RAF Museum Unveils the Battle of Britain Beacon

[Splitter]

Originally Posted by winny

When I say beacon I mean of the type used when the Spanish Armada was sighted off the British coast. A big stack of tree tunks all leaning against each other and the top half full of straw. Done slightly twisted so it stays upright..

A really basic beacon.

Yeah, Lord of the Rings style . I was with ya. Still, it's too modern. Interesting take off, but I guess I like my monuments understated. If you have to look at it and go, "WTF?" then the designers are trying too hard lol.

I still like the building though (and I like the gherkin, just more in Dubai). Hey, at least they are doing something grand to honor the heroes, have to appreciate that.

Splitter

[swiss]

Originally Posted by jameson

What if they spent the money restoring some of them to flying status, so we could see and hear them flying again, a much more fitting memorial to those who fought IMHO. But we aren't going to be seeing either I'm afraid unless someone knows that they've already got the cash and are going ahead.

While my visit in February up there, I noticed some of the engines are leaking oil - they had trays with oil binder under the nacelles.

That's a good sign actually.

[Cap Loz]

Originally Posted by winny

Seriously..?

The message is never forget the young men who made it possible for you to dislike stuff without it getting you killed. Currently in the UK the only static
BoB memorial is a little statue of a pilot which is a litttle understated to say the least. If you happen to like it or not is besides the point, it's what it represents that's the important bit.

Normally a lurker here but I have to say

Very Well Said winny!!

I'm surprised the poster had the nerve to profer the question.

[_RAAF_Stupot]

Originally Posted by winny

More glass would improve it for sure. I think it's a little bit too silver.
But a beacon is supposed to be seen from far away.. and this will definately be seen from a very long way away on a sunny day!

It'll be interesting to see what it eventually ends up looking like.

I agree, I think if glass was substituted for the metal it would be fantastic. I think part of the idea behind the tower is that the aircraft are up on display in 3 dimensions (ie with a vertical axis as well where you can view them from above, below and the sides, to give some sense of them being in action rather than just as static exhibits), but ironically just having that slit along the side of tower to provide an exterior view makes it claustrophobic in my opinion. Imagine those interior views where all the walls are transparent instead - you'd really feel as if you were up in the air with them. And also imagine how the tower would look at night with the aircraft inside being illuminated.

By the way, the concept of a tower museum where you start at the top and spiral to the bottom isn't completely new - you move through the Guggenheim Modern Art museum in NY this way.