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03-27-2007, 06:17 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hawick, Scotland
Posts: 8,843
| | | The American Air Museum, USAF 8th & 9th Air Forces Europe
Today's trip was by car to Newcastle Airport, Easyjet to Stansted, then a short train ride from there to Cambridge and a short run on Cambridge city bus to the Imperial War Museum's Duxford Airfield. This is a former RAF fighter station which closed during the 1960's. From 1943 to 1945 the USAF 8th Air Force operated from here. It is now a huge museum site housing numerous exhibition halls on land and air warfare. This photo thread concentrates solely on the American Air Museum. 
There were two other kilties on the Stansted flight and plenty of kilts in evidence at Stansted - possibly English based ex-pat Scots heading off to Bari to watch the Italy-v-Scotland soccer game tomorrow evening. There are at least six kilts visible in this candid shot taken in the concourse at Stansted Airport. 
The large blister hangar houses the American Air Museum, complete with American themed coffee bar and a roll of honour for all the American personnel who gave their lives helping Britain in war. 
The plaque at the museum entrance. 
The bust of General Doolittle 
The exhibition is packed with exhibits including over twenty warbirds, some suspended from the ceiling 
A North American Texan or Harvard hangs from the ceiling 
Mannequins add to the authenticity. 
Such as these mechanics servicing a B-17 Superfortress.
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03-27-2007, 06:26 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chicago
Posts: 4,616
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My dad was with the Eighth Army Air Force...he's been on several reunion trips to Holland in honor of Operation Chowhound/Manna. Too bad that he's no longer able to travel...he'd love the place.
Best
AA
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03-27-2007, 06:27 PM
| | | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hawick, Scotland
Posts: 8,843
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T-33A Teebird 
F-4 Phantom 
Mitchell 
F-15 Eagle  
There are a lot of World War II buildings remaining. 
Outside the souvenir shop 
The adjacent Air and Space exhibition, seen from the top of Concorde's gangway. The prominent aircraft here is the Vulcan bomber XJ824, which is next in sequence after the Carlisle Airport gate guardian XJ823.
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03-27-2007, 06:37 PM
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Awesome! Thanks for sharing...
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03-27-2007, 06:39 PM
|  | Has not logged in for 1 year | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Central Missouri
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Another great travelogue! Thanks for sharing the piccies!
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John
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I used to be apathetic, now I just don't care...
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03-27-2007, 06:47 PM
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Wow!!!! Thanks for sharing those photos! I have hit three of the largest air museums in the US (USAF museum in Dayton OH, the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola Florida and the Air and Space museum in DC) and may have to add that one to my next trip over the pond!
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"A veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it." anon
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03-27-2007, 07:00 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,045
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Great pics again Alex, just curious what of those planes would you not fly? Seeing these my reminds me of my "war era" dear old dad (RN) used to say
"There's only 3 things wrong with the Yanks;
Over-sexed
Over-payed
&
Over here!"
As an ex-British pat. thanks to all allied servicemen and to the women who ran the factories at home.
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03-27-2007, 07:01 PM
|  | Has been inactive for more than 1 year | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chester County, PA
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The photos are stunning. Thanks for sharing.
I love those old war birds and have been to the Reno (Nevada) air races a few times here in the States where you can see many of them still flying and and a few actually racing. A lot of P-51 Mustangs with those big beautiful RR engines in them. Two or three racing overhead is quite intimidating.
Thanks again for sharing a bit of British-American war history.
Lest we never forget -
Brian
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"Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
As his corse to the rampart we hurried,
Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot,
O'er the grave where our hero we buried."
- The Burial of Scotsmen Sir John Moore |
03-27-2007, 07:05 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coeur d Alene, ID
Posts: 4,435
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Wow Alex - what an amazing place - thanks for taking us along to see such a wonderful collection of warbirds!
__________________ Phil in Idaho "Walk Tall, Walk Straight, and Look the World Right in the Eye."
That Great Celtic Philosopher Val Doonican |
03-27-2007, 07:34 PM
|  | Retired Forum Manager
Gentleman of X Marks | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Jose, California
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C152T,
Thanks for another great photo tour. The Flame-Haired Celtic Amazon Goddess' Grandfather was a bomber pilot in World War II and stationed in England. I never had the pleasure of meeting him before he died. I spent an interesting afternoon with my wife's grandmother where she brought out his dress uniform and his flight logs. It was amazing to read about these long grueling and very dangerous missons summed up in just a few very concise sentences.
This museum is a wonderful reminder of when great deeds were done on a daily basis.
Cheers
Panache
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-See it there, a white plume
Over the battle - A diamond in the ash
Of the ultimate combustion-My panache
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Last edited by Panache; 03-27-2007 at 08:51 PM.
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