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RAF Museum Hendon

Posted By: FlatEric

RAF Museum Hendon - 03/03/17 11:03 AM

About a year ago I visited the RAF Museum at Hendon, primarily to have a look round the Claude Grahame-White Hangar housing their WW1 collection.
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This impressive electrical control panel was originally installed at the Aerodrome Road entrance to the building, as shown in the photo below.
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Claude Grahame-White liked to show his important guests not only how modern his factory was in using electrical power, but also just how much power it was using.
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Avro 504K with a press for making propellers in the foreground:
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The original 504K assembly shop:
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The drawing office:
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The rib shop:
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The fabric shop:
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Rolls Royce Eagle IX engine (circa 1928):
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A Le Rhone Type 9C (80hp) and a Gnome 7 Omega (50hp), both circa 1916:
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Avro 504K with Avery Fabric Tensioner (circa 1916) in the foreground. The linen fabric that cover aeroplanes needed to be regularly tested to ensure that it could withstand the pressure in flight. This is a Royal Naval Air Service example.
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“We have vacancies…”
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To be continued smile
Posted By: McGonigle

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/03/17 06:56 PM

Thanks for putting those up! I've been to Hendon and the RAF Museum on many occasions in the past, but I've not yet seen the CGW Hangar which must be a fairly newish addition.

Pray continue this fine post, Sir! smile thumbsup
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/04/17 10:59 AM

Hi McGonigle,
you're welcome smile

I think the CGW hanger (factory?) was opened to the public in it's current form in December 2014. The museum is getting a major re-vamp in time for the RAF's centenary in 2018; when I was there last year they were taking apart a lot of the aircraft in the Battle of Britain hanger for inspection and storage (will post some pictures later in this thread). I think that area of the museum is currently closed to the public.

Caudron G.3.
Popular, tough and reliable, the Caudron first flew in 1914. During the early months of the WW1, the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service had to find replacement aircraft wherever they could. They naturally turned to the French aircraft industry to supplement the inadequate supplies of aircraft from Britain.

This example was probably built in 1916 and served with the Belgian air force. It was a civil aircraft from 1921-1936 when it flew to the UK and appeared at various air shows including the 1936 Hendon Pageant.

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Sopwith Triplane
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Bombs, flechettes and posters:
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Although it might look like a model of a virus, this is actually an anti-zeppelin aerial mine:
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A collection of other anti-zeppelin ordnance:
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Artillery spotting..
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Posted By: Chucky

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/04/17 11:32 AM

Good stuff so far Eric thumbsup
Posted By: Speyer

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/04/17 03:17 PM

Was there about a month ago, they have done a great job with the Grahame- White hangar. Great pics!
Posted By: JimK

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/05/17 04:14 AM

Love the anti Zeppelin mine. In the days of Hydrogen filled gas bags. Great photos Eric. sure wish there were some displays like this in the States. There well maybe
some, but no where near where I live.
Posted By: BD-123

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/05/17 12:10 PM

Never seen the Anti-Zepp mine, can't find any info on it web-wise, I would of thought that no British aircraft of the time of the raiding would be able to lift the thing!

Great pix as usual Flatters old chap.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/05/17 01:07 PM

Hi Chucky, Speyer, JimK, BD-123,
many thanks for your comments; glad you like the photos biggrin thumbsup

Sopwith F1 Camel F1.

"So famous the Arabs named an animal after it" J.M. Ramsden.

The Camel, designed by Thomas Sopwith, was the highest scoring fighter of World War One. This single-seat fighter took its name from the hump over the breeches of the two front machine guns; the nickname given it by one of the squadrons was rapidly adopted as the types' name.

The first prototype flew in December 1916 and two main versions were produced by a variety of contractors, the F1 and the 2F1 shipboard variant, both powered by no fewer than six different rotary engines at various stages.

Its handling characteristics were a gift to the skilful pilot but could kill the slow or unwary. This made the Camel ideal for daylight combat but versatile enough to allow it to be used as a night fighter and ground attack aircraft. The shipboard 2F1 Camel also saw some success operating against German airships and seaplanes over the North Sea.
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Albatros D.Va.
This flying replica was built by the Vintage Aviator Ltd in New Zealand in 2011. It uses an original Mercedes D.III engine from the RAF Museum’s collection, and represents an aircraft flown on the Western Front by Jasta 61 in 1918:
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Many German aircraft had wood-covered fuselages in an attempt to improve performance and gain an advantage over the Allies. Their aircraft industry was dependent upon skilled labour. Britain continued to use familiar methods of construction. Production could be trusted to semi -skilled workers; carpenters could build the frames and textile manufacturers provided fabric coverings.

In 1918 Germany produced 14,123 aeroplanes and Britain 32,018.

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Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/07/17 08:14 AM

The Fokker D.VII was the equal of, if not better than, the British SE5s, Camels and French SPADs and is considered to be one of the outstanding fighters of World War One. At a time when Allied aircraft were still largely made of wood, the Fokker DVII introduced a welded steel tube fuselage frame, a concept which was not copied by other countries for some years. Using mass production techniques pioneered in the American automotive industry, the Germans attempted to turn out as many of these first-class fighters as possible. Its qualities were so admired by the Allies that in the Treaty of Versailles it was the only item of military equipment mentioned by name to ensure the entire stock was passed to the victors.
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Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8.
This flying replica, in No. 9 Squadron colours, was also built in New Zealand in 2011, using original RE.8 rudder, wing and fuselage parts held by the RAF Museum. These parts of an unidentified airframe were found in a Coventry garage in 1966. This replica was flown extensively in New Zealand and the UK in 2012 before moving to Hendon for static display in 2012.
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Engines …
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Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/08/17 01:09 PM

Back in 2012, both the R.E.8 and Albatros D.Va. replicas shown above took part in air displays across the UK. I was fortunate enough to seem them both at Old Warden; I thought you would like to see these glorious aircraft in the air biggrin

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Posted By: RSColonel_131st

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/08/17 02:50 PM

Brilliant thread Eric, thanks.

Hmm, looks like a 2018 London visit is in order. Been a long while that I visited Hendon.
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/08/17 07:09 PM

Thanks for sharing the pictures, really enjoy seeing your work.

Was working in Hendon about 14 years ago and quite close to the museum too, but never had the time to go visit frown

Our marketing director kept threatening to take me along there for a visit but it never happened, he was a kindred spirit in a love of aircraft.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/10/17 07:18 PM

RSColonel_131st , Allicatt, thanks for your feedback and glad you both like the thread.

RSColonel_131st, 2018 would indeed be a good year to visit; Hendon are bound to be laying on some special events. If you time your visit right you might also be able to fit in a visit to Duxford or Old Warden as well (let me know when you visit and I might be able to give you a lift yep ).

Allicatt, consider this thread part of a 'virtual' tour of Hendon biggrin

Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b.

First introduced as a two-seat fighter on the Western Front in late 1915, the Beardmore-engined Royal Aircraft Factory F.E. 2b and its successor the similar Rolls-Royce engined F.E. 2d were later used extensively in the night bomber role in Europe, which is the variant represented by the RAF Museum's aircraft at Hendon.

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Vickers FB5.

The true fighter squadron was born on the 14 February 1915 when No.11 Squadron was formed at Netheravon. Completely equipped with Vickers FB5 aircraft this was the first unit established purely with the intention of destroying other aircraft.

The Vickers FB5 was designed before the outbreak of World War One with the specific purpose of carrying a machine gun. The layout, which placed the engine behind the pilot, was chosen to give a clear field of fire to the gunner in the front cockpit.

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Posted By: Stratos

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/14/17 10:52 AM

Great post mate! Thanks for posting the pics, there's one question I have, is the BoB section of the museum closed? Any idea of when they will display the planes again?
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/14/17 01:51 PM

Hi Stratos, glad you're enjoying this thread biggrin

Yes, the BoB Hall is currently closed - all part of the big makeover in time for the 2018 centenary. I believe they've moved some of the smaller BoB aircraft into other parts of the museum; other aircraft are being moved off site for some TLC restoration. Not sure what the timescales are for completing all this work - you could check o the museum website:

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/

They had started dis-assembling some of the BoB aircraft when I visited the museum this time last year. I'll post some photos soon thumbsup
Posted By: Stratos

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/15/17 06:46 AM

I will wait until everything is completed, I had a great time there last visit!
Posted By: Speyer

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/15/17 06:52 PM

Some of the aircraft have been moved permanently to RAF Cosford, they won't be returning to Hendon. The BoB hall is being turned into some sort of interactive site for the RAF 100 year anniversary.
A real shame.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/16/17 11:42 AM

Hi Speyer, thanks for the clarification.

