Warbird Information Exchange

Hi all

I put this content in a related post but I thought it warrants a thread of it's own - What would you DO to turn Hendon around? If you are from elsewhere what would you do to make any museum better from the entheuiast or the publics point of view what would work for both?

Ok some ideas for Hendon seeing as my campaign to move it to Duxford has stalled

1)Put the Il2 on display - great and a very different display

2) Mow the lawn and do the edges , pick up papers etc - lots of layabout prisoners on day release or work programs to do it - it is a taxpayer funded place after all.

3) In true military tradition if it doesn't move PAINT IT !!! Looks really shabby and needs a real good wash down and a coat of paint - labor can come from those prisoners who survive the rigors of cleaning up the papers etc as above.

4) Do some bloody maintaince - replace all the broken things - especially the light bulbs.

5) Sack all the caterers They are expensive crap and get in new ones with specified perameters as to quality and price and put them on performance agreements

6) mend the fences with the volunteers and create incentives for them to work there like free public transport and trips to other museums and social /team building activities. Then maybe the heating issues of the GWH will mysteriously be overcome by all those warm volunteer tour guides which will suddenly fill the place ready to show visitors about!!

7) As an educational exercise put one restoration on show so people understand these things just don't appear like magic - let people see what is being done and how it comes together over time. It would also increase donations to aid restorations.

Revamp the governance of the place with a board which is realistic , proactive and capable of doing the job - leadership!!!

9) redefine and publish the aquisition and restoration policy

10) explore different funding models and merger/ co operative arrangements with other collections

Just a few Ideas

Also If you aquire a few new aircraft there is nothing wrong with putting them in non RAF colors to show the historical linkages with the past such as a Boston in Russian or Australian scheme?

Kindest regards
John p

_________________
Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

Where to start? I don't neccesarily agree that Hendon needs 'turning around', I visited a few months ago and thought that generally it was OK, fairly neat and tidy. The problem is that I don't need to go again soon as nothing much will change, in that respect it is a static museum. The location also means that any changes in exhibits come in by road at great expense (witness the B24 from Cosford) so are kept to a minimum.

I do agree that some form of restoration facility on site would add a dynamic aspect and allow visitors to see something changing over time. This is where Duxford scores with so many restorations ongoing that you can visit several times a year and always see progress. It helps , of course, having an active airfield where even an air test or ground run catches the visitors interest and provides an impromptu airshow. Unfortunately Hendon is a trade between London where most of the tourists are and up country where fewer people may make the effort.

Catering facilities at all museums in the UK are expensive - its the captive audience thing - the only difference at Hendon is that there is no admission charge. At Duxford they relieve you of GBP 13 as well as stinging you for lunch!

On the subject of exhibits, we must remember that Hendon is the Royal Air Force Museum, not the London Aeroplane Museum so perhaps we shouldn't begrudge them focusing on the RAF when there are other 'Aviation Museums' (not least Duxford) that do show a wider range of aircraft. A number of smaller museums have overreached by taking in anything that flew and have either lost direction or folded (with the loss of some of the airframes) and it could be argued that some of the airframes under the RAF Museums care are not really appropriate - as most will know discussions are taking palace about the future of the airliners at the other part of the RAF Museum at Cosford so they seem to be thinking about this as well.

Overall, my own view is that Hendon has improved with the addition of the Milestones of Flight exhibition but there is room for progress.

Mark.