Good Museums.

I like Duxford, I have annual membership as a 'Friend of Duxford Airfield'. I used to go quite often, but with the cost of petrol etc, I find that I visit the place less frequently. However I have been interested over many years the different projects that have come about such as the 'American Air Power' musuem, and the new Super Hanger with the UK aircraft exhibits, and the Land Warfare Building.

Other palces I occasionally visit and think worth while if you have the time and energy is the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, at East Kirkby with one of the few flyable Lancaster Bomber, that will me making its first flight this year 2013.

The only place in the UK where you can ride in a Lancaster Bomber - Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre

 

You didn't state that it had to be a WW2 museum so im going to say HMS Victory in Portsmouth dockyard. It's probably the best museum in the world in fact. Lord Nelson's flagship with all that history and you can walk almost everywhere on board and learn about all the old navy ways and lingo etc. I can't recommend it enough.....oh, i also get on for free as it's still comissioned in the Royal Navy :p

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4657995925882612&pid=15.1

 

At first sight recommending a visit to the Pencil Museum at Keswick, Cumbria may not have an obvious connection to the history of the Second World War. Yet, a major exhibition inside the museum relates the fascinating role the Cumberland Pencil Factory played in helping Allied escapers and evaders in Occupied Europe.

One day in 1942 a man by the name of Charles Fraser-Smith arrived at Keswick and introduced himself to the managers at the pencil factory. He was from the "Ministry of Supply Clothing & Textiles Department".

Charles Fraser-Smith's idea was that a tiny compass and a map could be concealed inside a hollowed out pencil which would not easily be detected by the enemy. Could the managers help solve the puzzle how to fit the compass and map into a pencil and then manufacture them in secret? Once this was achieved, some were given to airmen flying missions over Occupied Europe and some were sent to POWs planning an escape from a German prison camps.

The Pencil Museum tells the story of this little known and previously top secret aspect of WW2. In 1999 the technical team at the pencil factory attempted to re-create how the secret wartime pencils would have been made. Part of the exhibition is a short video display explaining how this task was eventually achieved.

It is believed that Charles Fraser-Smith was the real person that Ian Fleming based his fictional character of "Q" in the James Bond books. Other objects used to hide secret maps included Monopoly Boards and records.

At the Pencil Museum there is also the opportunity to transform into a WW2 Allied airman using 'dress up' clothes provided. Anyone who does so is invited to have a photograph taken and upload it to the museum's 'Facebook' page.

The young, or even the 'young at heart' will find the museum an interesting place to visit and extend their knowledge of the Second World War.

Highly recommended.

Attachments (The Pencil Museum, Keswick)

 

Nice. Thanks

 

it's at none of the above, actually.

It's still in Birkenhead, next to the Mersey Ferry terminal. It's now owned by the ferry company, who have preserved and sectioned it to show the various parts in a more visitor friendly way. here are also galleries in the terminal buidlionmg showing it's recovery and restoration. I saw it last year, and it's very good. Here's a link: http://www.u-boatstory.co.uk/

HMS Plymouth and the other ships are no longer open to the public, and possibly not even still at Borkenhead. The Royal Navy submarine (HMS Onyx?) is, I think, at Barrow in Furness. HMS Playmouth was scheduled to be towed away for scrapping earlier this year; there were various preservation schemes afoot, but whether one of them happened, I don't know.

 

Bruntingthorpe - 12/03/2014 - Delivery of three Tristars (possible circuits) 216 Sqn RAF:



http://notaminfo.com/node/5

 

HMS Plymouth has now been scrapped as, despite a lot of toing and froing, none of the schemes to preserve her came to pass.

 

I have always wanted to go to some of the places included in the Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire area.

These would include places such as RAF Scampton (The Red Arrows), RAF Waddington, Newark Air Museum, RAF Coningsby (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight) and the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kilsby, etc.

The problem is that I don't drive, and some of these places are a fair way from the nearest public transport. I did look at doing a tour by myself by bus and train this year, but the distance that I would have had to walk in some cases (not all) was a bit daunting , so it's on the back burner for now.

So, I wondered whether anyone knew of any companies that run or could arrange tours covering all or some of these locations. If you can make any suggestion, please make them here or send me a PM.

Thank you.

 

I was at the BBMF a few weeks back ... had a fantastic talk from a former flight commander... I will put some images together for a thread.

 

One of the best museums by far has got to be Colditz Castle, I visited last year, it was a minor tourist attraction at that time, the guide was fantastic, the museum has all stuff made by the prisoners used to escape and the high point was being able to sing "Good old Colditz Shloss" on the stage in the theatre. You can get a bus right outside Liepzig Rly Station.