Do you know which aircraft have moved permanently to Cosford?
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/16/17 01:02 PM

Cosford was quite tightly packed the last time I was there, have they got room for more or did they expand the hall since I was last there in the early 2000s?
Posted By: Speyer

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/16/17 05:18 PM

The Gladiator, Lysander, Defiant , Tiger Moth, 109 and Ju88 off the top of my head FlatEric
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/16/17 06:21 PM

Outch! That's a lot of 'star' exhibits leaving Hendon. But I guess it's good news for those who live closer to Cosford smile

Regardless of it's value as a fighter / bomber, the FE2b certainly made a good pulpit yep

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Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/17/17 08:43 AM

Royal Aircraft Factory BE2a.
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Royal Aircraft Factory BE2b.
The BE2b was the outcome of further design work by the Royal Aircraft Factory on the earlier BE2a version. It was produced by outside contractors from 1914. It had an improved fuselage giving the crew a little more 'comfort' and the arrangement of the elevators and rudder controls was revised. Wing warping was retained for lateral control and the 70hp Renault engine was kept as standard. Development continued and eventually wing warping was replaced by ailerons.

In August 1914 three squadrons equipped with this reconnaissance and light bomber were immediately sent to France on the outbreak of World War One. The early BE2a and 2b aircraft remained in operational service into 1915. When withdrawn from squadron service they were transferred to flying training establishments.

It is impossible to say how many BE2, 2a and 2b aircraft were built because of the early practice of rebuilding damaged aircraft but it is thought to be in the order of 150.

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Bristol F.2b Fighter.
The Bristol Fighter was designed in 1916 as a replacement for the B.E. two-seaters. No.48 Squadron received the first production aircraft and introduced them into service during the Battle of Arras in April 1917. Flown in the tight defensive formations normal to two-seaters at the time, this baptism of fire was unsuccessful but it became an excellent fighting machine when the tactics were changed to allow it to be flown in the more aggressive manner of a single-seater. By the end of the war the type had been used for offensive patrols, photographic reconnaissance, escort fighting and ground attacks.

This particular example has been re-built to represent the aircraft flown by Captain W.F.J. Harvey and Captain D.E. Waight, No.22 Squadron, from Agincourt on 1 July 1918. The aircraft was modified, by the squadron, to take an extra Lewis machine gun on the centre section of the top mainplane.

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Posted By: BD-123

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/17/17 11:13 AM

[quote=FlatEric]Outch! That's a lot of 'star' exhibits leaving Hendon. But I guess it's good news for those who live closer to Cosford smile

Regardless of it's value as a fighter / bomber, the FE2b certainly made a good pulpit yep /quote]

Like me and Chucky.....
Pay-back though as Hendon pinched many star exhibits from Cosford in the past few years.

Just been reading about changing drums on the rear facing Lewis in the 'Bathtub'. Those gunners must of had cojones of steel. They would need 'em too with the lack of armour in that exposed cockpit. I gather many fatalities occured with otherwise light forced landings as the airframe stopped moving forward but the Beardmore engine didn't, crushing the hapless pilot.
Great pix as per usual Flats.

The 'Quirk' crews too must have had big ones, knowing that they were pretty helpless against the Hun but kept on flying.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 03/21/17 04:15 PM

"Those gunners had cojones of steel." Too right, mate! thumbsup You wouldn't get me going up in one of those things for a pleasure flight, never mind aerial combat. I'll stick to "Rise of Flight" biggrin

From a couple of years earlier, when the Bristol Fighter, Fokker D.VII, Camel and others were located in in a different part of the museum:
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Back to the Grahame-White factory:

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin

The Dolphin represented a departure from traditional Sopwith fighter design. In place of the rotary engines so characteristic of the Triplane and Camel, the Dolphin was equipped with a stationary 200hp geared Hispano-Suiza in-line engine.

The Dolphin's unusual wing layout with its 'backwards stagger' was designed to provide the pilot with excellent all round visibility. This was achieved by placing the upper wings low on top of the fuselage, the pilot being positioned with his head in the centre where he was afforded a clear and uninterrupted view. Dolphins flew their initial front-line patrols in February 1918 and eventually equipped five RAF squadrons. During the German offensive of 1918 Dolphins conducted ground attack operations, bombing as well as machine gunning enemy troop concentrations.

Popular with its pilots the Dolphin was a highly potent fighting machine but its success was limited due to problems with the geared Hispano-Suiza engine.

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Dolphin with a variety of British bombs and an airfield beacon in the foreground. This gas powered lighthouse lit Rennington Night Emergency Landing Ground in Northumberland . It guided pilots of 36 (Home Defence) Squadron to a safe landing place.
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1,650lb SN High Explosive Bomb circa 1918. This was the biggest bomb carried by British aircraft during WW1. They were carried by Handley Page 0/400 bombers in September 1918. ‘SN’ refers to their intended target – the German industrial town of Essen.

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Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/01/17 04:41 PM

The SE5a was considered by many pilots to be the best British single-seat fighter of World War One. Designed at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough, the first production aircraft had the 150hp Hispano-Suiza fitted and were designated SE5. The later SE5a had the 200 or 220hp Hispano-Suiza or 200hp Wolseley Viper engine.
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Flying suit ..
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Crossley 20/25hp Light Tender. The first Crossley vehicles in the Royal Flying Corps were six cars bought in 1913 for driving staff officers around. By November 1918 around 6,000 Crossley vehicles had entered service. The most common body was the Light Tender, shown here. Each Squadron had eleven of these for carrying the airmen and towing small trailers and aircraft.
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Ford Model T Light Tender. Despite manufacturer Henry T. Ford declaring he would not allow the Model T to be used in the European War, thousand found their way into military service. Many were used as ambulances, staff cars and also as Light Tenders carrying goods and people.
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Images of some of the members of the Royal Flying Corps …
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Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/02/17 04:04 AM

Those are really top-notch photos. Just great. Thanks.

Does anyone have any photos of the mechanism used to drop the bombs on WW1 aircraft ? I look at the early bombs slung under the fuselage or wings and wonder how the pilot triggered the release.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/04/17 11:11 AM

Hi oldgrognard, glad you like my photos thumbsup

Sorry, I don't have any photos of WW1 bomb release mechanisms. However, there are some interesting photos and descriptions on this website (refers to mechanism fitted to an Re8, I think):

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/s...69e2652debb133b4e&t=55050&page=2

(There are a list of similar threads / mechanisms for other WW1 aircraft sites listed at the bottom of the page).

As well as aircraft, the museum also has a couple of examples of the air-sea rescue boats used to recover downed pilots:
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The museum's 'gate guardians':
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After the the Grahame-White factory and a bite to eat, I ventured inside the Battle of Britain hangar. As previously mentioned, they had started to dis-assemble some of the exhibits as part of refurbishment preparations for the RAF's centenary. The result was that some of the aircraft (of which you'll see more in later updates) looked like partially completed Airfix models yep

He-111 H-20/R1
This particular aircraft was built in 1944 as a H-20 variant to carry 16 paratroops and 3 crew. The seats and straps for the 16 paratroops in two compartments remain on the aircraft today. Originally fitted with an electrically operated EDL 131 dorsal turret and 1,750hp Junkers Jumo 213 E1 engines.

After being flown to the UK in July 1945, it spent time at various evaluation and storage units. It was also a regular exhibit on Horse Guards parade during 'Battle of Britain week in the 50's and 60's. In 1967 it was moved to RAF Henlow, for possible use in `Battle of Britain' film ground shots. Apparently used for cockpit shots, some of the cockpit instruments may have been removed by the film company to equip a fibreglass mock-up. The EDL 131 dorsal turret, now missing, may have been removed at this time to give a 1940 appearance. It was finally added to the museum's collection in November 1978.

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Photo from a previous visit (note absence of yellow hydraulic jacks!):
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Posted By: BD-123

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/05/17 04:08 PM

The crew of the 111 were so vulnerable! I suppose the design dated from the mid-thirties when this and it's brother types could outrun the fighters of the day. ('the bomber will always get through') But to have a Hurri flying straight at you with eight guns ablazing, must of been somewhat sphincter-tightening, as well-depicted in the 'Battle of Britain' Film

BTW, I gather that Ridley Scott is making a new production of the 'BoB'.

