THE BROOKLANDS MUSEUM, Weybridge, May 2024 (corrected)
Jun 20, 2024 8:37:13 GMT 1
northbynorthwest, Barfluer, and 4 more like this
Post by viscount on Jun 20, 2024 8:37:13 GMT 1
THE BROOKLANDS MUSEUM, WEYBRIDGE
A major Museum covering aviation, motor racing and London Transport buses. A huge amount of thought, planning and expense has gone into creating the indoor displays. Highly enjoyable walk around and I could have done with staying longer. The exterior exhibits are kept very fresh and clean - despite many of them being particularly large aircraft. Brooklands is a fascinating day out, with far more than just aviation on offer. Should be a must on everyone's list of things to see in London. Mind you, when I totted up how many times I thought "I can recall seeing that one flying" perhaps I need to admit that it may not be that long before I'll qualify as a museum piece too!
For some images of buses, car and bikes at Brooklands, link: derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/45531/another-side-goodwood-buses-bikes
In eight days, along with 9 local or themed aviation museums, also visited the International Helicopter Museum, Fleet Air Arm Museum, Army Aviation Museum and Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon. If pressed for a favourite to visit again, I'd have to say Brooklands.
Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Wednesday 29th May, mid morning.
Aircraft Factory and Flight Shed:
"G-EBED" Vickers Viking (a seaplane) Replica fuselage
"G-AACA" Avro 504K Replica
(G-AZLP) V.813 Viscount Nose/cockpit, in primer finish
G-CHOI White 'Baby' Canard (of 1912) Replica
G-CJAU White Sports Monoplane (of 1912) Replica
G-LOTI/2 Bleriot XI (of 1909) Replica
G-VTOL HS. Harrier T.52 HSA demonstrator
- S-D Demoiselle XX (of 1909) Replica, BAPC.256
- /3 Sopwith Tabloid Replica, floatplane, BAPC.354
- Vickers Vanguard EMU Flight-deck, Trans Canada colours
"B7270" Sopwith Camel F1 Replica, 209 Sqdn Cols, was G-BFCZ
"F5475"/A RAF SE-5A Replica, BAPC.250. Fuselage, with wings stacked adjacent.
"K5673" Hawker Fury I replica, BAPC.249, 1 Sqdn marks
N2980/R Vickers Wellington Ia Ditched in Loch Ness 31.12.40.
- Vickers Wellington Forward fuselage re-creation
Z2389/XR:J Hawker Hurricane II Shot down 20.6.42, rebuilt
WK198 Supermarine Swift F.4 Fuselage, in primer finish
(XD816) Vickers Valiant BK.1 Cockpit, in silver colours
"XF368/N" Hawker Hunter F.51 Starboard primer, port as RAF 4 Sqdn. Ex E-412 RDanAF
XP984 Hawker P.1127 RAF, silver
XV741 HS Harrier GR.3 1969 Transatlantic Air Race cols.
ZA101 HS Hawk 50 Formerly XX155 & G-HAWK
- BAC TSR-2 EMU, cockpit area, in primer
E-421 Hawker Hunter F.51 Royal Danish Air Force, Esk.724.
Aircraft Park, outside:
G-AGRU V.498 Viking 1A BEA,' flying key' logo
G-APEP V.953F Merchantman Air Bridge Cargo
G-APIM V.806 Viscount BAF "Viscount Stephen Piercey"
G-ARVM V.1101, VC-10 BA Colours, complete fuselage only
G-ASYD BAC-111-475AM BAe, 'Fly-by-Light Technology'
G-BBDG BAC/Sud Concorde 202 full BA colours
A4O-AB V.1103, VC-10 Sulton of Oman (once G-ASIX)
WF372/T V. Varsity T.1 RAF, 6 FTS
(XT575) V.837 Viscount Cockpit, wing sections & rudder only
Vickers VC-10 EMU, test shell, all white
Other Locations (some not located on my visit):
Roe I biplane in 'Avro' shed, BAPC.187
Vickers Vimy Replica, BAPC.420, in sections in Vickers building
BAC Concorde cockpit SIM, in its own building
(G-APEJ) V.953F Merchantman cockpit, in 'strat' chamber
(NX71MY) Vickers Vimy Replica, in Vimy pavilion
BROOKLANDS MUSEUM - AVIATION RELATED EXHIBITS
AIRCRAFT PARK - OUTDOOR DISPLAY AREA
Still a favourite with the public, the Concorde. This one G-BBDG, the 6th Concorde built and the final pre-production aircraft. First flew in February 1974, with a final flight in December 1981. Displayed in full British Airways colours, although never operated by them.
Complete fuselage of a 'standard' VC-10 G-ARVM in British Airways colours
A whole 'standard' VC-10 this one A40-AB Sultan of Oman, and before that G-ASIX with British United and British Caledonian.
G-ASYD a BAC.111-475AM which served as a demonstrator and development aircraft with BAC and BAe. In its final guise as a development aircraft for 'fly by light technology'.
G-APEP V.953 Vanguard, constructed for BEA and first flown November 1961. Converted to a freighter March 1971. To Air Bridge Carriers November 1979. Arrived at Brooklands October 1996.
V.806 Viscount G-APIM. Another aircraft that served much of its life with BEA, BA and Cambrian, having first flown in June 1958. With British Air Ferries from January 1984 until a ground incident in January 1988. To Brooklands in February 1990. Also there is the nose and other sections of XT575. First flew February 1960 and operated by Austrian Airlines as OE-LAG until bought by the Ministry of Technology in October 1964 and retired July 1993.
An aircraft which from a rarity point of view alone really deserves to be indoors, but is clearly being looked after well is Vickers Viking G-AGRU built in 1946 and is shown in its initial BEA 'flying key' scheme. I make no apology for multiple views of this aircraft!
In a display of Britain's civil aircraft industry, the 'odd man out' is RAF Vickers Varsity T.1 WF372/T in the colours of its final unit, 6 FTS. However, being a Vickers aircraft the Varsity has absolutely every right to be there, and indeed is 'related' to the Viking. The only aircraft that is showing some signs of paint fade/weathering. Would be nice to see it in '50s metal with yellow T-bands scheme, perhaps as code V with 201 AFS or later as N:Z then N:U of RAFFC, or X with 1 ANS.
If there is an 'odd man out' then perhaps it is this VC-10 test shell forward fuselage EMU, as it was never part of an actual aircraft.
