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That's horrible! Horrible, I say!
Oh, who are we kidding? We all love it! So go ahead and check out our Horrible Histories page
https://ow.ly/j88X50P3rGf to find out about our amazing Up in the Air Adventure this summer. Tons of fun for fearless flyers, aged 5 - 100. Book now and get ready for take off!
Event Partners: Scholastic
Further to our news in May that we had succeeded in keeping the Arthur Scarf VC and medal bar in the United Kingdom, we are proud to announce that it is now on display, in time for the summer holidays, in Hangar 1 at our London site.
It will then be placed on display in Hangar 5, as part of our newest permanent exhibition, ' Strike Hard, Strike Sure: Bomber Command 1939 - 1945'.
Maggie Appleton, RAF Museum CEO said:
‘A heartfelt thank you to every single person who supported us. Whether you donated or shared our campaign with friends and family, we couldn’t have done this without you. To have raised £660,000 in three months is simply amazing. Special thanks to the National Heritage Memorial Fund for their major donation of £390k, and to our good friends at the Royal Air Force Historical Society and the Bomber Command Association.'
To learn more about Arthur Scarf and his story, please visit:
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/arthur-scarf-victoria-cross/
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6pkdttHfXw
Okay, so you know Blériot was the first pilot to cross the Channel. Bet you didn't remember it was 25 July 1909? No? Good! Who cares about dates?
Did you know that on that day Hubert Latham, another French pilot came close to having the name everyone remembers?
So what happened? We'll tell you the answer soon! Until then, check out our website for our amazingly horrible Up in the Air Adventure, coming to the Museum on 22 July. Find out more about this Family fun event at
https://ow.ly/2pMR50P3rAB
Event Partners:Scholastic
In 1948, John Whitlock was a wireless operator in Avro York transport aircraft of 99 Squadron RAF. He participated in the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949 in these aircraft. John later said, ‘We flew 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we flew in all weathers whether it was ice, snow, whatever it was. As long as we could get off the ground, they would talk us down at the other end, and the same coming back again.’
To learn more about the Berlin Airlift, please follow, the Berlin Airlift Remembered at:
https://berlinairlift75.org/en/ where we will be exploring this Operation week by week with the National Museum of the United States Airce , AlliiertenMuseum and the Militärhistorisches Museum.
Thank you to everyone who is already taking part in the , it's been fantastic to see all the creative ways you are completing your 130 Km.
As this is a virtual challenge we've had sign ups from people across the globe looking for motivation to exercise....and there is still time to register!
Standard UK entry costs £20 with proceeds going to the RAF Museum (registered charity No. 1197541). Entry for Members of His Majesty's Armed Forces is £15.00.
This virtual race commemorates the Hercules aircraft retiring from its 57-year career in the RAF this summer. Pledge to raise £50.00 for the and you will receive a free Hercules Challenge T-shirt shown below.
The ends on 28 July. For further details, please visit our website at:
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/support-us/ways-to-give/get-active-fundraise/the-hercules-challenge/
Salt was one of the basic and important cargoes flown into Berlin during the airlift. There was a problem, though; salt could corrode control wires and cause potentially very dangerous damage to transport aircraft. One solution was to carry salt into Berlin in the RAF’s Sunderland flying boats, designed to resist saltwater corrosion.
Sunderland aircraft were withdrawn in December 1948 when lakes and rivers began to freeze. Major-General William Tunner, the US Air Force airlift commander, wrote, ‘Actually, I was glad to see them go, as they were slow-flying, ponderous crates, and had to be specially scheduled.
To learn more about the Berlin Airlift, please follow, the Berlin Airlift Remembered at:
https://berlinairlift75.org/en/ where we will be exploring this Operation week by week with the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, AlliiertenMuseum and the Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr - MHM Dresden
There's still time to book for tonight's free online lecture at 6.00pm when Dr Karine Varley will explore what British and French officials and military officers thought about civilian casualties in the Second World War.