Up in London in a couple of weeks for a night or so, your posts/pix have inspired me to take a slight detour Flats.
Posted By: Meatsheild

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/05/17 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by BD-123
The crew of the 111 were so vulnerable! I suppose the design dated from the mid-thirties when this and it's brother types could outrun the fighters of the day. ('the bomber will always get through') But to have a Hurri flying straight at you with eight guns ablazing, must of been somewhat sphincter-tightening, as well-depicted in the 'Battle of Britain' Film


i dont think it would have been any worse in any other bomber of the day, the only armour plate around the cockpit area only tended to be underneath+behind the pilot (and only the pilot!), everything else was just either thin metal of glass .. which bullets just went right through, specially cannon rounds! Its one reason why the germans (and japenese in at least 1 squadron, not sure about airforce-wide) attacked B-17s from the front, less guns and armour so it was easier, and safer, to shoot down.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/06/17 08:51 AM

BD-123, yes, I saw mention of the Ridley Scott BoB film in the papers the other day - good news thumbsup I hope you enjoy your day out at Hendon biggrin

BTW, wasn't Peter Jackson supposed to be re-making the Dambusters film? Is that project still going ahead?

Bf109E-4/B. The museum's aircraft was built by Erla Maschinenwerk at Leipzig in September 1940. It was subsequently modified in the field to carry a 250kg (551 lb) bomb, and served briefly with 6/JG52.

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On Wednesday 27 November 1940 the Luftwaffe undertook several fighter sweeps over Kent, losing 6 Bf-109s in the process, including this aircraft - `4101'. It was flown that day from Peuplingues by 21 year old Leutnant Wolfgang Teumer of 2/JG51. He was shot down by Flt Lt George P Christie DFC flying a Spitfire of No.66 Squadron based at Biggin Hill, Kent.

The combat report text reads:
"11 Spitfires left Biggin Hill to patrol base at 15,000 feet at 1515 hours with 74 Squadron, 66 leading. Flt Lt Christie DFC (Green section) left squadron on sighting aircraft diving down over Chatham; he caught it up and found it to be an Me109 which flew away. He chased it, caught up, passing to the east of Margate. At about 600 feet he made 4 or 5 attacks. Aircraft then turned towards shore so he ceased fire and flew covering his enemy in a very open vic position flying to Manston where enemy EA [enemy aircraft] landed with wheels up. The ground defences fired at EA when he was obviously landing, and when Flt Lt Christie was circling drome fired at him when he had his wheels down preparatory to landing, and put a bullet through his wing. He landed at base at 1715 after landing at Manston alongside the Bf109."

'Emil mit wings' (from a previous visit to the museum)
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Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/11/17 10:52 AM

Really great photos .

Going back to the Brisfit. I wonder why the designers decided to raise the fuselage from the bottom wing ? It just seems odd to raise it up on supports so that the fuselage is suspended between the two wings. There isn't enough gap to really be good as more lift surface. Seems to add a factor of weakness for no apparent reason.

The SE5. Why does it appeal so much to me ? If you list some of its design; flat nose, hump headrest behind pilot, lots of wing rigging, pronounced dihedral, rigging on tail, long exhaust pipe, etc - all things that should just make it wrong. But it all just comes together so right.
Posted By: Stratos

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/11/17 01:33 PM

How sad to hear they're moving the airplanes so far away from London.
Posted By: RedToo

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/11/17 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by oldgrognard
Really great photos .

Going back to the Brisfit. I wonder why the designers decided to raise the fuselage from the bottom wing ? It just seems odd to raise it up on supports so that the fuselage is suspended between the two wings. There isn't enough gap to really be good as more lift surface. Seems to add a factor of weakness for no apparent reason.


You got me wondering OG. A possible answer from Wikipedia:

... This aircraft, designated as the Type 12 F.2A, was a two-bay equal-span biplane, closely resembling the R.2A but being slightly smaller. Like the previous designs, the fuselage was mounted between the wings, with a gap between the lower longerons and the wing, along with a substantial part of the vertical tail surfaces being located beneath the fuselage. These features were intended to optimize the field of fire for the observer; the positioning of the fuselage also resulted in the upper wing obscuring less of the pilot's field of view.[3][2] ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_F.2_Fighter

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Posted By: BD-123

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/12/17 09:15 AM

Agree with OG on the SE5a, doesn't look as though it was probably the best RFC/RAF fighter of the war (if one takes into account the unforgiving handling qualities of the Camel) and mount of the most successful scout pilots does it?
I gather early versions were rather poor and the The Royal Aircraft Factory actually listened to the pilots regarding improvements for once. Have just been reading Udet's autobiography in which he writes of great respect for the kite.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/18/17 11:35 AM

As well as the Bf109E-4/B, the museum also has an Bf109G-2 /Trop variant.

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The museum’s example was built in September 1942 in Leipzig by Erla Maschinenwerk GmbH, probably at its Mockau plant. Built originally as a Bf109F-3 variant, it was converted to Bf109G-2/Trop standard during construction.

During October 1942 it was ferried to North Africa, via Italy, eventually arriving at El Harun to Bir El Abd landing ground on 2 November 1942. From this date the aircraft was probably flown by 21 year old Russian front ‘veteran’ Heinz Lüdemann of 8/JG77. Following damage during an encounter with USAAF P-40s on 4 November, the aircraft was ferried to Gambut Main airfield (LG 139), south east of Tobruk for repair. On 11 November Gambut was abandoned by the Germans to the advancing allies, and on 13 November was ‘acquired’ by Sqn Ldr R H Gibbes, unit Commander of No.3 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force. In 1943 it was shipped back to the UK for detailed flight testing and analysis.

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After the war it was ‘static’ displayed at various locations. Then after a long restoration which started in the ‘70’s, it finally flew again as ‘Black 6’ on 17 March 1991, with its first public display shortly thereafter on 15 September 1991 at Duxford. On 12 October 1997 it was damaged on its last planned flight before transfer to the RAF Museum in a crash-landing following a display at Duxford’s’ Autumn Air Show. The pilot, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison, was unhurt. It was then decided to restore it to static display condition only; it arrived at Hendon on 10 March 2002.

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Posted By: Chucky

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/18/17 11:44 AM

That's a nice looking 109.Can anyone translate what's written on the wing? 'Attention ******** 150x669. I'm guessing it's something about tyre size maybe? Is it 'max size'?
Posted By: McGonigle

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/18/17 12:54 PM

Fabulous thread! And what great pictures. These machines, you really appreciate them when you see them half stripped, revealing their intricate construction and how aircraft design and construction progressed within a very short time span.

Chucky: Yes, something like that I think. The translation means Maximum allowable size.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/18/17 06:26 PM

Hi McGonigle, glad you like the thread / photos yep

Chucky, I'm pretty sure the dimensions relate to the maximum diameter and width of the tyres (in millimeters) that can be fitted to the main undercarriage wheels.

Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/19/17 10:27 AM

JU-88 R-1
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Originally constructed in mid-1942 as a Ju88 A-1 bomber, license built by Heinkel at Rostock or Oranienburg. In early 1943 it was converted to R-1 standard.

On 9 May 1943 it took off from Aalborg, Westerland in Denmark before landing at Kristiansand, Norway for refuelling. It then took off again for a mission over the Skaageraak. The crew of three were: Flugzeugführer (Pilot) Oberleutnant Heinrich Schmitt; Bordmechaniker (Flight Engineer) Oberfeldwebel (Sgt) Erich Kantwill; Bordfunker (Wireless Op/Gunner) Oberfeldwebel Paul Rosenberger.

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These were a `peacetime' crew of some repute, though Schmitt and Rosenberger were loners who did not mix with other fliers. Schmitt, despite his length of service, had never shot down an allied aircraft. It is suggested that he had pro-British sympathies, and whilst serving with 2/NJG2 he had landed in the UK at Debden (14-15 Feb '41) and in Lincolnshire (20 May '41) on clandestine intelligence missions connected with British intelligence. Some sources claim that both Schmitt and Rosenberger had worked for British Intelligence for some time, having flown together since 1940.

