museum – Henry Tenby – Aviation Fan – Worldwide Operations

AIRCRAFT MODEL COLLECTION – Aviodrome Museum Netherlands

Henry Tenby — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 19:27:38 +0000

Along with my good friend Niels Dam, I recently had the opportunity to visit the fantastic Aviodrome aviation museum in Lelystad in the Netherlands.

Given the Netherlands rich aviation history spanning back over 100 years with both KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the famous Dutch aircraft builder Fokker, there is no shortage of vintage aircraft display models produced with the country, of which a very good sample is available for public viewing at the Aviodtome museum.

Being a huge collector of aircraft display models myself, I was extremely impressed with their collection. They had a large selection of pre World War II models made by the KLM in house model shop that was maaged by the famous Dutch model maker Hank Modermann. The highwing Fokker type models of the 1920s and 1930s featured wooden wings stained to look like the real planes.

The museum also has a number of nice wood and metal models made by Raise Up and Verkuyl between the 1940s and the 1960s. The highlight model display at the museum has to be the circa 1960 re creation of Amsterdam Schiphol airport in 1/50 scale. The KLM airliner models included in this centrepiece are the DC-3, Convair 340, Vickers Viscount, Lockheed Super Constellation, Lockheed L–188 Electra and Douglas DC-8. These models are all in wood and their accuracy and detail are magnificent. It is believed these masterpiece models were all made by Matthias Verkuyl. They would be unique pieces and I would estimate their values as priceless.

Transavia Holland Boeing 707 in 1/100 metal made by Verkuyl is part of the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

KLM Vickers Viscount 800 in 1/50 scale as part of the Amsterdam Schiphol airport re creation at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. This model was likely made by Matthias Verkuyl, circa 1960.

KLM Douglas DC-8 in 1/50 scale as part of the Amsterdam Schiphol airport re creation at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. This model was likely made by Matthias Verkuyl, circa 1960.

KLM Convair 340 in 1/50 scale as part of the Amsterdam Schiphol airport re creation at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. This model was likely made by Matthias Verkuyl, circa 1960.

KLM Lockheed L-188 Electra in 1/50 scale as part of the Amsterdam Schiphol airport re creation at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. This model was likely made by Matthias Verkuyl, circa 1960.

KLM Vickers Viscount 800 in 1/50 scale as part of the Amsterdam Schiphol airport re creation at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. This model was likely made by Matthias Verkuyl, circa 1960.

KLM Douglas DC-7 in 1/50 scale as part of the Amsterdam Schiphol airport re creation at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. This model was likely made by Matthias Verkuyl, circa 1960.

KLM Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation in 1/50 scale as part of the Amsterdam Schiphol airport re creation at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. This model was likely made by Matthias Verkuyl, circa 1960.

This is a 1930s scale model replica of Amsterdam Schiphol airport, possibly made at the same time as the 1960s Schiphol replica.
This display is available for viewing at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

1950s era 1/50 wooden KLM DC-4 display model at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

KLM Convair 340 in 1/50 scale made of wood as part of the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. This model was likely made by Raise Up.

This is a 1/43 Lockheed factory sheet metal model of a KLM Lockheed 749 Constellation, circa late 1940s or early 1950s. This model is part of the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

KLM Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation in 1/50 scale made of metal by Raise Up, as part of the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

This is a small scale KLM Lockheed L-188 Electra in metal made by Raise Up circa early 1960s. This model is part of the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

KLM Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation in 1/72 scale made of metal by Verkuyl, as part of the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

Large scale vintage wooden model of a Douglas DC-5 PJ-AIW circa 1940s at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

Large scale vintage wooden model of a KLM Lockheed Lodestar PJ-AIT circa 1940s at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

Vintage 1920s ear wooden KLM display model at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. Type not indicated by the museum.

Vintage 1920s ear wooden Fokker F.V display model at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

Miscellaneous 1920s ear wooden KLM display models at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum.

Vintage 1920s ear wooden KLM display model at the Aviodrome Aviation Museum. Type not indicated by the museum.