 

I have just returned from a short break in Prague, where I managed to visit a small mueum situated in the Vault of St Cyrils Church, where some the SOE Operatives who took part in the Assasination of Heydrich (SS3) died by suicide rather than be captured.

The Museum is small, but full of interesting items and is well worth a visit.

Entry into the Crypt is by a door was shaped like the Aerofoil from a Spitfire wing. It is counterwighted so that a light touch opens the door and it Closes slowly behind you.

There was a large Stone covering the steps down from the church to the Crypt and there was also another small entrance from the ceiling which was closed by a square Stone a couple of feet in Diameter.

It was from this opening that one of the resistance members who betrayed their whereabouts, shouted down to them to surrender as the water was being pumped by the firebrigade into the crypt.

When they refused to surrender, Tear gas was dropped down and with no escape possible the Group decided to commit suicide.

Brass busts of the Operatives are on Display inside the Crypt and provide more of an idea of their youthfulness than photographs.

One can only imagine how awful it was inside the Crypt with no light other than that coming in from the vent above street Level.

Photographs attached with the last one showing the Crypt trap Roof door where the Tear gas was dropped.



Regards
Tom

 

The Guardian is recommending Bovington, shock, horror ! Not all their readers are terribly pleased. They've probably still got a few subscribers who spent time on the outside of the fence at Greenham Common and hate anything remotely military...

Take the kids to … The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset

 

On an impulse, I decided to spend a week in London this past May. The usual seven weary hours flying across the North Atlantic, landing at Heathrow dreadfully jet lagged, and completely forgetting to look for the taxi person with my name on his/her sign to take me to the hotel in Victoria. One of the first things I noticed was how people drive like maniacs in the city. Otherwise, seriously, my first museum visit was to the Imperial War Museum. I was quite fascinated with my first close up look at the remains of an Avro Lancaster Bomber or just the cockpit as I recall. Also, I was able to get a good look at the gunner's ball turret and it's no wonder so many of those gunners came to such an unpleasant end. I knew the museum was closed for a long time whilst the new WWI site was being constructed; however, the museum is quite massive and I ran out of stamina at the entrance to the site. Well, that will be on my roster during my next visit to my favourite city.

 

Hello Margaret I am glad you managed the Imperial War Museum and yes driving in London can be fun!
On your next visit do try to get along to the RAF museum in Hendon which is in nw London and on the tube network

Regards
Clive

 

Thanks Clive. Yes, I am very much looking forward to my next London visit. I did intend to take a look at the RAF tribute monument but did not get there. I made my second visit to the Guards Museum and my first visits to the Guards Chapel and the Guards Gift Shop. Upon observation, while walking past Buckingham Palace, I noticed that the Guardsmen are now inside the palace grounds and standing directly outside of the palace front. There were also several policemen on the grounds with some serious looking weapons. I believe the terror threat in the U.K. is at an all-time high so I was not surprised. Otherwise, tourists won't be able to make fun of the Guardsmen now. I once attended the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. Those Guardsmen don't tolerate any nonsense and I doubt they even like anyone smiling! When I visit my army son in northern Virginia, he always knows it's a war theme when his mother is coming to visit. By the way, did you know that Audie Murphy is buried at Arlington? Meanwhile, I will keep the RAF museum in Hendon in mind before I cross the Pond again. The Vietnam War Memorial is simply amazing and I want to see it again. My WWII interest is due to my late Coldstream Guards Father, 6th Guards Tank Brigade.

Cheers.
Margaret

 

New aircraft arrivals heading to Cosford

Should be of interest to several members.

Regards
Tom

 

I have just found this thread. I should have put my review of Chapel Bay Fort Museum here first perhaps. Apologies to those who dislike duplication.
Chapel Bay Fort Museum Angle Pembrokeshire

 

I was up in Liverpool last December and visited the Museum of Liverpool. It is a well thought out musuem with many interesting exhibits in relation to the city and its history. I'm hoping to have future discussions with the curator in regards to the Liverpool Regiment and of course their invovlement in the two Chindit expeditions.

Museum of Liverpool, Liverpool museums

 

I visited it the last time I was home. The Liverpool Regiment exhibits are good and overall an excellent museum, well worth a visit and entrance is free. There are also quite a few other WW2 related sites within easy walking distance (Western Approaches museum, Naval memorials along the Pier Head, blitz memorial at St. Nicolas church just across the street, to name a few).