Duxford Air Museum Review - EXTREMELY photo heavy!

Following on from the HMS Belfast review, I am back to bore you even more.

Fore-warnings for this thread -

• Get a cup of tea/coffee (or something stronger) before you start as there are a LOT of photos here.
• There was some sort of problem with the camera, so some of these photos are not as good as we would have liked
• As we used a camera and a phone, the images are not necessarily in order, and there may be one or two that are duplicates or similar

Duxford was actually the first place we visited, ahead of Churchill War Rooms and HMS Belfast, and it got us off to a rip-roaring start. I simply cannot recommend it highly enough for a great family day out - but make sure that you do allow a full day, as it is huge, and there is tons to see.

Don't fall under the illusion that it is all aircraft, because it is most definitely not - it gives quite a comprehensive view of many aspects of war as well as specialising on aviation. The staff on site are without exception the most friendly, chatty, happy band possible. Great with kids, and always keen to help or to explain things.

Accessibility for anyone with disabilities is exceptionally good, particularly when you consider the site they are working with and the things they have on display - you do have to accept that there may be some things you can't see if you cannot climb some stairs (such as the inside of aircraft), but on the whole you will get to see a significant amount even if you are in a wheelchair. There is small electric buses that will ferry you around the site if you need (free) and you can borrow electric mobility scooters (free, but advisable to pre-book).

Facilities are very good (loos are easily accessible and clean) and include an onsite restaurant as well as a resident ice cream van. You can take a picnic, and take a seat on one of the plentiful benches, or just park yourself in a warm or shady spot on the grass.

I'll mostly let the photos do the talking from here (thank goodness, says you!), and hope you find this useful.

 

This plane is in the live workshops, undergoing restoration - it would appear that the engineers have a good sense of humour!


This Messerschmitt Bf 109E was in the Battle of Britain in fighter unit JG 26. It shot down five Allied aircraft, but on 30 September 1940 its engine failed in combat. The aircraft crash landed in a field near East Dean, Sussex. The pilot, Horst Perez, was shot, wounded and captured as he tried to get out of the aircraft. The display is a recreation of a photograph also on display next to it, showing it being guarded.






















This plane was the Red Barron's spare plane




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These helmets helped save the lives of a military jet crew. The Pilot's helmet (left) sustained minor damage after he ejected successfully. The Navigator was trapped in the aircraft as it skidded upside down along a runway. Both survived. The RAF Centre for Aviation Medicine retrieved the helmets. The have since been used to demonstrate why development of aircrew safety wear is vital. Without them, both men would have died.
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Concorde 101 - Development plane fitted with special test equipment. This plane had an escape chute that was designed to open in such a way that it covered the entry to the engines fully to prevent escapees being sucked in; oh, and it was designed to be used at 60,000 feet! Balls of steel.















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This is not the Memphis Belle - that one is on display in America - but this is an aircraft known as Sally-B.


This de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide was involved in an accident in 2006 whilst landing at Duxford - the damage was repaired and she continues to fly to this day.




Polaris missile - you wouldn't want that heading your direction in anger!

Scottish Airways Ltd! Taxiing to go....

And she is off!








I confess that I was somewhat captured by this handsome DC3!
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Something quite majestic about that tail!








Some famous names and signatures on that sheet of paper - 13 players that were travelling together on England football duty.
Geoff Hurst, Alex Stepney, Bobby Charlton, Norman Hunter, Paul Reaney, Colin Bell, Bobby Moore, Emlyn Hughes, Martin Peters, Alan Mullery, Jack Charlton, Peter Thompson and Tommy Wright











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This bus was in the workshop area, undergoing repair and restoration. It was actually used to take troops to war, having been commandeered from London Transport.

On to the American aircraft hall....






Whilst in there, some planes took off in formation!


Thankfully, Mrs C can run and was able to get a photo of them on their way up.


This one was particularly poignant for us, part of the Twin Towers - Mrs C and I (not all that long together!) were both off work on the day that this happened, and had heard something on the news whilst we were out shopping - we returned to her mums house and watched in absolute horror as events unfolded.






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I believe this is (was) a Messerschmitt engine that got quite catastrophically busted when the plane it was fitted to hit the ground like a dart.


This Rolls Royce Merlin engine was fitted to a Supermarine Spitfire when it crashed - horrendously damaged, but still in better shape than its Messerschmitt counterpart.


This gyrocopter looked so fragile in the metal - it must have taken guts to get into this thing and trust that you would have had any chance of seeing the ground again.















We also got an impromptu display from this P-51 Mustang - the pilot certainly knew his onions, and was not shy about chucking it about - the noise from this plane was absolutely glorious!




Yes, that is upside down!

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Our friend in the P-51 Mustang - and no, he wasn't coming in to land, he was giving us as close and as low a show as he dared (and I suspect he had a grin from ear to ear as he did so!)























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And last, but certainly not least....

This corker of a Canadian Vickers Catalina seaplane. Sadly, I was not able to get up close to this one (this time!) as I was utterly knackered by this point - - but, we are determined to return to Duxford and I will seek it out when we do.






I hope that you have not been bored to tears, and if you have made it to this point, you deserve another cuppa!

Just to make it plane (geddit, plane?) get yourself to Duxford!!

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It was near on 20 years since I was last there, and it has changed almost beyond recognition in that time.

 

Fantastic pics, FC

Unfortunately, I couldn't see a Hawker Hunter which was a great aircraft and used by No III Squadron when it was the RAF Aerobatic Team. It was painted black and the Team was known as the Black Arrow, pre -runners to the Red Arrows, and was responsible for all the maneouvres that you see them doing now, such as the Wine Glass, the Bomb, the Mirror run, etc, it's also the only aircraft and squadron to do a 22 aircraft formation loop and the record still holds.


.......a lovely aircraft to work on and service.


I couldn't see a English Electric Lightning either. That was a beast of an aircraft,
basically two huge engines placed on top of each other with wings stuck on




This is the Lightning dressed in the No.III Squadron colours which took over from the Hawker Hunter and the Squadron remained the RAF Aerobatic Team for another 18 months until No.56 Squadron, also Lightnings, took over The Lightning was famous for it's outstanding speed Mach 1.8 (plus) which was faster than any other fighter aircraft in the world at that time. It was also famous for it's almost vertical climb straight immediately on take off...........awesome. I loved working on it and the Pilots loved flying it.