Our plans and trips to military museums

[Massimo_Foti]

- Walter

And also in October I will be in Dresden in the Milltary Museum
The Museum itself is not interesting ,but they will open their vehicle depot on that day

I have been in Dresden last spring, the Museum is awful, it seems like the display was arranged by an interior designer... The AFVs on display outdoor are nice instead.
I was able to look through the depot's windows and it make you cry to think so many important artifacts are hidden over there...

I was there to visit the city, it's beautiful.

Massimo

[Walter]

- the_shadock

- Walter

And also in October I will be in Dresden in the Milltary Museum
The Museum itself is not interesting ,but they will open their vehicle depot on that day

I'm curious to know if you could access their Lima M4A1..

P-O

I will have a look for you if it is there

[Massimo_Foti]

Back from the UK, quick recap:

- IWM London
Don't waste your time

- Science Museum London
Some cool aircrafts, worth a visit if you are in downtown

- IWM Duxford
Very cool, love the planes. The Land Warfare Hall is a photographer nightmare!
I'll try to visit it again, maybe during a special event

- RAF Museum Hendon
Was there 12 years ago. It's even better. I have to surrender to the fact that even the best plane museums aren't good places to take pictures

- Bovington
Cool to be back. The Tamiya Hall was half empty but I finally saw the Afghanistan display. The "War Horse" display is nice, but it required moving a few supercool vehicles into the VCC. Visited the VCC too. Took a bunch of high quality "portrait" pictures of well know AFVs

Massimo

[Pzkpfw-e]

I heard the newly refurbished IWM is a disappointment for real enthusiasts. Been dumbed-down.
I'm off to Shrivenham on Thursday.

[the_shadock]

- Massimo_Foti

The "War Horse" display is nice, but it required moving a few supercool vehicles into the VCC.

I agree with you, it's nice for the average visitor, but not for us...

- Massimo_Foti

Visited the VCC too. Took a bunch of high quality "portrait" pictures of well know AFVs

I suppose that you had to photograph the AFVs from the viewing platform, I guess you didn't have the opportunity to directly access the vehicles..

P-O

[Massimo_Foti]

- the_shadock

I suppose that you had to photograph the AFVs from the viewing platform, I guess you didn't have the opportunity to directly access the vehicles..

Inside the VCC I was on the platform, without even a telephoto lens, so nothing special there.
The new "portraits" are from well-know vehicles.

Massimo

[Massimo_Foti]

- Pzkpfw-e

I heard the newly refurbished IWM is a disappointment for real enthusiasts. Been dumbed-down.

It's a complex topic. If you only care for "real enthusiasts", you would display as many vehicles as you can with just bare bone info panels. But the vast majority of visitors aren't enthusiasts, and you need to tell a story to them, you need more information, facilities and interaction. It's hard to find a balance, there is a tension between "story telling" and "display historical artifacts".

I think places like Bovington, Munster, Overloon and Arsenal achieve a good balance, they are family friendly museums, but still very relevant for the hardcore enthusiasts too. Saumur and Full on the other end, lack facilities, interaction and "story telling", but they are great for enthusiasts.

IWM London isn't a bad museum, just not targeted to people like me and you. I could bring my family there, but it was rather boring for me. I consider Dresden instead a complete failure, no matter from where you look at it, it seems like an incompetent interior designer assembled the display...

Massimo

[Massimo_Foti]

I will visit Budapest in April. So far I know only of this museum near the Castle:
www.militaria.hu/

The Transport Museum has an aviation section too:
www.mmkm.hu/

Any other location?

Massimo

[vagabond]

Hi All,

We are in the planning stages for an early summer trip to the UK, likely basing out of London. I've got some tips from Massimo regarding UK sites and have read the postings here. Any further suggestions are welcome.

IF one had to choose between seeing Tankfest and going to the War and Peace Revival what would be the choice and why?

We are interested in aircraft as well (even though I agree with Massimo that even the best air museums are terrible for photos) and WW2 historical sites. We'd love to take in a few UK Airshows as well.

Is it possible to do justice to the Normandy sights with a few day field trip from London? If we do get over to France, we'd LOVE to take you up on the offer of escorted touring, P-O!

Thanks everyone!
PH

[the_shadock]

would be a shame to come to the UK from the USA and not to come to France.. I think that a visit of Normandy around 6 June is particular, because there are some military camps all around..

P-O

[Massimo_Foti]

I only have visited a few places, based on my personal experience:

- Bovington: a must visit, but you know that already
- IWM London: skip it
- IWM Duxford: unique place, both for aviation and tank enthusiasts
- RAF Museum Hendon: another great place, but if I had to choose, I'll pick Duxford

Massimo

[TrevorLarkum]

As Massimo says, Duxford is the obvious place if you like aircraft and tanks - it's mostly aircraft, but still has a lot of tanks. Otherwise perhaps Muckleburgh and Armourgeddon.

There are lots to choose from:

preservedtanks.com/Loc...;locType=3

I've also visited Cosford but not yet written it up. It has a good list of tanks, though that weren't that many on display when I went, but it is obviously pretty good for aircraft. I'm no expert on aircraft, but I believe the top collection is Hendon.

[Massimo_Foti]

I only commented on places I visited myself. On my personal agenda next locations would be:

Yeovilton:
www.fleetairarm.com/

Cosford:
www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/

The Shuttleworth Collection:
www.shuttleworth.org/:

Muckleburgh:
www.muckleburgh.co.uk/

Again, I haven't visited any of these yet

Massimo

[vagabond]

Thanks for the input!

Keep those suggestions coming.

[Massimo_Foti]

- Massimo_Foti

I will visit Budapest in April. So far I know only of this museum near the Castle:
www.militaria.hu/

The Transport Museum has an aviation section too:
www.mmkm.hu/

The Transport Museum will be closed for renovation by the time I will be there

Massimo