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At 1710 hours Rosenberger sent a bogus message to Night fighter HQ at Grove,Denmark, saying the aircraft had a starboard engine fire and Schmitt descended to sea level to get below German radar and dropped three life rafts to make the Germans think the plane and crew were lost at sea. Hethen headed for Scotland. Kantwill was not part of the conspiracy and resisted until held at gunpoint by Rosenberger. Professor R V Jones in his book `Most Secret War', recorded that the crew had been ordered to intercept and shoot down an unarmed BOAC Mosquito courier flight from Leuchars, Scotland to Stockholm, Sweden and this caused Schmitt and Rosenberger to decide `it was time for them to get out of the war'.

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The Ju88 was eventually intercepted by Spitfire VBs from No.165 (Ceylon) Squadron, flying from Peterhead with a detachment at Dyce airfield near Aberdeen. The Squadron records:
“Arthur Roscoe and Ben Scamen were scrambled today to investigate a raider plotted due east of Peterhead. The raider turned south and eventually started to orbit as though lost. The section identified the raider as a Ju88 and when Arthur approached, the Hun dropped his undercarriage, shot off flares and waggled his wings. Blue 1 waggled his wings in turn and positioned himself in front of the enemy aircraft -Ben Scamen flew above and behind and the procession moved off to Dyce aerodrome where all landed safely causing a major sensation”.

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This was a valuable coup for the British - the Ju88 was fitted with the latest FuG 202 Liechtenstein BC A.I radar. It was the first of its type to fall into British hands, complete with associated signals documents. The museum acquired the aircraft in August 1978.

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Posted By: Chucky

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/19/17 11:52 AM

Great pics and info on this aircraft FE,thanks smile
Posted By: F4UDash4

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/19/17 04:03 PM

Great stuff!
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/20/17 02:34 PM

F4UDash4 - thanks. Glad you like it biggrin

N1671 – the only surviving Boulton Paul Defiant.
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Ordered as part of the 2nd production order for 202 Defiant Mk.I aircraft, N1671 was built by Boulton Paul at its Pendeford, Wolverhampton factory and was fitted with a Merlin III engine. On 17 September 1940 it was allocated to A Flight No.307 Lwowski (Polish) Squadron, Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire, with temperate land camouflage scheme (“mud and spinach”). No.307 Squadron had formed 5 September 1940 as the first Polish night fighter unit. In November 1940 the Squadron moved to Jurby, Isle of Man for shipping protection operations over the Irish Sea and other daylight patrols, with a detachment at Cranage.
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On 14 January 1941, N1671 was transferred to No.6 Maintenance Unit at Brize Norton for fitting of VHF and IFF along with three other Defiants from the Squadron. It was at this time it was repainted into the all black night fighter scheme. It was returned to 307 Squadron in March, which was now based at Squires Gate, Blackpool in Lancashire. Over the next 3 months 307 Squadron relocated to Colerne, Wiltshire; Exeter; Pembrey, South Wales and finally Church Stanton. It was at the later that N1671 was involved in a landing accident that required repairs at Reid and Sigrist (a satellite factory of Boulton Paul).
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In October 1941 the aircraft was allocated to the newly formed No.153 Squadron at Ballyhalbert, County Down in Northern Ireland to assist in the defence of Belfast (307 Squadron having been re-equipped with Beaufighter II aircraft in August 1941).

In June 1942 N1671 was transferred to No.285 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Squadron at Wrexham where it was used to for simulated attacks to exercise anti-aircraft defences. In May 1943 it was transferred to No.10 MU Hullavington (Aircraft Storage Unit).
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On 7 April 1944 the Air Historical Branch had the foresight to request a Defiant aircraft of Battle of Britain vintage for “museum display”. N1671 was then ‘suitably prepared and packed for storage as a museum exhibit’.

Over the next 27 years, N1671 spent time in numerous storage and temporary display locations, before finally arriving at Hendon in 1971. In 2009 it was dismantled and moved to Medway Aircraft Preservation Society’s Rochester Airport base in Kent for conservation / restoration. During this process it was revealed (by two stamps on the rim) that the turret was originally fitted to a Fleet Air Arm Blackburn Roc. N1671 was returned to Hendon in December 2012.
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The GQ Parasuit was an ingenious design that incorporated a parachute and buoyancy aid. It was worn by Defiant gunners. There was no room in the turret for the gunner to wear either chest or seat type parachutes. The compact design of the parasuit allowed for relatively quick exit from the turret and its unusual appearance led to it being nicknamed ‘The Rhino Suit’.
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Posted By: BD-123

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/20/17 05:46 PM

Interesting stuff about the 'Parasuit', though I gather the gunners couldn't get out anyway, especially if the hydraulics were shot and the turret unable to rotate to the escape position.
In the BoB, once Jerry had realised that the Defiant had no forward firing capability and decimated them accordingly, the crews still flew on. Poor brave sods.
Posted By: Chucky

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/20/17 06:59 PM

Brave men indeed,they did the same to our Fairey Battles. We did have some poor aircraft at the outbreak of war.
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/21/17 09:18 PM

Catching up on the thread, lots of great pictures and background info, thanks.

First time I heard of the Boulton Paul Defiant was in a Commando comic back in the 1960s and it mentioned the lack of forward firing armament and how the Luftwaffe used that to their advantage.

Interesting story about the Ju88 and it's crew, my first visit to Norway was at Kristiansand and have fond memories of it, Dyce I have flown into and out of many times, knowing places that are in the stories really help to bring it alive.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/24/17 03:06 PM

Hi Alicatt, glad you're liking the thread thumbsup

I loved Commando comics as a kid; first one I bought featured RAF P-40 Kittyhawks fighting Italian Macchi C.200s in North Africa. All good fun hahaha

Me Bf 110 G-4/R6
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Of the 6,150 Bf-110 aircraft built, 1525 were delivered in 1944. This particular aircraft is fitted with FuG220b Liechtenstein SN-2 radar - the G-series being specially developed as night fighters.
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The museum’s example was surrendered to the allies in May 1945 at Grove airfield, Denmark (now known as Karup). The aircraft had latterly served with 1/NJG3 (i.e. 1st Staffel (Squadron) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3) in the night defence of Denmark and Northern Germany. Of the 1,146 German aircraft found on Danish airfields after the German surrender, 37 were Bf110 variants.
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It was initially ferried to Schleswig, Northern Germany, which hosted a Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) outpost to co-ordinate the delivery of selected German aircraft for overhaul and delivery to the UK for evaluation. It was subsequently ferried to Farnborough in August 1945.
In September 1945, the aircraft was ferried from Farnborough to No.6 MU Brize Norton (Aircraft Storage Unit) by Lt Cdr E M `Winkle' Brown; Brize Norton had been selected as the main storage unit for German aircraft received in the UK. Lt Cdr Brown stated that the ‘Bf110's controls were light and well harmonised, that the aeroplane was very manoeuvrable and the rate of climb excellent’.

It spent the next thirty years on display and in storage at various locations. In 1976 it was restored by volunteers at St.Athan; it was stripped to bare metal and repainted in the blue/grey scheme it is now displayed in and with its original codes, D5 + RL. It was transferred to the museum at Hendon in August 1978.
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Posted By: rwatson

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/24/17 07:24 PM

FE
Thank you for the outstanding pictures,,It's great to see actual photographs of planes we fly in our sims,,Especially from a place I'll never get to..
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/28/17 07:38 AM

rwatson, many thanks for the feedback and glad you like them. Maybe one day you could make a trip across the pond to Blighty and visit Hendon (and the Imperial War Museum, and Duxford etc..). You'll be spolit for choice yep

Hawker Hurricane Mk.1
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P2617 was built in late 1939 / early 1940 by Gloster Aircraft Co Ltd at Brockworth near Gloucester and was fitted with a 1,280hp Merlin III engine.

On 14 April 1940 it was allotted to 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAAF), then based in France at Vitry-en-Artois, but temporarily at Abbeville. The very next day it was re-allotted to 607 (County of Durham) Squadron RAAF at Abbeville, which was equipped with Gloster Gladiators but in the process of re-equipping with Hurricanes. This almost immediate reallocation from 615 Squadron may be explained by a possible pooling of aircraft between squadrons. Both were part of the air component of the British Expeditionary Force.

Upon the completion of their conversion to Hurricanes, 607 Squadron returned to Vitry-en-Artois, north west of Arras on 26 April 1940. In the face of the German Blitzkrieg on France, 607 Squadron moved to Norrent Fontes (between Lille and Le Touquet) on 19 May. The following day, as the Germans continued to advance towards Amiens and Arras, the Squadron was ordered to abandon all ground equipment and move to Boulougne; P2617 flew at least two sorties this day.

