On Saturday the Imperial War Museum at Duxford was buzzing with lots of visitors and lots to see for our boarders’ trip.
In the main Airspace hangar there were over 30 airplanes of all sizes and ages, including the Sunderland Flying boat, Avro Vulcan, Supermarine Spitfire and Hurricane. Highlights were going into the Concorde and being allowed on board the Avro Lancaster where we could see the cramped and harsh conditions the aircrew had to endure (see photos).
The students also had a go at the interactive displays in the History of Flight section, before moving on to have lunch.
After lunch we visited the American Air museum where the enormous B-52 Stratofortress dwarfed most of the other aircraft. The students were keen to see the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird- the fastest and highest flying manned aircraft.
Boarders Blaise and Aubert told us about their great aunt who helped assemble aircraft in America and who beat a male counterpart in her rivetting in a much hyped contest as to who was fastest. She was henceforth known as “Rosie the Rivetter” and became so famous that all female workers were nicknamed “Rosie the Rivetter”. We saw and heard from one such worker while visiting the American airspace at Duxford.
We then went on to the Battle of Britain hangar where we met an 88 year old veteran who recounted his memories of the Blitz and living in Threadneedle Street when it was attacked by V1 flying bombs (also known as Doodlebugs). After visiting another hangar displaying naval aircraft and boats from both the First and Second World Wars, the students visited the shop and we headed home.
Andrew Lambie
Head of Science
