London Museums

[DJ]

I am in the general vincinity of London for abit but without a car. Any recomendations for WW1 aviation at area museums (or book stores)? Went to Hendon, what a major dissapoinment, all the WW1 stuff packed away in a new display which won't be available till winter.

Thanks in advance!

[Volker_Nemsch]

Have a look into the IWM, the Imperial War Museum. I´ve been there two years ago and they had a lot of WW1 stuff (including a Sop. Camel, a "Zeppelin Observer gondola" and a B.E.2). Addtionally they obviously had a special section concerning WW1 in general.

The museum is just a few minutes walk south of the British Parliament, on the south side of Thames River.

If you have the chance to get a bit more far away from London you will find in the North the Aerodrome "Old Warden" with a fine collection of pre-WW2 aircraft and "Duxford" with a huge load of mostly WW2 aircraft. Both are worth the journey.

Maybe some others Forumites know exactly how to get there by train and bus.

[MikeW]

The Science Museum in Kensington is always worth a look - mind you I haven't been for years, they might have moved all their WW1 stuff as well.

The Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden is superb, WW1 Pup, Triplane, SE5a, M1C, LVG 2-seater, Bristol Fighter, all airworthy. Fantastic between wars collection as well - You would have to catch a train from Kings Cross to Biggleswade, and then get a taxi for 5 miles, but believe me its worth it!

By the way, I should say the triplane and M1C are replicas, and the SE5A is just post war, and the Pup started life as a post war Sopwith Dove.


Mike

[JohnMacG]

Two specifically aviation bookshops:
Motor Books - right in the centre, in St. Martin's Court, which is just off Leicester Square (LSq tube station). Has two sections, an aviation/military shop and a railway shop a couple of doors apart. I think it's open on Sundays too.
But by far the best, Aviation Bookshop, 656 Holloway Road. North London, get to Archway tube station and walk about a mile down the hill (Holloway Rd) directly opposite it's main entrance.

[DJ]

Thanks to all. I caught the museum. Thanks for the heads up on the bookstores. I shall catch them on the return visit in a couple weeks

The Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden is superb

Mike - Got to agree with you about Shuttleworth. I used to live in Cople, just a couple of miles away, and I would pop down there when I was younger.

What you missed out, for those whose partners don't want to look at planes all day is that the Swiss Gardens and the Birds of Prey Centre, also at Shuttleworth, and are well worth a visit. Too late for DJ's trip now though