On the 22 May 607 Squadron re-assembled at Croydon. On 26 October 1940, P2617 was allotted to 1 (Canadian) Squadron at Prestwick, from where it flew patrols over the Clyde Approaches. On 20 November 1940, the aircraft suffered an oil pressure failure whilst flying a dusk patrol; this forced the pilot, Flight Officer Watson to make a wheels-up forced landing in a field near Saltcoats, Ayrshire.

Following repairs by the Gloster Aeroplane Co, P2617 eventually ended up at No. 9 Service Flying Training School, RAF Hullavington on 31 July 1941. On 5 August it was again damaged when the under-carriage collapsed on landing at Babdown relief landing ground. The accident was judged to be a structural failure probably due to previous heavy landings, with no blame on the pilot.

On 24 September 1941 the aircraft was again damaged when it force landed in a field. This time the pilot was judged to be at fault for having shown poor judgement in proceeding with the flight under adverse weather conditions.

After repair, P2617 was allocated to No.8 Service Flying Training School at Montrose and then to No.9 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit at Hullavington. In August 1943 it was put into storage and by December 1944 was in a single crate marked “For Museum Purposes”.

After the war, when not in storage, P2617 developed a new career in films. In 1952 she was used in the BoB period film “Angels One Five”, starring Jack Hawkins which was shot on location at RAF Kenley. In 1955, she also appeared in “Reach for the Sky”, the story of Douglas Bader, which was again shot at Kenley. Finally in 1967 she was restored to taxi-able condition at RAF Henlow to appear in the “Battle of Britain”.

After various static appearances around the UK, P2617 arrived at the Museum in May 1972 where she has remained ever since.
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Another Hurricane Mk.1 in the museum is P3175. She was also built by the Gloster Aircraft Company and was allocated to No.257 Squadron on 9 August 1940.
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At 08:25 on 31 August, Pilot Officer Gerard Maffett took off from Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, in P3175 as part of a formation sent against raiding Junkers Ju88s and MeBf110s.

The Squadron claimed several Bf110s destroyed, but lost two Hurricanes, one of which was P3175. Pilot Officer Maffett was killed when his parachute failed to open in time as he ‘bailed out’ at low altitude.

The remains of this Hurricane lay where they fell at Walton-on-the-Naze until recovered by No.308 Squadron, Air Training Corps, Colchester together with other willing helpers, in 1973.

The parts were given to the RAF Museum in 1977. They have been cleaned, but not repaired, and thus reflect the condition in which they were found and provide a good insight into the materials used to construct a Hurricane.

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Posted By: KraziKanuK

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 04/28/17 06:23 PM

Great photos. thumbsup cheers

History of P2617
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/72-A-1404-Hurricane-1-P2617.pdf
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/02/17 11:55 AM

I seen bits of a Hurricane that was pulled from the peat bog in Caithness that looked kind of like your picture FE, Alas the Merlin engine was a bit banana shaped after hitting the bedrock under the peat, apart from that it was in very good condition, it almost looked like you could have started her up once the peat morass had been washed off, there was very little corrosion on it, most of the instruments and the gunsight survived from the cockpit, the same cannot be said for the rest of the aircraft.

It was being flown by a Norwegian pilot out of Castleton airfield doing ACM with a Spitfire from Skitten Airfield near Wick when they had a mid air collision, the Hurricane lost a portion of it's wing so the pilot bailed out and landed safely. The Spitfire managed to return home and land. The remains of the Hurricane were found in the late 1980s when Fountain Forestry were doing a survey of the hill side (peat bog) before planting trees, they called in a local enthusiast to excavate the remains, when it was all brought up and cleaned off, they traced the pilot and he came over from Norway to see his old aircraft.

There are/were lots of crash sites in Caithness and in the 1970s the RAF came and blew up an American Bomber that had landed on the moor and stayed intact, but there were many reports from pilots saying that there was an aircraft down that something had to be done, as it was too remote and the terrain was too soft the aircraft could not be moved so they reduced it with explosives. One of the radial egines survives in the Manchester Institute of Technology as a cut-away moving model.

Edit: My friend John and I used to head out into the hills looking for these aircraft on our off road motorbikes and mostly it was far too difficult to keep the bikes going on the very soft peat bog, even with a 465cc enduro bike!
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/02/17 12:58 PM

Hi Alicatt, very interesting stuff thumbsup Do you have any photos you could share? I grew up in Derbyshire and there are a lot of aircraft crash sites up on the moors. The most memorable one I visited was up on Bleaklow Moor where Superfortress RB-29 "Over-Exposed!" crashed in 3 November 1948. A substantial amount of the wreck can still be seen; whilst most parts are badly corroded, the stainless steel components look like they've just come out of a hospital operating theatre (they're in such good condition). I'll share some photos in a separate post soon.

Jean Claude Junkers Ju-87G2
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This aircraft is thought to have been built in 1943-4 as one of 1,178 Ju87 D-5 ground attack variants ordered, but later modified to G-2 standard, including fitting underwing mounting points for the two 37mm Bk37/Flak 18 cannon carried by this variant.

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It was captured in Germany, possibly at a factory near the Russian border; Ju87s remained operational on the Eastern Front until the end of the European war in May 1945. This was one of 12 German aircraft selected by the Air Ministry for museum display, rather than as an evaluation aircraft.

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In March 1967 it was moved to RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire for possible use in the “Battle of Britain” film. It was repainted, given codes W8 + A (carried by a Ju87 unit in Europe in 1940) and given dummy wooden dive brakes, undercarriage leg sirens, a fibreglass bomb and a modified rear gun position.

The film makers eventually obtained MoD permission to restore the Ju87 to airworthy condition, but inspection of the airframe revealed that restoration to airworthiness would be a costly exercise, so three Percival Proctors were modified as `Proctukas', although scale models (fashioned after late model Stukas to match the RAF Museum example if it had flown) were used in the final film version.

The aircraft has been based at Hendon since 1978.

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Posted By: BD-123

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/03/17 09:06 AM

One thing that struck me about the Stuka (I last saw it in the now Defunct BoB Hall at Hendon) is how poor the build quality was. You can see the evidence of the poor panel work in Eric latest excellent pix.
Posted By: Speyer

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/03/17 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by BD-123
One thing that struck me about the Stuka (I last saw it in the now Defunct BoB Hall at Hendon) is how poor the build quality was. You can see the evidence of the poor panel work in Eric latest excellent pix.

I wonder if this is because it is a later war model, when German industry was taking a hammering in the allied bombing campaign? I've always thought the workmanship on the 2 seat FW190 in the bomber hall is appalling.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/03/17 07:30 PM

Speyer, you mean this one ...?
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BD-123 - Regarding the Stuka (aka "The Jean Claude"), given the drag caused by the fixed under-carriage, under slung bomb, dive brakes etc.., I suppose that perfectly flush panels weren't considered that important (making little aerodynamic difference) ...?
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/04/17 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by FlatEric
Hi Alicatt, very interesting stuff thumbsup Do you have any photos you could share? I grew up in Derbyshire and there are a lot of aircraft crash sites up on the moors. The most memorable one I visited was up on Bleaklow Moor where Superfortress RB-29 "Over-Exposed!" crashed in 3 November 1948. A substantial amount of the wreck can still be seen; whilst most parts are badly corroded, the stainless steel components look like they've just come out of a hospital operating theatre (they're in such good condition). I'll share some photos in a separate post soon.

Sorry none of the Hurricane, I don't even know if it is still in the guy's garage, heh I call it a garage but it was an old church he converted, I did hear that the guys at Duxford had been in contact with him and had gotten some bits for one of their projects.

I put up some pictures from one expedition in this thread http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4306307/1

I do have some more pics from another expedition that Ian and I took, what was going to be a short climb up to a pass ended up being a marathon slog over the hills as we were denied access via the forestry road on the north side near Loch Strathy, we went to Skail to the old derelict hotel there to use their bridge to cross the River Naver but found that the bridge had long gone and what was left of it was only a single rusty steel rope stretched across and I was not about to go over that smile We ended up parking at the old village of Syre and heading in from the south west. We found it but there was not much left of the Wellington that had been on a night training mission, there was a pool of water with a lot of wreckage and clothing including the sole of a shoe. Another case of trying to fly up a valley and striking the ground just before the summit, all the crew lost their lives on that one. I do have some pics that I will dig out and post up in another thread.
Posted By: McGonigle

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/04/17 02:42 PM

It is very interesting for me to read about the aircraft that were captured at Grove in Denmark. When I was doing national service in the RDAF, I was stationed at Grove, or Karup as it was called then. The entire infrastructure, barracks, huts, shelters, etc etc. was built by the occupying Nazis, the personnel barracks were horrendously cold during winter, I can tell you, and even the main road to the station was constructed by them. It consisted of equally sized slabs of concrete joined together and with every join you drove over, the suspension of the car I drove reacted creating a very steady rythm.

