The numerical simulation of radiative heat transfer is now well established. Key ingredients in such a simulation model are calculated view factors that are used to describe the exchange of radiated energy between different surfaces. Several methods for the calculation of these geometrical factors are available, including Integration, Monte Carlo, and the Hemi-cube methods. Several analytical test cases are also available, such as the well-known "parallel plates case, which allow modelers to validate their view factor routines. However, there is much less information available that combines both view factor information and heat transfer effects simultaneously. This article describes the construction of a simple testing rig that allows experiments to be performed that combine view factor effects with measured heat transfer exchanged between surfaces only. The equipment has been used to consider simple cases, such as the parallel plates test case, and also cases where shadowing is important. The results of these experiments are presented as experimental benchmarking data for model users and developers.