Target Aviation Photography

RAF Museum - Hendon RAF Museum - Cosford The Flying Legends Experience

Imperial War Museum
Duxford
January 2008

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) at Duxford in Cambridgeshire has got to be one of United Kingdom's most impressive aircraft museums, mostly because of its size and number of exhibits rather than for the rarity of its aircraft on display. The collection has grown since it was first opened to the public in 1976. The aircraft on display and available for close inspection, are dispersed around the famous former Battle of Britain airfield, at a number of distinct locations. Since my first visit over thirty years two major buildings have been constructed and now most of the collection is protected from the elements.

AirSpace
The impressive AirSpace building at the eastern end of the airfield was built at a cost of £25 million. It has recently been extended and re-opened in July 2007. Over thirty of the UK's most famous and ground braking aircraft are housed in the main section, twelve of which are suspended from the ceiling. Access is excellent at ground level and by using the stairs and walkways that go around three sides of this vast building. Exhibits range from the Vulcan, through to the TSR.2, Comet and Concorde. A Canberra, Lightning, Harrier, Jaguar and Tornado show how our military jets have evolved since the 1950's. First and Second World War aircraft are squeezed into the few remaining gaps, notably an RE.8, DH.9, Oxford, Anson, Lysander, Swordfish, Spitfire, Mosquito and Lancaster. There is also still room for a York, Sunderland and Hastings and quite a few more. At the time of my visit on long-term preservation and in a separate preparation area, were a Viscount, Shackleton and Victor.

Left to right: English Electric Canberra B.2 (WH725). The B.2 variant was the first production Canberra entering service with the RAF in 1951.

Handley Page Hastings C.1A (TG528/T). This is one of several aircraft to arrive here from the Skyfame museum at Staverton after its closure in 1979. It was originally delivery to the RAF in 1948. The BAe Harrier GR.3 (XZ133/10) above it was delivered to the RAF in 1976 and arrived at Duxford in 1993.

Avro Shackleton MR.3 (XF708/C). This nose-wheel variant of the Shackleton was delivered in 1959 and was used for maritime reconnaissance before flying to Duxford in 1972 for the IWM. Vickers Viscount 701 (G-ALWF) was delivered in 1953 to British European Airways and in whose original colours it has been restored. It later flew with Channel Airways and finally Cambrian Airways before being retired in 1971. In the background is Handley Page Victor K.1A (XH648) in its final 57 Squadron colours. It arrived at the IWM in 1976.

American Air Museum
At the other end of the airfield is the very modern looking American Air Museum which stands as a memorial to the 30,000 American airmen who gave their lives when flying from UK bases in the Second World War. The museum also honours those who fought in Korea and Vietnam and in other conflicts since. The building's sleek design disguises its size. Walking around at ground level and along the sweeping aerial walkway you will be amazed to find that the building houses a B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell, C-47, B-17 Flying Fortress and B-29 Super Fortress from the Second World War, with a B-52 Strato Fortress, SR-71 Blackbird, F-111 and U-2 from the resulting Cold War. Twelve other aircraft are again skilfully squeezed into the remaining space. The ceiling is used once more to make best use of the space and creates a dynamic 'flying' effect.

Left to right: General view of the AAM looking out from the back towards the large semi-circular glass frontage with a Douglas C-47A (315509/W7-S and G-BHUB) suspended from the ceiling with a composite AT-6 Texan beside it.

Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (64-17962). Flying at Mach 3 or 2,000mph the Blackbird is certainly the most impressive aerial reconnaissance aircraft ever built. From the 1980's SR-71's were operated from RAF Mildenhall and the one on display is the only one to be found outside the US, since they were finally retired in favour of spy satellites in 1999.

Grumman TBM-3E Avenger AS.3 (69327/X-3 and CF-KCG) hanging from the ceiling.

A Brief History of Duxford
Duxford airfield dates back to 1918 when the Royal Flying Corps and the Airco DH.9 arrived along with an American forces contingent tasked with assembling aircraft shipped from the United States. Many of the original buildings still stand including the wonderful double-bay Belfast hangars with their distinctive lattice effect roof supports and wooden hangar doors. By 1939 and the start of WW2, 19 Squadron RAF's first Spitfire squadron was operating from Duxford. In 1943 the RAF made way for the USAAF's 78^th Fighter Group with their P-47 Thunderbolts, these were replaced by the P-51 Mustang by the end of 1944. The airfield was handed back to the RAF after the war and Meteors, Hunters and then the Javelin were flown from here until the airfields closure in 1961. In 1971 the IWM moved surplus aircraft to Duxford for storage. The Old Flying Machine Company (OFMC) and The Fighter Collection (TFC) moved to Duxford in 1983. Also operating from Duxford is the Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo) and the Historic Aircraft Collection (HAC) which has six warbirds based at Duxford, mostly in hangar 4.

The Double-bay Belfast hangars 2, 3, 4 and 5
Hangar 2 houses a large fleet of flyable warbirds which are frequently flown by the OFMC and TFC and others at air shows throughout the year, most notably Duxford's Flying Legends air show held every July. On going restorations to flying condition including a Firefly and Beaufighter are in here.

Hangar 3 houses around 25 aircraft including a Sea Vampire, Sea Hawk, Sea Venom, Sea Vixen and Gannet which were operated by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm from the 1950's to 1970's. A Fairy Firefly TT.1 (SE-BRG) acquired from Sweden was here awaiting restoration as a static exhibit.

Left to right: Fairy Gannet ECM.6 (XG797/277). The Gannet first flew in 1948, 346 were built serving principally with the Royal Navy from 1951 to the 1970's as anti-submarine and as airborne early warning aircraft. They were powered unusually by two Double Mamba turboprop engines mounted side-by-side and utilised two contra-rotating propellers. It arrived at Duxford in 1973 shortly after its retirement.

De Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen FAW.2 (XS576/E-125) of 899 Squadron. The Sea Vixen went into service as the Royal Navy's principal carrier-borne fighter in 1959. 146 were built, the last remaining in service until 1971. It arrived at Duxford in 1972.

Fairy Firefly TT.1 (SE-BRG ex DT989) originally served with the Royal Navy between 1944 and 1946. Later a number were converted for use as Target Tugs from 1950 to 1954 when some were sold to the Swedish Navy, as was this example in 1950. It remained in service until 1964. The Aircraft Restoration Company bought two Firefly's from Sweden in 2003, the other is being restored to flying condition in hangar 2.

Hangar 4 with almost twenty aircraft on display in its two bays includes; a Vampire, Meteor, Hunter, Javelin and F-4 Phantom. These former RAF jets share space with much earlier warbirds, notably a Bristol F.2B, Spitfire, Hurricane and Bf.109.
Left to right: McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom FGR.2 (XV474/T) was in service from 1969 till delivery to Duxford in 1992. It is painted in the colours of 74 Squadron. It is owned by the Old Flying Machine Company.

Hawker Hurricane IIB ('Z2315/JU-E'). The Hurricane was designed in 1934 and entered service in 1937 as the fastest fighter in service by 100 mph. By 1939 500 were in service with eventually 32 squadrons being equipped with them. Hurricanes shot down more enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain than all the other air and ground defences combined. They later were used in North Africa and in the Far East against Japan.
The static example on display has been constructed using parts recovered from at least one crash site in Russia. Two Hurricane squadrons (310 and 242) operated from Duxford during WW2 and were flown by Czech pilots, commanded by Douglas Bader.

Bristol F.2B Fighter (E.2581/13). This example served with the 39 Home Defence Squadron at North Weald from 1918. F.2B's operated from Duxford in the early 1920's as pilot trainers. Built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, the prototype F.2A made its first flight in September 1916. After some modifications the F.2B went into production. It carried a pilot and observer, both of which were armed with a machine gun. Its maximum speed was 113mph (182kmh). Eventually 5,329 examples were delivered, some serving until 1932.

Hangar 5 contains a Varsity which is being slowly restored along with an Ambassador. In a poor state of repair is an ex Argentinean Pucara, USAF F-105 Thunderchief and East German Mil-24 Hind. An ex Portuguese Casa 352 (Ju-52) in German markings is housed here in fine condition.

Vickers Varsity T.1 (WJ945/21 and G-BEDV). One of 164 Varsity's built, it was delivered to the RAF in 1953 as a crew trainer for navigators and bomb aimers. It arrived at Duxford in 1974 and flew as G-BEDV in 1976 with the Duxford Aviation Society. It is painted in the colours of the Central Flying School when at Little Rissington and is currently being restored.

Bristol Britannia 312 (G-AOVT)., image 072_4453w5

Outside and braving the elements are a fleet of Britain's finest home produced airliners dating from the 1960's to the 1970's. These are Britannia, Super VC-10, Trident 2 and BAC One-Eleven.
Above: Bristol Britannia 312 (G-AOVT) was delivered to BOAC in 1959 and later operated principally with British Eagle and Monarch Airlines and in whose colours it has been restored.

This summary does not do justice to what is on display, the aircraft at the IWM are very impressive, where else could you see over twelve Spitfires for example? A full day's visit is required to properly appreciate the wealth of exhibits on show. Yes you can see everything during the flying displays held throughout the year at Duxford, but those shows really warrant your full attention not really leaving enough time for the hangared museum aircraft.

Photography:
The new hangars were built at considerable expense to protect a valuable collection of aircraft, some of which had suffered during their time out in the open. Consequently to get the best value for money aircraft are packed ingeniously into these modern buildings making individual aircraft photography very difficult indeed. The aircraft in the original hangars are much more accessible to the camera with a wide-angle lens.