Another "Landmark" building for RAFM Hendon

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Member for

19 years 11 months

Posts: 1,988

very nice but can we have the rest open and the lights on please?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8682646.stm

Original post

Member for

18 years

Posts: 660

So Much for British understatement.
I do think the money could be rather better spent in the main museum. In London we already have the monument by the Thames.
( I bet somebody will be making a packet out of it though.)

Member for

17 years 6 months

Posts: 9,739

Sorry, but I’m utterly opposed to this for three main reasons:

Firstly, as has been pointed out, there are already monuments to the Battle-of Britain pilots; I can think of at least two large-scale monuments (and I’ve no real interest in monuments).

Secondly, what is the aim of this monstrosity; to raise awareness of the battle? The cost of £80 million is a huge sum of money and can only be raised at the expense of other aviation preservation or commemoration projects (and on a side issue compare it to the £3.5 million that is to be spent on the memorial for the 55,000 Bomber Command crew who were killed) and (much less) money could be better spent raising awareness in other ways.

Thirdly, is it intended to bring more visitors to the RAF Museum? Surely most visitors will be interested in aircraft and not ‘striking monuments’ (even if they do have a ‘high-speed lift’ :rolleyes:). Also this thing is going to be in Hendon; hardly the most sympathetic surroundings for such a monument?

Member for

16 years 10 months

Posts: 941

I don't care what they do to the buildings (although many correspondents seem to indicate that the RAFM should "turn the wick up" a bit in some of the halls). Some of us are getting a bit long in the tooth to go gallivanting about to airshows/museums. Just don't muck about with DORIS. 3 (or 4?) days ago I put an email request into DORIS. I noted the "20 day" reply proviso. When I fired up my "Idiot's Lantern" this morning, Lo, and Behold, there was a reply!! Not an answer - but reasons why DORIS couldn't answer, and pointers in the directions of those who might be able to.
Y'can't get better than that.
HTH
Resmoroh

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 541

Looking on the official site fills me with dread.
Please god don't tell me they are thinking of hanging aircraft from the existing Battle of Britain museum up in there.
See Hurricane, Spitfire, Me109 & Ju87.

Member for

17 years 6 months

Posts: 9,739

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7125952.ece

And of course the Battle-of-Britain is the only period of history that the RAF (or Britain for that matter) ever had! (Not like all that nasty bombing and stuff. :rolleyes:)

“Visitors will move through a ground-floor exhibition before being ‘scrambled’ via a high-speed lift to the top of the building, where replica aircraft will be on display with sounds of aerial battle. The roof will offer panoramic views of London and there will also be interactive audiovisual displays telling the story of the battle."

Replica aircraft? Visitors ‘scrambled’ via a high-speed lift.....‘herded’ is the word I think they’re looking for...

...and the real aircraft? Oh, those old things you mean sir.....I think they’re in that dingy shed over there!

It’s worse than I thought! :mad:

Member for

15 years 10 months

Posts: 582

Why do i think this is a total waste of money?..... Better diverting funds to the Cardington airship hangers or other parts of aviation heritage that badly need the cash.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 249

I normally keep my comments to myself, but really, who's idea was this? Its ugly, a huge waste of money that is desperately needed elsewhere, and there is no need for it -as already mentioned. Have you seen how they are going to display the aircraft? It might work for the Science Museum, but it is totally inappropriate for a Battle of Britain Museum.

Since when is Hendon 'the gateway to London from the rest of England'? It takes me ages to drive around the A406 and local roads. It might be close to the M1, the 'rest of England' doesn't get to London on the M1.

I'm just imagining what £80 million could really do to mark the Battle of Britain...

A.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 1,707

I support every effort to memorialise all those who fought and died in the wars of the past, but I find this project rather unappealing. It appears to owe more to the ego of the current generation than a debt to those of the past. It is completely out of scale with the area, and not in keeping with its surroundings (such as they are - now). I applaud good modern architecture but I'm not sure this is. The RAFM however does need innovation to survive. Dusty old fashioned hangars full of silent machines will not engage the current generation. But sticking them in a dusty silo probably isn't the answer either.

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 652

Panoramic views of London? From Hendon? Oh, purleez.
As one who has visited the RAFM from its opening, I remember the relatively pleasant open spaces in which it was built, and despair at its present situation surrounded by a mass of housing and industrial estates. And replica aircraft? This is ill-conceived, and £85 million could be better spent on the fabric of the current buildings.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 249

Can anyone think of something positive for this project? I'm struggling.

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 1,317

If all the blurb is read then you will see that the replica aircraft are going to be outside at the roof level and the existing genuine ones inside posed in a a flying spiral down the building. I have reservations about hanging aircraft but it appears that it would enable people to actually see them.