The Concordes That Weren’t: A Collection of 1960s Westway Models from Airlines That Ordered the Supersonic Jet

Henry Tenby — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 13:11:33 +0000

Pan American World Airways Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa mid 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

As everyone knows, the Concorde was only ever operated by two Airlines, British Airways and Air France. Back in the mid 1960s, expectations within the airline industry were very high that the Concorde and super sonic jet travel was the way of the future. At the time, the newest jets flying were single aisle inter continental transports like the Vickers VC-10, Boeing 707 and DC-8. Even the widebody 747 was still on the drawing boards and a few years away from its first maiden flight.

Both the Americans and Europeans were positioning themselves as the leaders in cutting edge airline building. So much so that Boeing had two irons in the fire back in the mid 1960s. They had their 747 project as well as their Boeing “SST Super Sonic Transport” project running in parallel, while the French-British consortium BAC-Aerospacial were in full speed mode developing their faster than sound jetliner called the Concorde.

Executives from the world’s leading airlines of the day were all of the opinion that faster than sound travel for passenger craft made sense, as passengers would demand the latest and greatest aircraft. This mentality was born from the recent experience in upgrading from prop transports to jet transports. So it seemed only logical that faster than sound was the next logical progress from sub sonic jet transport.

This line of thought resulted in many international flag carrier airlines actually signing letters of intent and placing contingent orders for the faster than sound jet transports that were on the drawing boards in the mid 1960s. The orders were contingent on the aircraft actually being built, and operating cost guarantees.
In order to sell the concept of super sonic jet travel to the airlines, the Anglo-French builders of the Concorde had Westway Models of the UK make a series of 1/72 plastic and fiberglass executive models in the liveries of all the perspective airlines. These amazing models were used as sales pieces and given to the airline executives to show what the Concorde would look like as decorated in each airline’s livery of the day.

For collectors of professional aircraft models, these are very special pieces that are really rare collectors items today. So very few of these models survived the 50 years since they were made, and the few that do exist are secure in private collections with very few examples every appearing on the used model market. Some might say these models are rare as hen’s teeth.

The world’s most comprehensive collection of prospective airline customer 1960s airline proposal models of Concorde can be found on display at the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK. The models are actually inside the fuselage of the former British Airways Concorde that permanently resides at the museum, and access to the aircraft is by way of a special “Concorde Experience” onboard film and tour that is sold as an add-on the museum’s general admission, which is highly recommended! To visit Brooklands and not go on board their Concorde for the film would be a terrific missed opportunity for any hard-core airline buff. And of course this will allow access to the wonderful collection of proposal airline Concorde models, that cannot be seen anywhere else.

As well know, none of the proposal airlines went on the accept delivery of a Concorde as the operating costs and development delays were simply too much of a burden given that the super sonic jet industry was rapidly sidelined by the advent of widebody jetliners including the 747, L-1011 and DC-10 … and eventually the Airbus A300. These very special Concorde proposal models are a reminder and memory of what might have been, but sadly wasn’t.

CAAC China Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa late 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Eastern Airlines Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa mid 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

SABENA Belgian Airlines Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa mid 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

SABENA Belgian Airlines Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa late 1970s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Japan Air Lines Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa late 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

United Airlines Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa mid 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Braniff International Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa early 1970s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Continental Airlines Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa late 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Air India Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa late 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Iran Air Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa late 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

TWA Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa mid 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Lufthansa Anglo French Concorde proposal model 1/72 by Westway Models, circa late 1960s, on display on board the Concorde at the Brookands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, UK.

Hermeskeil Aviation Museum Germany Visit November 2018

Henry Tenby — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 01:58:58 +0000

Niels Dam, Andreas Stryk and Henry Tenby captured in the optimal selfie with the Lufthansa Viscount 800 D-ANUM as the backdrop. At the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. November, 2018.

In early November of 2018, my good friend Andreas Stryk drove me and another good friend, Niels Dam from Amsterdam by car from Frankfurt to the Hermeskeil aviation museum, which is a 2 hour road journey at a leisure driving pace. We allocated a full day trip for our museum visit from Frankfurt, as we did not want to have any stress or time pressure so we could enjoy the exhibits at the museum in a non rushed basis.

The privately owned museum features a very large outdoor collection of post war commercial airliners and military aircraft, from both Eastern and Western block manufacturers. Whilst the older aircraft, engines and historic displays are kept in the indoors building, which is not heated. Our visit of early November very much required warm outdoor clothing as it was quite cold outside and in the building.

