RAF Museum Hendon London - Part Two

Continuing our journey around the RAF Museum we enjoy many more wondrous things to look at and amaze us.

We look at the old vehicle which looks like it is towing the hull of the front of a plane.

We look at the Halifax W1048 which was recovered from teh bottom of a lake in 1973 having crashed in Norway on 27th April 1942 when on a raid on the German battleship Tirptiz which lay anchored at Faettenfjord in Norway.  The bomber got hit by flak during the raid and the pilot, Canadian Don MacIntyre had to crash land the plane on a frozen lake.    All the crew survived and all but one (who had broken his ankle) managed to escape to neutral Sweden.

We got to look inside some of the planes which was amazing.

We tried to say hello to this pilot, but he didn't seem interested...he obviously had his mind set on his mission.

We discuss which planes we would have flown if we had been pilots during the war.

A group of pilots discussing their next missions.

A display of model aircraft.

Hey guys, what are you doing? 

Seems they were too busy to notice us...yet again.

We try again...

But they still didn't hear us...strange!

This guy was hopping aboard...he had a pretty cool jacket on.

One of the ammunitions factories was bombed.

We join the soldier on the The Long March Memorial Statue which commemorates the allied prisoners of war who were force marched out of their prisoner of war camps ahead of advancing allied armies towards the end of the second world war.

We look at all the 'candles' in a target indicator bomb and try counting them.

Apparently there are up to 200 candles in these bombs.

This man looks busy with his dog...perhaps sniffing out the bombs?

Some more great artwork on the planes.

Pilots stranded at sea....I hope we get rescued!

Ejection seat!  Wait for it!

Had to take a photo of this of course...

Kittyhawk....nice kitty...looks more like jaws!

We try out the inside of a plane for size.

Seems we have a bit of growing to do first!

I wonder what this lever does?

What do you think Lottie?

The Lightening which was the RAF's first supersonic aircraft.

Amazing to think how long this aircraft was in service for.

I help clear some of the rubble...Lottie is just about to join me when we get told off!

I'm only trying to help I tell the man who tells us we are not allowed 'over the yellow lines'....oops, sorry!

We chat to the lady about what it was like in a bomb shelter, while her husband tends to the garden.

She said it was often very cramped and scary, but not too bad if they took something to do or play.

These officers had a very tidy desk...not at all like my Dad's!

Manning the pumps.

Life goes on amongst the devastation as a lady hangs out her washing.

These children are being evacuated.  It must have been very scary to have to be sent away from your parents when so young.

This Mum is telling her two children to stick together and make sure they don't lose their belongings and name label.  She explains how someone will be there when they arrive and offer them somewhere to live.

Lastly a sober wreck which reminds of the risks those young men faced on a daily basis during the war.