Regarding the workmanship or lack of same on the aircraft; would it be possible that being 70 to 80 years old, some of them designed and built in the mid-thirties and onwards, and having been in service where perhaps repairs would have to be performed in the field, they have been constructed and treated in a utilitarian manner, panels being brought back to shape by the use of hammers and that sort of thing. As none of the items to my knowledge are in airworthy condition, this could perhaps also account for their shabby looks, e.g. they look like patched together in places and given another coat of camouflage paint?
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/05/17 09:57 AM

Alicatt, yes, I do remember your earlier thread (very interesting). Please do post any photos you can locate from your other 'expedition' thumbsup

Hi McGonigle, glad you're enjoying the thread and thanks for sharing your re-collections of Grove / Karup. Quite a few of the museums's collection were obtained there, but not this next one...

Fiat CR.42 ‘Falco’
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Built in 1940, the CR.42 was the last biplane in production (until 1943).

In an effort to boost Italian home morale and as a political gesture to the Germans, units of the Regia Aeronautica were formed into the Corpo Aereo Italiano (CAI) – a force of some 203 aircraft including 50 CR.42s - to operate in support of the Luftwaffe from bases at Melsbroek, Chievres, Maldeghem and Ursel in Belgium, somewhat to the chagrin of the Luftwaffe itself.

In October 1940, MM5701 and other 18 Gruppo CR.42s moved from their base in Novi Ligure, northern Italy to Maldeghein, Belgium, near the Dutch border. The fighters could only operate over England for about ten minutes due to limited fuel capacity/range.

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CAI operations began with a night time bombing mission against Harwich and Felixstowe from Belgium, with the first daylight mission against Ramsgate, on 29 October (and continued until 3rd January 1941).

On 11 November 1940, the CAI made one of its only three recorded daylight bombing raids on the UK, this being its largest operation. From a force of 10 BR20 bombers and 40 CR.42s aiming for Harwich, the Italians lost three bombers and three fighters, with three more damaged bombers crashing back in France and Belgium. There were no RAF losses.

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Twenty two CR.42s took off from Eechlou, Belgium and climbed to 18,000 feet. Before the actual combat MM5701, flown by 23 year old Sergente Pilota Pietro Salvadori broke an oil pipe, fell behind the formation, and the engine overheated. He pressed on and force landed on the shingle beach at Orfordness, Suffolk. Salvadori was taken prisoner and was apparently very proud of his landing when he simply nosed gently over on the shingle!

The aircraft was taken by road to RAF Martlesham Heath for repair. On 28 April 1941 it was escorted by a Hurricane to RAE Farnborough for inspection and evaluation. By 1942 evaluation and comparative trials were complete and the aircraft was put into storage.

It emerged in 1960 for refurbishment at RAF Colerne prior to various static displays during the 1960s. In 1973 it was taken to RAF St Athan for further restoration by trainee painters and finishers of 94 entry, D Flight No.2 TTS. In 1978 it was moved to the Museum at Hendon.

Pietro Salvadori remained in the Italian Air Force post-war only to be killed flying a F84G Thunderjet in April 1953.

NB/. I'm pretty sure that a CR.42 is being restored to flying condition at Duxford - I'll see if I can dig out photos of their WiP.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/09/17 08:36 AM

Bristol/Fairchild Bolingbroke IV-T ‘10001’
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The Canadian Government issued a contract for licence production of Blenheim Mk.IV to Fairchild Aircraft Co Ltd under the `Bolingbroke' designation, the aircraft when built being externally identical to the Bristol produced Mk.IV but with American instruments and other equipment replacing British equipment on many aircraft. A few carried American engines as insurance against a shortage of Bristol Mercury engines.

The Bolingbroke was intended for use as a coastal reconnaissance bomber.
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Deliveries of Bolingbrokes to RCAF commenced in November 1939, all constructed by Fairchild Aircraft of Longueuil, Quebec. The type was used operationally on anti-submarine patrols from Canada and the Aleutians over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Bolingbroke 10001 was ordered as part of the second batch of Bolingbroke IV-Ts, a total of 350 aircraft delivered between March 1942 and May 1943.
The Bolingbroke IV-T, a navigation and gunnery crew trainer, was the last variant produced. The 220th and all subsequent Bolingbrokes, RCAF serials 9152-10256,were of this type, 457 IV-Ts being delivered to the RCAF, with a further 51 built but not taken on charge, and eventually scrapped.

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Powered by two 920hp Mercury XX engines, the standard Bolingbroke IV-T was painted overall trainer yellow for high visibility with large black fuselage side and underwing serial numbers. Some were converted to target-tugs and carried black `wasp' stripes to show their role. The aircraft were used to train British Commonwealth Air Training Plan trainees for overseas service until the end of the war and disappeared rapidly afterwards, all being struck off charge by mid-1947.

Little is known of this aircraft’s' service career, although she served with No.3 Bombing & Gunnery School, McDonald, Manitoba and then No.5 (RCAF) Bombing and Gunnery School, Dafoe, Saskatchewan.
In mid-1946, 10001 was sold from RCAF MacDonald to a Mr C A Yuill for $200. This happened to many hundreds of war surplus aircraft - Ansons, Oxfords, Battles, Lysanders, even Lancasters - at this time. Mr Yuill, like many of his contemporaries, transported the aircraft to his farm at Portage La Prairie, Manitoba to strip for parts for various uses around his farm. The aircraft then stood virtually complete at the farm for the next 20 years.
In April 1966 it was purchased by the RAF Museum from Mr Yuill for $200 – the same price he had paid for the aircraft in 1946. It arrived in the UK in 1969; an engineering survey estimated 3,390 man-hours of work to restore the airframe (barely half the eventual total).

In February 1972 the restoration task was agreed by AeAEE Boscombe Down as a `recreational activity'. Restoration then expected to take 2-3 years by a team of volunteers. Early on in the project the decision was made to rebuild 10001 as a Blenheim and L8756/XD-E of 139 Squadron RAF was chosen as the representative aircraft. The `genuine' L8756 was ‘struck off charge’ on 4 May 44. 139 Squadron made the RAF's first operational sortie of WW2.

In August 1978 the restored aircraft arrived at Hendon, where it has remained on view ever since.

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Posted By: piper

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/10/17 12:31 AM

This thread is so cool to read (and look). Thank you FlatEric!
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/11/17 04:07 PM

Hi piper, thanks for your feedback. I’m glad you’re enjoying it thumbsup

Earlier in this thread, Alicatt shared information about visits / expeditions he’d made to various aircraft crash sites. Back in 2011, I visited the crash site of Superfortress RB-29A (F-13A) 44-61999 “Over Exposed”, the remains of which are located on Bleaklow Moor in the High Peak.

At the risk of going slightly 'off topic', here is the story of “Over Exposed”.
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Superfortress RB-29A (F-13A) 44-61999 44-61999 was built at Renton, Washington in 1945 and was handed over one month before the war ended. She was an early model B-29A modified for photo reconnaissance and carried the F-13A designation, with "F" for 'photo' (Americans .. never could spel their wurds proply ... hahaha ). After WWII the designation was changed to FB-29J, and then again in 1948 to RB-29A.

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In June 1946, eight F-13s, including 61999, left the States for Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands to take part in ‘Operation Crossroads’. The tail fins bore a 10 foot black square with the letter ‘F’ in yellow upon them (the bombing aircraft wore the letter ‘B’, whilst meteorological planes carried the letter ‘W’). A two foot band of yellow was painted just aft of the national insignia, with similar bands painted towards the wing tips.

‘Operation Crossroads’ involved setting off two nuclear bombs, one timed to explode several hundred feet above Bikini Atoll’s lagoon – ‘Able Day’ bomb scheduled for 1 July 1946 - and the other, ‘Baker day’ bomb, was to be exploded underwater.

