"IWM Duxford visit" Topic

Hello all

I have updated my blog with some pictures of my recent visit to Imperial War Museum Duxford. Plenty of photos. Hope you enjoy.

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G.

Misnamed Hawker Hunter I think, I believe it's a Sea Hawk, otherwise excellent thanks

Indeed! – a good tour, thanks!

Pity you missed the land warfare display, but your reason was undeniably more important!

Did you get to go inside the concord? I visited around 20 years ago and all the aircraft were outside. You could go into the concord and see all of the test instrumentation they used. It was interesting how small the plane is. The seats were the size of coach class.

There were three B-17s on the airfield with another one being restored.

Is anything outside anymore, or have they moved it all inside new hangers?

I plan to get back there some day.

Matthew

Yup – you're right about the Sea Hawk, Jarrovian. I'll correct that now.

I did get into the Land warfare hall, but just didn't take any snaps. I do have a post being prepared about my last visit to Bovington which has plenty of wheeled and tracked lovelies in it.

I didn't go into that Concorde, since AGG was in the wheelchair, but I have been in her sister test ship at the Fleet Air Arm museum in Yeovilton. I was amazed at how small they were inside.

Outside these days is mostly the old civilian commercial jets, the Tri-star, DC10 and so on. Almost everything is now under cover and really well displayed.

I'm glad that things are under cover. Always was a bummer to be halfway across the field when the drizzle turned to rain. I wanted to go inside one of the B17 but that was not allowed. I did get a chance at an air show about 15 years ago where they had the plane open to raise money for restoration. You climbed up the front hatch into the cockpit, then walked back through the radio room across the tiny cat walk between the bomb loads to the waist gunners and then out the tail gunner hatch. It was a very small bomber which really surprised me. It looks much larger on the outside. I still love that plane. As I was leaving I saw the sign to pay for a flight. It was $300 USD for 30 minutes. I had another appointment so I could not do it, but that is something on my bucket list. I'd pay $800 USD to fly in one today.

The whole thing is worth going, and the land vehicles are also not to be missed.
Was absolutely stunned by the size of the Sunderland. Looking at my 1/1200th ones should have warned me.

Of course in the Uk you either put it inside or prepare yourself to hand (still unbroken)umbrellas to customers for 2/3- 3/4 of the year.

Sorry to be a pain, but it's a late model Spitfire under restoration, not a Typhoon. Nice pictures though, I'm planning another visit soon, as it is on our doorstep, so to speak.

Huh. Man In Overalls told me it was a Typhoon, but looking at it now it does have the wing intakes and no chin inlet.

G.

Never trust a man in overalls. :-)

Went a couple of weeks ago. Best description of anything ever came from my son.

He looked at the B52 and said
"That is a chuffing big plane."

The Autogyro is a Cierva C-30 Autogyro designed by an aeronautical engineer named Juan De La Cierva and manufactured under licence (I assume) by Focke-Wulf and AV Roe Ltd

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And thanks for posting!

I didn't go into that Concorde, since AGG was in the wheelchair, but I have been in her sister test ship at the Fleet Air Arm museum in Yeovilton. I was amazed at how small they were inside.

Possibly not good for AGG either (might be worth giving them a call and seeing what facilities they have), but you can go onboard Delta Golf at Brooklands for a 'flight' including a visit to the flight deck.

PDF link

"The Technical Concorde Flight adds much more time to the standard Concorde Experience to explore the fascinating technical achievements of the aircraft.

There will also be the opportunity to sit on Concorde's Flight Deck, and spend time on board the Concorde Simulator as she takes off from London Heathrow, flies a low-level pass over Brooklands and lands back at Heathrow.

My late father, ex Concorde Captain, was actively involved with this project.

Isn't that Bearcat a Corsair?

Nice looking de Havilland Dragon Rapide behind the Auster

The Bearcat is indeed a Corsair. I'm badly failing my aircraft recognition course here. The Rapide is based out of Duxford, I think. They give flights in it when the air show days are on.

G.

From the same photo as the Corsair – the 'blue plane' is a P-26 Peashooter
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The Rapide takes passengers on weekends and also during holidays periods. We visited Duxford last week, and watched a MK II Spitfire take to the air, just after visiting the BoB operations centre, very evocative.

Did you notice the Beaufighter tucked away, to the side of the renovations hanger? It's coming along nicely and will be quite a sight, if they can get her flying.

I'll second the airborne museum, with several original, topographically precise, planning boards from WWII operations, that are sculpting masterpieces.