• The meaning of Hendon: the Royal Air Force Display, aerial theatre and the technological sublime, 1920–37*

    Author(s):
    Brett Holman (see profile)
    Date:
    2020
    Subject(s):
    Technology, History, Military history, Great Britain, History, Modern
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    History of technology, Modern British history
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/6dfz-s369
    Abstract:
    The annual Royal Air Force Display at Hendon was a hugely popular form of aerial theatre, with attendance peaking at 195,000. Most discussions of Hendon have understood it as ‘a manifestation of popular imperialism’, focusing on the climactic set?pieces which portrayed the bombing of a Middle Eastern village or desert fortress. However, scenarios of this kind were a small minority of Hendon’s set-pieces: most depicted warfare against other industrialised states. Hendon should rather be seen as an attempt to persuade spectators that future wars could be won through the use of airpower rather than large armies or expensive navies.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    10.1093/hisres/htz001
    Publisher:
    Oxford University Press (OUP)
    Pub. Date:
    2020-1-1
    Journal:
    Historical Research
    Volume:
    93
    Issue:
    259
    Page Range:
    131 - 152
    ISSN:
    0950-3471,1468-2281
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    3 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved

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