However £80 Million is rather a lot! Such an amount would only be able to be raised for a project like this with a new building as part of the package. Realistically there might be a possibility of raising funds for such a project but not for ongoing maintenance and running costs.

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 10,647

Well we all asked for light and it looks like we will have it - all be it in a funny shaped building with the aircraft strung up like Airfix kits!
I like Cosford, the Cold War hangar and its layout aswel, but I think that should remain a one off for the RAFM museum. Hanging up these exotic and unique machines fills me with dread, surely money can be saved in a more conventional building design, and the savings put towards complete modernisation and conservation of the existing buildings and exhibits.

Member for

15 years 6 months

Posts: 35

I don't post often but IMO while this is a laudable sentiment I feel this is an architectural indulgence that shouldn't (and probably wont) happen. This scheme will only go ahead if the required private sector funding can be obtained and appears to be bereft of the commercial reality of the situation the museum and country is in. This 'monument' is oversized and overpowering in both scale & context and makes the £19.1m Orbit look a bargain.

In a similar way Cosford's Cold War Museum & the IWM North also make too grand a statement architecturally and when stuffed with interactives they totally overwhelm the gravity of their contents.

Couldn't they just spend alot less on just the little building on the left? or is that too bleeding obvious?

http://www.battleofbritainbeacon.org/the-beacon/images/beacon-battle-of-britain-hall.jpg

Member for

19 years 7 months

Posts: 1,260

For £80m, you could build a museum dedicated to RAF Transport (14 aircraft and vehicles) located at Brize Norton, plus save RAF, oh I forgotten the name of that airfield in East Yorkshire, and have enough money left over to totally revamp Hendon.

For £80m you could restore various aircraft, including the Comet at Lyneham, plus salvage aircraft that currently await discovery in the depths of various seas and lake (Stirling, Whitley, etc.).

Or you could take a leaf out of Frankie (Mock The Week) Boyle's comical repartee and Mention that for £80m you could write **** *** Germany on the moon.

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 305

Better Use of Money

A difficult one to judge but for my pennies worth wouldn't the funding be much better used to support the BBMF ?? Surely this is a more worth while cause especially when their future has been in the spot light these last few years. Far better to keep this fantastic operation properly and securely funded, this is the essence of a true living memorial and is seen by countless more people then a monument will ever be. If the monument idea is progressed surely someone can design a building in a style more befitting to the campaign its supposed to represent. As already stated there are exiting memorials to the conflict and the Kent cliff side one is both attractive and correctly sited right were the Battle took place!

Member for

18 years

Posts: 660

I don't think that it is too bleeding obvious 'dant' and I am in total agreement with your sentiments.
My suspicions are that this exercise has little to do with ( yet) another commemoration of the Battle of Britain.
I fear it could be more akin to the fulfillment of a Pony-tail's wet dream, linked eventually to some wide boys in the construction industry.
The RAF Museum ( and thus the general public) are probably lined up to be the dupes.
As for Hendon being the "Gateway to London" , my thoughts go immediately to the Goons' satire,
" Bal-Ham , gateway to the South"
P.S. As expected, there is nowhere on their website that allows any feedback, comment , or opinion to be expressed on this "initiatitive" .
Do also note that the opinions on this Key website reflect those of people who are the backbone of support for the preservation of U.K. Aviation history.
I rest my case.

Member for

17 years 6 months

Posts: 9,739

Excuse my earlier comments about replica aircraft as I’d only read the text of the links (no sound at the moment on my PC). After watching the video (with headphones) I cannot say I’m much impressed. Stunning architecture without question but not right for the RAFM; where were we supposed to be standing to get that view of this thing towering above those woods, and what woods?

There seems to be support for my worries about visitors being herded through; up the lift then down the spiral (and one way traffic only I suppose :rolleyes:).

With regard to the aircraft how are they going to get them in, or out, and how is anybody going to get into the aircraft cockpits? Or is it once they’re in, they’re in! It is bad enough in the current Battle-of-Britain hall, I’ve been going for decades and I’ve never seen the other side of the He111 (or Ju88) and that's just parked in a hangar...

...it could have ‘long live Hitler’ written on the other side and nobody would know! :diablo:

(Anybody else notice that the Bf110 and Ju88 have stopped being night-fighters!)

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 120

God, this IS ugly.
And seriously expensive !

Btw, what a waste, all these rare aircrafts hanging this way.

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 2,757

Blimey, when I heard the Fairey Battle was going to get strung up around a staircase in a new building I thought it was a mis-heard rumour gone wrong. Looks like it may have been right...