Hendon Model Show 2014

Getting up early again ! ... early for me anyway   Only the day before a friend told me he was going to visit this show I decided to join Unfortunately - booking an Eurostar ticket the day before the trip is quite expensive : 368 euro   Early next morning on the train to Brussels, I was hoping it was all worth it   In Brussels we embarked on the Eurostar - direction London   Which took us under the Channel   Two hours later (10AM London time) we could stretch our legs in St Pancras station   A quick hop outside for a cash machine to get some UK currencies   Before taking the metro direction RAF Hendon   It's on the Northern Line - to Edgware - exit in Colindale   The trip by metro took a little less then half an hour   Colindale   ... is closer to RAF Hendon (then Hendon Central is)   Then it's a 10-15 min walk   You can't miss the big place   A sign at the entrance showing us what to see where...   A lot of people were waiting outside for the fly past of the BBMF Lancaster   I spend some time waiting in the Dornier Do-17   Though after looking skywards for 20+ minutes   And only seeing a Hurricane and a Spitfire nearby...   We gave up - and deciced to go inside   Airfix ? Good timing ! Right after last year's show - and ending before this year's show.... (the only times I was visiting this museum)   But it was a joy seeing all the aircraft again Canopy & fuselage height of a P-40N (as reference for my Academy kits)   The rudder with several lumps & bumbs   Note the hinge at the top (only present on port side)   Grace in the sky - a Hawker Hart trainer   Again with lumps & bumbs in the tail area   The Austin K2/Y ambulance from Airfix fame   Still one of my favorites in the museum - the Bristol Bulldog   The model contest area was our next stop   The smaller scales aircraft (almost all in 1/72 scale)   A lovely Scorpion   A naked Gotha Go-229 Flying Wing   I didn't bring my tripod - so sharp pictures are rare - though I suceeded well with this Westland Wyvern   The new Vampire from Airfix   Another table hosted the 1/48 scale entries   A big and beautiful Airfix Javelin   Something rare in 1/48 scale - a Focke Wulf Fw-189   Yak-3 from Zvezda   The big scale entries - on yet another table   Starting with a brutal Mistel combination in 1/32 scale   T-6 Harvard from Kittyhawk - in attractive South African colors   The new Meteor F.4 from Hongkong Models   A DH Dragonfly in 1/32 scale - with a resin fuselage and a lot of scratch build parts   And a scratch build DH Comet - also in 1/32 scale   Military vehicles   Italian M41/14 light tank in 1/35 scale   An attractive combination in 1/35 scale - RSO Schlepper and a K18 10.5cm gun   The naval category...   HMS Dreadnought in 1/350 scale - from Zvezda   It was my favorite model in the show   Amazing detail in this very small scale   Figures   With an extremely fascinating Stingray Terrorfish - in 1/20 scale   And a nice looking lady...   Necromancer   A scratch build Handley Page Heyford - in 1/33 scale (I believe)   Another scratch build entry was HMS Diamond - in 1/192 scale   Back into the museum - clubstands   We continued our exploration of the museum aircraft And the many club stands...   Avro Rota... or a license build Cierva C-30   South Atlantic Special Interest Group   The Westland Gazelle sporting an attractive scheme   Let's have some fun in the vendor's room   Where I couldn't resist this Schwalbe - priced at £3.00   And at the other side....   We bumped into Mark Peacock - from Valiant Wings - who offered us a nice combo deal on these two books   The Beaufighter   On our way out - direction Hannants   ... only a 5 min walk further down the street   Where I found this on the 2nd hand shelves - for £9.99   Back at the museum - we visited the other halls

People having R/C fun next to a 109   One of the very few remaining Fairey Battles in the world   A relic from the Tirpitz     By now we were exhausted - time for a quick snack   Before heading home again   By metro...   And boarding the Eurostar again in St Pancras at 17h55 local time   After connecting in Brussels to a local train, we arrived at 22h at the home station   It was worth it - though next year I will book my tickets more in advance All comments, remarks, suggestions and especially corrections are welcome... Thank you

William De Coster / Belgium e-mail  Created : 26 May 2014 Update / general editing : 12 April 2021