Over 57,000 civilians died from Allied aerial bombing campaigns in France during the Second World War. This lecture aims to explore the justifications for bombing France as a ‘friendly’ occupied state whose population largely supported the Allies.
To book your free view now, please visit:
https://www.crowdcast.io/e/p984n2zr/register
If you are unable to watch this in real time, by registering you will be able to view this talk at a time suitable for yourself, just not be able to take part in the live Q&A session.
In 1910, Horatio Barber built the first powered aircraft in the UK. Hurrah!
That's the good part. However... It being the first aircraft, no one knew how to fly one. So what did Barber do? He chose his chauffeur, Bertie Woodrow, to be the test pilot. Why? Check out the image...
Oh, and if you're wondering what happened to Bertie... Luckily for him, the aircraft failed to take off, saving him from having to invent how to land.
Plenty more horrible histories landing from 22 July at the RAF Museum. Six amazing zones, one fantastic adventure. Book your tickets for the Up in the Air Adventure here:
https://ow.ly/1RNi50P3reW
Event Partners: Scholastic
Here's a horrible fun question for you. What do you think the answer is?
This and a lot more horrible fun is to be found in our brand new fully interactive Horrible Histories - Up in the Air experience for all the family!
Visit rafmuseum.org/horriblehistories and experience the (sometimes gruesome) history of flight.
Event Partners: Scholastic
As the Cold War’s first confrontation between western nations and the Soviet Union, the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949 was a highly significant historical event, with continuing relevance and resonance in the present day.
To mark the 75th anniversary of the Airlift in 2023 and 2024, AlliiertenMuseum, Militärhistorisches Museum, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Air Force Museum have collaborated in the creation of a new website
https://berlinairlift75.org/en/.
1 to 3 posts will be added every week through the period of the airlift anniversary, giving a better idea of what happened 75 years ago - and we will republish this content on our social media channels on a regular basis.
in 1943: Serrate begins to be used against German nightfighters. This device homed in onto their Lichtenstein radars. Combined with airborne interception radar it enabled the RAF nightfighters to get a range indications on the enemy nightfighter.
Oh yes, Icarus ... another Up in the Air Horrible History! Explore plenty more fearless and sometimes foolish flyers while solving the clues for this summer's fully interactive experience for all the family.
Visit
https://www.rafmuseum.org/horriblehistories to find out more. Charges apply.
Event partners: Scholastic.
In commemoration of the Hercules aircraft retiring from its 57-year career in the RAF this summer, we are challenging our online visitors to run, walk, cycle, or swim 130Km by 28 July.
The challenge started on 1 June but there's still time for you to sign up and join in.
Whether you decide to run, walk, cycle or swim your way to the finish line we will be there to cheer you on. The best thing is, it's virtual so you can take part anywhere in the world.
Sign up to earn your medal, and if you raise £50.00, you will also receive your very own exclusive Hercules Challenge T-Shirt. Charges apply.
For further details and to take part in this latest challenge, visit our website at:
https://bit.ly/3C3HnDM
Oh yes, Icarus ... another Horrible History in the Air! Explore plenty more fearless and sometimes foolish flyers and solve the clues in this summer's fully interactive experience for all the family! Visit rafmuseum.org/horriblehistories to find out more.
in 1942 : Belgian RAF pilot François de Spirlet of No. 609 Squadron took off from RAF Duxford when his left tyre burst. His veered off into the path of fellow Belgian 'Cheval' Lallemant. De Spirlet was tragically killed in the crash, his friend unhurt.
: FA00093, a painting by John Young showing two de Havilland DH9As of No. 8 Squadron over a group of horsemen in a desert valley. A village and two Sopwith Snipes in the background.
in 1928 : Following the breakdown of the truce with the Zaidi tribesmen in , Fairey IIIFs of No. 8 Squadron resume bombing operations. The bombing serves both to strike at the Zaidi and to encourage tribes friendly to the British, which then attack the .