The crew of 61999 at the time of Operation Crossroads:
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The role of 61999 was to photograph the bombing aircraft, B-29 ‘Dave’s Dream’, as the device left the bomb bay. The other F-13s were to circle the mushroom cloud taking pictures.

On ‘Able Day’ 61999 took off from Kwajalein accompanying ‘Dave’s Dream’. Over the target, Bikini Atoll lagoon, the bomb was released and plunged towards the target ship ‘Nevada’. It is believed that 61999, which was seven miles away when the explosion occurred, acquired the nickname “Over Exposed” as a result of this mission.

This photo, taken from ‘Over Exposed’, shows ‘Dave’s Dream’ at the point of dropping the atomic bomb during Test Able at Bikini Atoll on 1 July 1946. Note the forward bomb doors are open ready for the drop.
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With the completion of ‘Operation Crossroads’, the F-13s flew to Roswell Field for screening and decontamination, before being returned to their squadrons. In the case of ‘Over Exposed’, this meant the 16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, UK.

When the Russians closed the road link into the Allied Sector of Berlin in 1948, supplies were flown in by air. Some 90 Superfortresses were based in the UK at the time, many taking part in the airlift. Whilst the transports flew in supplies to the Allied Sector, 16th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, including ‘Over Exposed’, ‘mapped’ the Russian occupied territory by mingling in with the vast flow of air traffic heading to and from Berlin. Using six cameras in the rear pressurised compartment a strip of ground three miles wide could be photographed in detail. A photo navigator’s station in the nose of the aircraft occupied the bombardier’s position and was in direct communication with the camera station in the waist. The bomb bays were utilised by fitting extra fuel tanks.

The crew of ‘Over Exposed’ had completed their service in Britain and were due to return home to the States on 6 November 1948. On the morning of 3 November, they were scheduled to conduct a routine ‘mail run’ from RAF Scampton to the American Logistics Base at Burtonwood, near Warrington, a flight that would take less than half an hour. Due to the diminutive American presence at Burtonwood, all the mail and pay packets destined for the squadrons based there were delivered to RAF Scampton, which meant there had to be regular collection and resupply flights between these locations.

At around 10:15am, the pilot Captain Landon P. Tanner, filed his Visual Flight Record with Flight Control for this routine flight. Low cloud hung over much of England that day and as such the flight was to be conducted on instruments.

For such a mission only a minimum flight crew was required. However, a trip to Burtonwood provided the opportunity to acquire some ‘creature comforts’, with raised the number of crew members to 13. Captain Tanner’s crew that day consisted of: co-pilot, Captain Harry Stroud; engineer, Technical Sergeant Ralph Fields; navigator, Sergeant Charles Wilbanks; radio operator, Staff Sergeant Gene A. Gartner; radar operator, David D. Moore; camera crew, Technical Sergeant Saul R. Banks, Sergeant Donald R. Abrogast, Sergeant Robert I. Doyle and Private First Class William M. Burrows. Three other crew members were Corporals M. Franssen and George Ingram, and Captain Howard Keel of the 4201st Motion Picture Unit.

As well as the sacks of mail homeward bound for the States, “Over Exposed” was also carrying the payroll cash for the American staff at Burtonwood.

At about 10:45am, around 20 minutes into his flight, Captain Tanner must have nosed down through the overcast cloud to establish his position. Shelf Moor rises to just over 2,000 feet above sea level – it is doubtful that any of the crew saw the ground before they hit it.

When “Over Exposed” failed to arrive at Burtonwood an air search was initiated and during that early wintery afternoon blazing wreckage was spotted on the Moor.

By chance, members of Harpur Hill RAF Mountain Rescue Team were just finishing an exercise two and a half miles away. They picked up the messages being broadcast by the search and rescue aircraft on their radio, to the effect that a ‘Superfort’ was down on the moor and burning. Checking the map reference Flight Sergeant George Thompson and Corporal William Duthie noted how close they were and promptly despatched the rest of the men to approach and search from one direction whilst they themselves started across the moor from Doctor’s Gate.

Some of the members of the Harpur Hill RAF Mountain Rescue Team who were involved in the search:
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Mist and drizzle prevented them from spotting the aircraft at first, but after twenty minutes rough going over the raising moorland they could see the Superfort’s huge tailfin and a fire blazing away in front of it.
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The two of them raced the last few hundred yards stumbling into holes and jumping water courses. However, as they got close they could see that the situation was hopeless. Several bodies lay scattered around the blazing twisted metal; it was obvious that there was nothing that they could do for the aircrew and so they hurried back to their vehicle on the Snake Road.

Night was closing in as the Glossop fire brigade arrived at the crash site where wreckage spread across the moor for a quarter of a mile. Reinforcements from Harpur Hill arrived and a search was made for survivors, but none were found – just eight bodies were located. They were left there as darkness fell and the rescuers made their way back to the nearby village of Glossop.
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Next morning, before dawn, a group of around fifty men set off to the downed aircraft. Using torches and arc lamps they toiled back across the ravines and streams for two hours before the tailfin loomed out of the grey dawn gloom. They now knew that thirteen men had been aboard, but they had only been able to gather eight bodies. Lines were formed to scour the moor for the five missing crew members.

Ted Ward, a member of the RAF Mountain Rescue Team from Harpur Hill, recalled: “The first piece of wreckage that I came across was the nose wheel, followed after some 200 yards by the tail unit.”

Another body was located that had been thrown clear of the wreckage; then American officers discovered the remaining four crew members. Unfortunately they were burned beyond recognition.

Scrambling about amongst the wreckage one of the American officers located a “Wells Fargo” satchel which contained $7,000, part of the payroll. “This is what we’re looking for!” he called to his colleagues and promptly left the crash site.

How to get the bodies off the moor was the next problem that they had to face. Because of the rough terrain it was suggested that rather than carry the bodies three miles across the moors to the Snake Pass Road, they should call in helicopters. However, helicopters were still in their infancy, were few in number and had limited lift capacity. The RAF Mountain Rescue Team volunteered to attempt the job themselves. Utilising newly developed ‘body bags’ that had been provided by the US personnel on site, the men of the Mountain Rescue Team set off down the moorland, six to each bag, with others taking turns to carry the grim loads.

The bodies were taken to Burtonwood Logistics Base before being repatriated to the States. After the crash investigation teams had finished their work, they had the tail fin destroyed; as it stood up on the hillside, visible for great distances and it was attracting too many sightseers.
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Over the succeeding years many walkers have visited the site, as well as aircraft historians and many parts were gradually removed or scattered over the hillsides. The once shiny metal parts have rusted or oxidised. A memorial was placed on the site, and wreaths are regularly laid in memory of the crewmen who died in the crash.

Incredibly, one visitor to the crash site, Gerry Scarratt of Hadfield, found a wedding ring in the 1970’s which turned out to be Capt Tanner’s ring. Gerry tracked down Capt. Tanner’s daughter, Jean Houlding and duly returned it to her. Jean was about 4 years old at the time of the crash. She knew little of her father’s fate until as she said:

“Almost all of my knowledge about the crash comes from research done by amateur aircraft archaeologists in Britain. Before Gerry Scarratt of Hadfield found my father's wedding ring at the wreck site and then spent four years tracking me down, all I knew was that my father had died in a plane crash in England and my mother held a grudge against Harry Truman for sending him over there.

Gerry sent me the ring and all of the crash information he could collect. In 1985 Don [Jean’s husband] and I were able to make our first trip to the crash site and we have been back for anniversary climbs in 1998 and 2008. No matter what the weather on climb day, it is always thick fog at the top as it was on the day of the crash site, and we feel very close to the fliers.”


This is a photo of Jean and her husband Don during their visit to the UK in 2008:
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What follows are some photos from my visit to the crash site in 2011 with my parents, my youngest son and “Puskas”.

