway round and the staff were ill equiped and poorly trained to help, why they moved the shop there I will never know.

Also the cafe that they moved into there has been reduced in size and is bloody awfull for access, they have IMHO moved the cafe and shop into the cold war hanger to draw in the crowds but they didn't need to do that and have just made a good thing into a terrible one.

The aircraft collection inside s questionable but I will leave that up to the experts on that count, for me the first thig is the lack of a British Phantom, the nose section they have is a poor representation, the F-111 is crammed in the corner but I am not sure it should be there? what role did it play in the cold war?.

To pick faults with the airframes would take too long so I will stick with the Lightning, I am gutted that they strung her up like that, sure it has made in impressive show for the general publc but for a self confessed Lightning freak like me I think they have missed a chance.

It allways confuses me why they got rid of XA847 from Hendon (the first british aircraft to exceed mach 2 in level flight), they could have had a perfect line up of the P1, P1A, F1,F1A and still have the F6 from Hendon hung in the cold war hanger.

Oh well at least it's dry and provides cover for some airframes that deserve it.

Regards,

John.

[dswoofie]

I'm not all that enamoured with the way the aircraft are layed out in there. It does seem a little too cramped in places as well.

I was looking forward to seeing the Valiant for the first time when it opended, but never really got a feel for it as it's closed in by everything around it.

One other thing with it, did the 'real' finish on the Valiants look like someone had been down to B&Q and bought a 50 litre tub of value white emulsion for it??? I also think they mixed in a couple of bags of sand as well. It looked bloody awful!

Karl.

[Andy K]

And another thing.....what's with painting the Tornado prototype P-02 in grey/green wraparound? Unless it was delivered from wherever like that ARRRRGH!!!!

At least they repainted the ACT Jaguar in the right colours.

[Mike]

Nige & I were there on Thursday, and we were both a little disappointed with the Cold War hangar. Beautifully laid out for the average punter, but as usual with most British museums, too close together. The good things were the Victor up on jacks so you could walk under it, and the Vulcan with all her underskirts showing. I managed to get some good reference pics of most of her landing gear & bomb bay, although I'd have preferred the fuel tank to have been a static next to the aircraft, rather than still installed.

Lighting was definitely an issue, and I was very glad I'd brought my tripod, as proper shots would have been impossible without the benefit of long exposures. I managed to get a few of the Lightning, but as someone already said, that should NOT be hidden away like that, without another one to oogle close up. I'm guessing the F-111 was in there as some kind of nod to a nail in the coffin of the TSR.2?

I'd forgotten that I'm still ill, and was wondering why I was sweating whenever I moved, but I managed to finish the day without smelling TOO bad

[Mike]

I was looking forward to seeing the Valiant for the first time when it opended, but never really got a feel for it as it's closed in by everything around it.

One other thing with it, did the 'real' finish on the Valiants look like someone had been down to B&Q and bought a 50 litre tub of value white emulsion for it??? I also think they mixed in a couple of bags of sand as well. It looked bloody awful!

Karl.

I think they've roller-painted it with some cheapo matt white, as you can still see the gloss showing through on the tips of the fuel tanks. You're right that you can't get a sense of the scale of the thing though, and you could almost walk past it at times. I was lucky enough to see it out in the car park just after it had arrived, so could take a few decent pics, and get a better sense of scale of the thing.

[Dave Fleming]

The F-111 WAS an important part of the Cold War deterrent for al those years they were based at Upper Heyford and Lakenheath, so I can see the point.

the building may be a work of art, but it's a bloody stupid place to put aircraft in. Too dark and a stupid shape (it has been alleged they needed to have an 'iconic' building to get lottery funding)

And the fact they have stuck the F-86 to the wall like a releif painting.......

And I though the Science Museum was the worst aircraft display in the UK.................

[dswoofie]

Nige & I were there on Thursday, and we were both a little disappointed with the Cold War hangar.

Wish I would have known, I was in Albrighton on Thursday and could have popped in for a mini Britmodeller meet! Its only about a mile away...

I'd forgotten that I'm still ill, and was wondering why I was sweating whenever I moved, but I managed to finish the day without smelling TOO bad

Hmmm, Maybe not then! I Thought there was something funny in the air

Karl.

[miduppergunner]

Please realise that our present establishment does not in fact approve of money being spent of such things and as a consequence there is some appeasement as rerards who in fact monitors the expenditure. In fact the whole exercise is a subtle way of reducing the importance of the display, and reducing the general respect.

AS to the Science Museum dispaly from an enthusiasts point of view I feel it is quite good - most aircraft can be photographed and ther are soe examples - e.g the Hurricane which answers a number of questions that modellers sometimes ask - e.g. soft or hard edges to the camo. finish.