In my opinion, the three star exhibits in this collection has to be the original Lufthansa Lockheed Super Constellation D-ALIN, the United Arab Emirates Vickers VC-10 G-ARVF, and the original early 1970s or late 1960s Concorde mock-up, which is open as a heated coffee shop and rest area to seek respite from the elements. The aircraft and helicopters from Soviet times are also very interesting, and although the museum is fairly remote, it is most certainly worth a visit for hard-core aviation tourists who find themselves within a few hour driving range of the collection.

Another nice view, this time in side profile of Lufthansa L-1049 Super Connie D-ALIN at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Henry Tenby with the fabulous Lufthansa Lockheed Super Constellation at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

‘Aint it pretty! The three fins of the Connie are pure aviation magic! Lufthansa L-1049 Super Connie D-ALIN is one of the star attractions at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

I can’t get enough of a lovely piston pounding Super Connie from every angle! ‘Aint it pretty! The three fins of the Connie are pure aviation magic! Lufthansa L-1049 Super Connie D-ALIN is one of the star attractions at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Can’t get enough! Three tails are better than one! Lufthansa Lockheed Super Constellation D-ALIN at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

BAC Aerospacial Concorde mock-up at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Late 1960s era static moc-up of the Concorde at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Inside cabin view of the 1960s era static Concorde mock-up at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Under wing view of the late 1960s era static moc-up of the Concorde at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. Note the structural supports to keep the heavy wing sections in place.

Like everyone else, we stopped inside the mock-up Concorde for some warm drinks after spending several hours in the cold elements taking in the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. Left to right, Niels Dam, Andreas Stryk, and Henry Tenby.

Niels Dam does a ground inspection on the awesome Interflug Tupolev Tu-134 DDR-SCK at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Henry Tenby chillin’ with the awesome Interflug Tupolev Tu-134 DDR-SCK at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Another nice side profile view of Interflug Tupolev Tu-134 DDR-SCK at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. This aircraft was acquired by the museum directly from Interflug, the former State airline of East Germany.

Under nose study of the Interflug Tupolev Tu-134 DDR-SCK at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Henry Tenby enjoying some quality time with two feathered Rolls Royce Dart engines, of the Lufthansa Viscount 800 D-ANUM at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Under nose study of the Lufthansa Viscount 800 D-ANUM at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

A pure classic from any angle! Lufthansa Vickers Viscount 800 D-ANUM at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Front office view aboard Vickers VC-10 G-ARVF at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Rear facing VIP cabin view as seen from the front entrance door aboard Vickers VC-10 G-ARVF at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Vickers VC-10 G-ARVF tail view at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

United Arab Emirates Government Vickers VC-10 now permanently rests at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. It was flown to a nearby military airfield in the early 1980s, and then disassembled and moved to the museum by road, where it was put back together.

Interflug IL-18 at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Cabin view aboard the Interflug IL-18 DDR-STH at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. I’m keen for a flight!

Interflug IL-18 engine details at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Polish Air Force IL-14 propliner transport at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. A very “meat and potatoes” all purpose transport for all sorts of uses.

Cockpit of the Polish Air Force IL-14 at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Part of the furniture. A Dornier D-28 D-IFMP at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Dan-Air London Comet 4C G-BDIW at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Guess the engine? You should know instantly! This is the daisy petal sound suppressor from a Rolls Royce Conway engine, that powered ealry Boeing 707s, including those delivered to Lufthansa and BOAC. This engine is from a Lufthansa aircraft and is on display at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Bell 206 D-HBZV of the Luftrettung at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Huge model of the Dornier DoX flying boat D-1929 at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Large scale pre-war flying wing aircraft model D-APIS at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Aeroflot Mil-26 at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. When donated/acquired by the museum, the helicopter was flown by her Russian crews directly to the museum.

Cubana Cuba Antonov AN-24 at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

USAF Cold War beauty! The Convair F-102 Delta Dart 61125, was actually based in West Germany back in the 1960s.
She now is on permanent loan from the US Air Force as a display at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Royal Navy De Havilland Dove “Devon” at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

Luftwaffe Percivil Pembroke 5421 the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany. Back in the 1960s these were a dime a dozen in Germany, but the entire fleet was retired by the early 1970s.

