Fleet Air Arm Museum, 100 Years of Naval Aviation - pics

JDK · **Posted:** Fri Sep 18, 2009 12:30 am

Good report Nick, nice to see what's moved, and another look at Carrier - I agree a great display. Makes you wonder what Pensacola could do it they tried it!

Manonthefence wrote:

I am surprised JDK hasnt made a gratuitous Walrus comment :lol:

"Nice to see RJ Mitchell's finest." Will that do? :wink:

Manonthefence wrote:

Thats not to take anything away from the place, its one of the worlds great aviation Museums. the RAF Museum at Hendon could learn a lot from how it treats its guests and displays its aircraft.

Absolutely. I still would say that for the museum's income they offer the most and best value entertainment, history and education, of any aviation museum I can think of. There are many other great museums, but Yeovilton score maxes on covering their theme, broadening the appeal, accessibility to the story and history for the public, and ground-breaking innovative conservation. Hendon's is not even in the same game.

gregv wrote:

....and wasn't there an airworthy restoration of a Walrus going on somewhere?

The latest status of Walrus restoration project G-RNLI has gone very quiet after it was traded on by Solent Sky who had been fund-raising to restore it, but obviously decided against it in the end.

ltdann · **Posted:** Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:55 am

Just so all are aware, the United States will celebrate 100 years of Naval Aviation in 2011. I am the Navy lead for this. Watch for posts on this. Right now in Hammondsport NY where the Glenn Curtiss Museum has a flyable replica of the Curtiss Triad, the Navy's first aeroplane

Rich Dann

Rajay · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:21 am

sgt hawk wrote:

A lot of us Americans need to be reminded that most of the inovations in operating an aircraft carrier came from the Brits.

Yes, in addition to inventing steam catapults and the angled deck, I believe that it was actually the "Brits" who taught the Americans how to fly a Corsair off of, or more importantly, onto a carrier. Until that time, the Corsairs had been stuck "on the beach" with the Marines.

Very nice museum - and excellent shots considering the lighting.

The Fairey Gannet has to be one of the ugliest airplanes I've ever seen. And they need to call out the maintenance staff - the left nose tire is flat.

Nick also mentioned that the Swordfish is "hidden away". Surprising given its role in sinking the Bismark, and the Italian fleet at Taranto more than a year before Pearl Harbor, I believe. Or did the Italians really just make the mistake of putting their ships into the water there and the British simply flew over and took all of the credit? Sorry, old joke.

Speaking of the Bismark, did they have any "big" flying boats on display (outdoors?) A Catalina or a Sunderland, maybe?

JDK · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:17 pm

Rajay wrote:

Speaking of the Bismark, did they have any "big" flying boats on display (outdoors?) A Catalina or a Sunderland, maybe?

No. Mainly because they weren't flown by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy, but by Coastal Command of the Royal Air Force.

The RAF Museum has a Short Sunderland in the Battle of Britain Hall at Hendon, and a Catalina in its donated Danish colours at the Cosford museum.

HTH!

jet1 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:30 pm

...a plane that belongs in the air at RENO more than this one!

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Fleet Air Arm Museum, 100 Years of Naval Aviation - pics

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