Trip to London!

Hi Guys - I will be taking a trip to London and area for 5 days in September for the sole purpose of seeing WWI aircraft and related subjects. Will be seeing the Imperial war museum, Shuttleworth Aerodrome etc etc. But is there something else that I have to see, do or buy in relation to WWI aviation? Any feedback - however small would be appreciated.
(ie:Book stores, Medals, Models etc)
D. Excell

[PeterL]

Aside from the Be2, Cully's Camel, and some Richthofen relics, the IWM is a bit of a disappointment from a WW1 aviation point of view. Unless of course you can arrange access to the library.
Find time to visit RAF Museum Hendon which has a large WWI collection. Star turns include a DH9A, Caudron GIII, Gunbus, Vimy, and more Sopwiths than you can shake a stick at.

Peter L

[Vigilant]

If you're going up to the Shuttleworth collection you should take in Duxford (Cambridgeshire) too. That's where the IWM keep their air exhibits.

I was at Biggleswade earlier this month. You can see the WWI pics I took here.

If you get hungry, there's a pub/restaurant called "The Leefe Robinson" on the Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald. It has some excellent memorabilia in there on the man himself.
Also just opposite the Pub, is the cemetery where Leefe Robinson is buried....Worth a look I would have thought!!......
Regards
Paul

I'd advise you to visit the RAF museum at Hendon via the underground. Why? Take the Northern line to Collindale station. At the station exit, turn left to go to the museum - it's about half a mile straight down the road. Turn right out of the station, and the first shop you come across is Hannants, the largest model supplier in the UK's London shop. LOTS of nice WW1 kits in there.....bring your credit card!

This is great information guys! I will be going to all the places mentioned. Does anyone know where I can get Replica RFC wings(made from material)?
D. Excell

[Darryl]

Go to the PRO, KEW and drag some Combat reports et. al. You will not EVER get over the feeling of handling something 80 years old and signed by Hawker, Ball, etc.

It is on the southern line and covered by a Three day rail pass, which we found was excellent value. A longer one may be even better!!!

regards

Darryl

There is a company based near me who create almost all the patches for military forces wordwide, including those worn by NASA astronauts! I've got a pair of Kuwaiti Mirage F1 wings which were ordered but not shipped before the Gulf War broke out. I'm sure that they'd do a special order of cloth RFC wings, but probably only for a minimum order of 50 or so. I'll check them out for prices etc, perhaps we could arrange for a batch to be made for the forum that we could sell.

[Vigilant]

I'd buy!

[PeterL]

I bought a set from the museum shop at Manchester Museum of Science and Technology. They also have RAF (pilots, observers. ag, the lot), FAA, USAAC, USAF, AAC, and too many others to list. I'm framing some of them for my study wall.

Peter L