Isn’t she a beauty? This Dan-Air London Comet 4C was acquired by the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany in the early 1980s, and she has been on guard looking smart ever since. One wonders if she could be made into a ground running breathing high-speed taxi aircraft with a bit of restoration. That would be amazing!

EFL Nortatlas D-ACUT at the Hermeskeil Aviation Museum in Germany.

Another government donation to the museum. This time a Royal Jordanian Air Force DC-3 Dakota troop transport at the Hermeskeil aviation museum in Germany.

We’ll close with some bathroom humour for avgeeks! This is the biffy aboard the Jordanian Air Force DC-3 (see above), which was very obviously British maintained or operated at some time in her illustrious career.

Visit to The Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley BC

Henry Tenby — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 21:32:51 +0000

Henry Tenby and Andreas Stryk at the Canadian Museum of Flight early February 2019, the snowiest day of the year.

About a one hour drive east along the Trans Canada freeway from Vancouver city centre, at Langley airport resides the Canadian Museum of Flight and their winderful collection of Canadian aviation aircraft and artifacts.

The museum is truly a labour of love for the many dedicated volunteers and fans that keep the museum going. My visit of early February, 2019, so happened to be during the first major snow storm of the year. But that did not stop us from enjoying our visit.

From the main entrance where they have a small selection of gifts and a large selection of donated aviation books for sale, a back door leads to the small courtyard where their nice collection of aircraft are presented for observation and close study, including a CF-101 Starfighter, RCAF Bolingbroke, and a Beech 18 aling with an interesting collection of engines from types that served in Canadian skies.

The indoors part of the collection is lovingly preserved in an adjacent and heated hangar, where Canadian and BC aviation history from the civil airline and military perspectives is presented for leisurely visits by museum visitors. The centre section of the heated hangar is also a quasi aircraft storage and maintenance space for the flying aircraft that are part of the museum’s treasured collection of vintage.

The people and volunteers we met during our visit were super friendly. I can only recommend that all aviations fans visiting the lower mainland take the time and effort to visit and support this wonderful aviation museum. Now you can’t say “I didn’t know there was an aviation museum in the lower mainland of Vancouver.”

Vintage Air Canada 1990s-2000s Flight Attendant uniform at Canadian Museum of Flight.

CP Air Boeing SST Super Sonic Transport model at Canadian Museum of Flight.

Air BC Flight Attendant Uniform circa 1990s at the Canadian Museum of Flight. This was the standard Air Canada Connector uniform throughout most of the 1990s.

Air Canada Jazz Flight Attendant Uniform circa 2000s at the Canadian Museum of Flight.

Bristol Blenheim cockpit section at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

A nice inside view of the heated hangar and museum display at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

Restored Handley Page Hampden at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

Air Canada mainline Flight Attendant uniform 2000s at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

Queen Charlotte Airlines LTD Stranraer flying boat model at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

Rare Canadiana! A colour view from the 40s or 50s of a Junkers brush plane, somewhere in the Canadian hinterlands. Not sure of the operator. Image is at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

A restored RCAF De Havilland Vampire at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

A ‘to-the-point” no BS US Military Base restricted area warning sign from the 1950s! At the at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

Guess the type! It is a Canadian Forces CF-104 Starfighter at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

Always happy at an aviation museum! Henry Tenby doesn’t mind a little snow getting in the way of enjoying a visit to at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

Lovely 1/50th scale CP Air Boeing 737-200 travel agent display model by Pacific Miniatures, circa early 1970s. At the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

Canadian Coast Guard Sikorsky S-55 on display at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.

A very nice 1/100 scale Canadian Pacific Airlines Douglas DC-8-8-63 in the goose livery on display at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC. Models dates from 1968 and was likely made by Westway Models of Wembley, Middlesex, UK.

A very nice 1/100 scale Pacific Western Airlines Boeing 767-200 executive desk model on display at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC. Models dates from 1982-83 and was made by Scalecraft Models of New Zealand.

A 1/72 scale desk model of Transair Cargo’s Armstrong Whitworth Argosy Freighter at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC. This aircraft was based in Winnipeg in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

An incredibly grotesque model. This being a brutishly ugly attempted representation of a CP Air DC-8-43 circa 1970s. This model was originally made by Peter V. Nelson of the UK in the 1960s and was originally finished in the Canadian Pacific goose colours. The model is part of the artifacts collection at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC.