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Re: Handley Page Victor XH673

Posted by Mike on Wed Nov 06, 2002 10:48:27 AM

In reply top Re: Handley Page Victor XH673 posted by Cees Broere on Wed Nov 06, 2002 10:17:00 AM

However, the object of the RAF Miseum, in my view, should not be simply a few halls stuffed full of aircraft that happened to have been flown by the RAF. Rather, it should aim to present the history of the RAF IN CONTEXT, hence the US and Axis types displayed. A Battle of Britain display of just the Allied types would lose impact compared with the present display. I feel that the present mix, with just a few US and German aircraft in the main halls, is about right. Hence, the departure of the Spanish Dornier 24 and Sea Fury few years ago.

They also continue the policy of obtaining representative service aircraft wherever possible, with Harrier and Lightning replacing the P1127 and P1B in recent years. Hopefully, a Gulf War Tornado GR1 will replace the presently-displayed prototype eventually.

The RAF Museum come in for their fair share of criticism. In my opinion, they do an excellent job in presenting the history of the Service. No, they don't do everything right, but they present a broad range of displays to a wide audience (not just the knowlegable enthusiast). Also, and extremely important, in my view, they maintain a policy of acquisition that has led to such types as the Wallace, Bristol Fighter, Anson 1, various WW1 reproductions, P-47, P-51, B-17, B-25, P-40, Beaufort, and others, going on display in recent years. Many of these types are either unique to the UK, or unique outside private collections (which may be dispersed, crashed, or whatever)

I also think that they do an absolutely first-rate job of restorations, bearing in mind the finite resources at their disposal. I hardly think that there is an 'anti-Handley Page' faction within the museum. When the Vulcan and Valiant were put on display, the Victor still had 10 years or so of front-line service ahead of it, and I'm sure that the museum would love to be able to devote the resources to rebuilding the Halifax or Hampden. Maybe one day they will - who knows.

I look on the collection there with pride as representative of a proud service, and as one of the finest aircraft museums anywhere in the world. It is easy to criticise, less easy to build the Hendon and Cosford sites into what they are now.

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