Visit to Duxford.

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11-08-2021, 07:17 AM
30Three

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Visit to Duxford.

I was in the UK last week; primarily for my mum's Funeral. But the day after my brother and I escaped for the day and went to Duxford.
It's only about 45 minutes up the road from Braintree; so we arrived at opening time. Last time I was there was 1998, so there's been a few improvements.
We headed straight off to the furthest shed from the entrance; to slowly work our way back to the café.
The Land War display is excellent; although could do with a few more WW1 pieces in my opinion.
But it's the aircraft that we really came to see; and this has to be one of the best collections in the world. The American hangar is full to the brim; with a B52 as the centre piece.

The restoration hangars currently have a Victor bomber being worked on.

Plenty of Spitfires and Hurricanes etc. The Vulcan and Lancatser are in the same hangar as the Airborne Museum. That was our last part of the visit.
A great tribute to the Airborne forces.
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11-08-2021, 08:10 AM
CoatiMundi

Sorry about your Mother, its hard having parents pass away.

I’ve always wanted to go there but I’ve only been in the UK long enough to change planes at Heathrow.
Many of my friends and family members have been there for the flying displays.

If you are looking for WW1 artifacts, the Austrian Military Museum (Heeresgeschtliches Museum)in Vienna has an astounding collection of arms from the 1400’s ish to more modern times. Their WW1 exhibit includes a 38cm siege howitzer and many other amazing displays including the car that Duke Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in. Very much worth seeing.
11-08-2021, 09:09 AM
browningautorifle

Condolences, good to see you.
11-08-2021, 10:53 AM
Singer B

The Spitfire has always been, IMHO, the most beautiful aircraft produced, with the P-51 a very close second. Condolences on your loss.
11-08-2021, 11:18 AM
Ovidio

Condolences also from me. Great bird that one!
But nothing beats the Macchi 205 Veltro, the Reggiane 2005 Sagittario and the Fiat 55 Centauro.
The most beautiful warbirds in history!
11-08-2021, 12:02 PM
CoatiMundi

What about the Macchi C.202? I’ve seen the one at the Smithsonian. My favorites are the F7F Tigercat and F8F Bearcat, but the Seafury and the Mk XIV Spitfire are awesome too!
11-08-2021, 12:19 PM
Ovidio

The Macchi c.202 is aesthetically practically the same as the 205.
The 205 was more heavily armed and had a more powerful engine.
Beautiful machines!!!
11-08-2021, 01:21 PM
Flying10uk

Possibly one of the best places to see early aircraft, all in one place, in the UK, is the Shuttleworth Collection and is well worth a visit.

https://www.shuttleworth.org/explore/the-collection/
11-08-2021, 01:43 PM
Gil Boyd

30Three,

As a Trustee of the Airborne Assault Museum pleased you enjoyed your visit. I will pass your comments back to the Curator who has the weekly task of keeping and changing the exhibits as vibrant and relevant to battle dates throughout the year using the reserve collection carefully.
Sadly as its tucked away in the corner of the AirSpace hangar a lot of people don't even see the entrance, as they are totally taken in by the Lancaster right outside our door and the Concorde next to her. ;)
11-08-2021, 02:31 PM
30Three

It was one of the reason's for the visit Gil. We saved it for the last part of the day. Yes the Lancaster and the Vulcan are a worthy distraction!
The weapons display as you walk into the Airborne museum is impressive. Also the fold up bicycles are interesting.
I was pleased that it was included in the general admission for the Air museum.
I did notice one minor error on the descriptions of the small arms. The SMLE listed as a No3 as opposed MkIII. ;)
11-08-2021, 02:41 PM
30Three

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11-08-2021, 03:33 PM
Ovidio

What a display!!!
11-08-2021, 03:44 PM
Gil Boyd

There are some incredible weapons in that cabinet, which I will have to list on here one day, as I was responsible for listing every item in the museum so our Parachute Regiment volunteers were all up to speed if asked, including Saddam Husseins GOLD Kalashnikov in the middle, on the other side.
Each piece has a story...........including our stuffed life like BING The Parachuting Dog which I wrote the fundraising book for the museum on. A true story of the early days of dogs trained to jump with their handlers in WW2. He survived the war after saving hundreds of PARA lives as he sniffed out and listened for ambushes ahead. He was awarded the Dicken Medal the human equivalent of the Victoria Cross in 1947.
So many true stories in that small space would make any man proud to have served!;)
11-08-2021, 05:03 PM
Singer B

I think that LE sniper rifle is fake....JK....it is always educational to see the experts discussing the validity of the sniper rifles in the Lee Enfield section.
11-09-2021, 03:57 AM
Gil Boyd

30Three,
I have asked our Curator to check and I'll report back. ;)
11-09-2021, 07:04 AM
30Three

We were lucky to see the twin seat Spitfire take off. Just listening to the music of the Merlin V12 just grabs you in the heart and gives it a squeeze.
I work on V12 engined car's everyday of the week; but the Merlin is something special!
11-09-2021, 08:25 AM
CoatiMundi

The Merlin is one of my favorite sounding engines in whatever it is installed in. The Griffon as installed in the Mk XIV Spitfire with the five blade prop is awesome sounding too!
11-09-2021, 10:35 AM
Gil Boyd

So many Spits of all variants and also P51's here being worked on daily by a dedicated team.
11-09-2021, 01:10 PM
GeeRam

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

There are some incredible weapons in that cabinet, which I will have to list on here one day, as I was responsible for listing every item in the museum so our Parachute Regiment volunteers were all up to speed if asked, including Saddam Husseins GOLD Kalashnikov in the middle, on the other side.
Each piece has a story...........

What's the story about the K98k that I can see, just above the No.4T facing the opposite way?
11-10-2021, 03:36 AM
Gil Boyd

GeeRam,

The Mauser Karabiner 98K logged as a short version of the Gewehr 98 which was recovered when large stocks were found in Bosnia and Croatia during NATO Ops by 1 and 2 PARA in the 90's.

Wanted to add which is a strange anomoly, it is fitted with a grenade holder which is dated and placed to the Battle for Arnhem, with absolutely no more details other than that>
11-10-2021, 02:51 PM
GeeRam

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

GeeRam,

The Mauser Karabiner 98K logged as a short version of the Gewehr 98 which was recovered when large stocks were found in Bosnia and Croatia during NATO Ops by 1 and 2 PARA in the 90's.

Wanted to add which is a strange anomoly, it is fitted with a grenade holder which is dated and placed to the Battle for Arnhem, with absolutely no more details other than that>

Interesting about the Arnhem related grenade launcher.............and how that ended up in the Balkans. Must have gone with German troops when pulled back into Germany, and someone took it east, and it got swept up with the 1000's of others captured by the USSR at war's end. May have been in use by East Germany early on after the war, before ending up in the Balkans. I wonder what the date and factory code is on the top of the receiver, and whether its all matching or not?
11-10-2021, 05:04 PM
Gil Boyd

Next time I'm in the cabinet assisting with a cleanup I'll check for you, but don't hold your breath, unless its visible next week when I am in. ;)
11-20-2021, 10:48 AM
Gil Boyd

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Sadly, Couldn't open the cabinet due to temperature/dust settlement on the day, but took a better shot of the launcher on the front end above the 40 label. Too high up and central for a down shot.
I won't forget next time we dust the weapons which is a day job in terms of man hours!!
11-22-2021, 08:34 AM
CINDERS

Condolences from me on yours & your brothers loss 30Three