Monday, June 17, 2019

Wings Museum ~ West Sussex ~ England

June 6, 2019 marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day.  This special day was celebrated by many war veterans who survived those days and were in England to sail to France.  We were in England for this time; we saw several celebrations for them and many of them emotional.  Our dad was there 75 years ago so the occasion holds special meanings to us.

Wings Museum
During our stay in England, we visited the Wings Museum.  It is Remembrance Museum for World War Two and began as a family project, founded by Daniel and Kevin Hunt with their father, Brian Hunt’s support.  It is an incredible tribute to those who gave so much for our future.

Hawker Hurricane 11B
I’ve never been too keen on knowing the details of war that kills the young men who fight so valiantly for their countries, but seeing this museum certainly brings home the stories of these men.  It is quite an emotional visit just reading so many personal stories included in the Wings Museum.

Soldier's stories
Families have donated the memorabilia of many of these fallen soldiers and tell their story for them. The ages of so many was so very young and one cannot imagine what they faced unless we’ve walked in their shoes, but these stories do give us some ideas of the struggles they faced fighting this war.

Japanese battles

They have an enclosed “Dora” room, which included Hitler’s artifacts and the story of the Holocaust, with images and artwork from those days.  The name ‘Dora’ is in memory of a young Jewish women who was killed by German soldiers because she was Jewish.  They tied a rock around her neck, threw her into the river and shot her.  I chose not to go into that room.

Propeller Hub
We were surprised to learn that the propeller hub was wooden!  Looking closely it was basically several pieces put together rather than one big pole.  Amazing!  This tells the story of the plane this was taken from.

Ghost of the Tundra
Aircrafts have been recovered from the Russian front where they were shot down 75 years ago. They are displayed depicting actual crash sites.  Story boards describe the remains of these aircrafts and what they were before the crashes. 

Lilly Bell 11
We were able to walk inside a Douglas C-47 Dakota, made famous because of its’ D-Day landings.  The plane was for carrying paratroopers so there was no fancy seating inside this plane.  The authentic sounds and images add to the experience.  There was a hole in the side of the plane, so glad they have no plans for flying this one anymore.

Cockpit of Lilly Bell 11
Volunteers are an important part of this museum and the displays, as well.  They have been involved in building this to what it has become and are there to offer information about displays.  They were rebuilding an old plane while we were there, too, which must be an ongoing part of the museum as new things appear.

Not to be forgotten
Videos can be seen and music of the era can be heard over the sound system, carrying us back in time. Even if we weren’t there then, it evokes memories of those times, as only music can do.  This museum was developed so that the war and their soldiers would never be forgotten.  I hope this continues as time passes by.

Learn more about the Wings Museum by clicking on here.

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