Every expedition needs a dog biggrin
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Looking back to the car park on the Snake Road:
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Puskas doing what she does best … enjoying herself biggrin
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The route we took followed part of the ‘Pennine Way’:
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Bleaklow Moor in the distance..
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Looking back the way we’d come..
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Heading to the top..
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The first piece of wreckage we came upon – one of the four 2,200hp Wright R-3350 -23 Duplex-Cyclone engines:
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Another of the engines adorned with Remembrance wreaths and crosses:
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Remains of the landing gear:
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I think this is an oil radiator (any experts, please confirm):
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Another oil radiator (?) that has broken open to reveal the network of tubing inside:
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Whilst much of the aluminium and magnesium alloy parts are badly corroded, the stainless steel has not suffered from being exposed on the moor for nearly 70 years (note Puskas’s feet providing scale):
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One of several impromptu memorials dotted around the crash site:
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Section of wing and landing gear:
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A few pieces of wreckage still bear the yellow marking “Over Exposed” carried:
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The wreckage to the left in this picture may be a section of the mounting for one of the gun turrets:
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A section of wing (?):
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My mum and Puskas:
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Landing gear:
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Another of the engines:
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The ‘official’ memorial that was established in 1988:
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This is the nearby ‘trig point’, a triangulation or trigonometrical station used in geodetic surveying (common across the UK countryside, especially in the ‘wilder parts’!):
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Part of the view from High Shelf Stones:
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The journey back:
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Puskas back at the car - she managed to cut her leg whilst racing about among the wreckage:
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Posted By: oldgrognard

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/12/17 12:25 AM

Thanks for the story.

Dogs are the best.
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/12/17 07:35 AM

Thank you for the AAR as always you have the knack of telling a good story.
Posted By: BD-123

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 05/12/17 08:56 AM

Great story/pics as usual Eric! And what a fine looking hound you have there.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/14/17 01:59 PM

Hi guys, sorry for the absence and thanks for the feedback regarding my 'expedition' to see the remains of 'Over Exposed'.

BD-123 - glad you like my hound thumbsup On 31st December we got Puskas an 'apprentice'. His name is Ocsi (pronounced 'Erchi'), which means 'little brother' in Hungarian. Here are a couple of photos from Minnis Bay back in April:

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I hope to continue this thread with a few more aircraft from RAF Hendon, along with their histories, shortly.

In the meantime, here's some without any narrative.

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Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/16/17 09:55 AM

Group participation required yep

"Name that plane!" Clue: it's not in a British museum but there is a link to the RAF! And a bonus point if you correctly identify the museum it's in biggrin

'Answers on a postcard to ...' hahaha

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Posted By: Alicatt

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/16/17 10:47 AM

It's not too far from me wink
Posted By: Chucky

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/16/17 12:47 PM

I have no idea. I'm sure I could find it if I google enough,but for now I will wait.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/16/17 01:17 PM

Looks like Allicatt is going to collect (at least) the bonus point ... yep
Posted By: McGonigle

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/16/17 02:23 PM

Prior to Googleing for it, I had no idea. Now I know what it is and where it is located. Lovely aircraft!
Posted By: Alicatt

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/16/17 05:28 PM

Knowing what it is and where it is, but not sure on the connection, but I'll let others guess as I feel like I'm cheating being kind of local

met vriendelijk groeten
Alicatt
wink
Posted By: iron mike

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/16/17 09:34 PM

Some photos from the other building http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.p...colindale-hendon-summer-2016#Post4295667
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 06/20/17 12:30 PM

iron mike, thanks for sharing and I hope you enjoyed your visit to Hendon. You were certainly busy taking photos... yep

OK, the aircraft in the 'name that plane' competition is the BAT F.K.23 'Bantam', a British single-seat fighter biplane produced by the British Aerial Transport (BAT) Company Limited of London during World War I. The construction and materials were selected for their lightness (hence the name).

And for the bonus point, you would have correctly identified that it is housed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam:

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I'll give the bonus point to Allicatt - I knew that he knew, if you know what I mean.... hahaha

The history of the Bantam is convoluted and starts in mid-1917 when Dutchman Frederick (‘Frits’) Koolhoven left Armstrong Whitworth to join the newly formed Willesden-based BAT, taking his tell-tale ‘FK’ design numbers with him. At BAT Koolhoven's first task centred on designing a company-funded single seat fighter venture, designated FK 22. This was first flown in the early autumn of 1917 and gained Air Board interest and a contract for six examples followed.

Originally planned to use a 120hp ABC Mosquito radial, one of the four FK 22s known to have been built and flown during 1918 used a 100hp Gnome Monosoupape, subsequently replaced by a 110hp Le Rhone 9J rotary. To compound matters, virtually all of the FK 22s varied in airframe detail, but out of this melee emerged the 170hp ABC Wasp powered example in the spring of 1918, the change being considered great enough to warrant the new designation of FK 23 Bantam. Others of the original FK 22 were re-engined with the Wasp, but all of these machines were criticised for the ease with which they would enter a vicious flat spin. To cure this problem, the later nine so-called production aircraft incorporated a modified set of increased span wings and tail unit.

The later FK 23s that appeared in October 1918 had a top speed of 128mph at 6,500 feet, falling to 118mph at 18,000 feet. Time to 10,000 feet was 9 minutes.

One aircraft was delivered to the Royal Aircraft Establishment on 26 July 1918, one was delivered to the French at Villacoublay and a further aircraft to the United States Army Air Corps at Wright Field in 1922. Time, however, was about to run out on the Bantam with the coming of the Armistice.

Continuous engine problems and downsizing of all the allied air forces resulted in no more orders for the Bantam. Koolhoven returned to Netherlands with one aircraft where it was re-engined with a 200 hp (149 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Lynx radial engine. Several examples were operated as civil racing aircraft and the Bantam was a big hit at the ELTA (First Aviation Exhibition in Amsterdam) in 1919.
Posted By: FlatEric

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 07/13/17 07:05 PM

Back at the RAF museum ... hahaha

Here are some 'odds and sods' that might be of interest (apologies - some of these photos were taken of objects in glass cabinets so there is some unwanted flare / reflections).

On the left a German MG15 aircraft machine gun (to the right is an MG17 and in the background is a 0.303 Browning; the camouflaged vehicle behind the ring-sight is an RAF fuel bowser).
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The MG15 was a flexible-mount 7.92mm calibre machine gun with 75-round double drum magazine. It was a modular design with various attachments that could be quickly attached or removed. Operation was easy and the bolt remained in the cocked position after expending the 75 round double drum (also called a "saddle drum") magazine, negating the need to re-cock once a fresh magazine was installed.

Starting in late 1940 the MG 15 was replaced by the Mauser 7.92 mm MG 81, MG 81Z (twin-MG 81), MG 131 13 mm machine guns, or MG 151/20 20 mm cannons. Many MG 15s were modified for infantry use as heavier weapons replaced them on Luftwaffe aircraft.

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MG 17 machine gun. The MG 17 was a 7.92 mm machine gun produced by Rheinmetall-Borsig for use at fixed mountings in many World War II Luftwaffe aircraft, typically as forward-firing offensive armament, but also used as fixed, remotely-fired tail guns in certain aircraft variants, such as the Do 217.

The provenance of the museums MG17 is unknown. Once thought to be from the Dornier 17 bomber which crashed on Victoria Station, this type of gun was in fact only fitted to Dornier 17 nightfighters, He-111s and Me-110s.


Toughened glass windscreen taken from a 19 Squadron Spitfire flown by Fleet Air Arm pilot Sub-Lt Blake. A bullet fired from a He-111 apparently passed through the cockpit, clipped the pilot’s ear and shattered the glass from the inside.
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Bomb ‘screamers’. When fitted to a bomb, both the modified bayonet scabbard and cardboard tube would emit a loud screaming sound as they fell, intended to demoralise those on the ground.
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Rear end of a 1Kg German incendiary bomb protruding out from a wooden ‘bomb grab’, designed to enable such bombs to be picked up and disposed of.
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Three rotor Enigma machine – probably an early version used by the Wehrmacht or Luftwaffe (the Kriegsmarine and Abwehr machines always had more than 3 rotors).
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RAF radar display equipment, circa 1940.
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Statue of Air Chief Marshall Keith Park
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Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Rodney Park, GCB, KBE, MC & Bar, DFC (15 June 1892 – 6 February 1975) was a New Zealand soldier, First World War flying ace and Second World War Royal Air Force commander.

Promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal, Park took command of No. 11 Group RAF, responsible for the fighter defence of London and southeast England, in April 1940. He organized fighter patrols over France during the Dunkirk evacuation and in the Battle of Britain his command took the brunt of the Luftwaffe's air attacks. Flying his personalised Hawker Hurricane around his fighter airfields during the battle, Park gained a reputation as a shrewd tactician with an astute grasp of strategic issues and as a popular "hands-on" commander.

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Unit insignia of the RAF and Luftwaffe Squadrons / Staffeln which took part in the Battle of Britain.
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Posted By: Chucky

Re: RAF Museum Hendon - 07/13/17 08:00 PM

Great stuff Eric,very interesting.
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