The Royal Air Force Museum - RAFM, RAF Museum

09/09/2023

🎬Films and TV shows 📺like The Imitation Game and The Bletchley Circle have unveiled the work of the code-breakers at Bletchley Park during the Second World War🌎, but did you know Bletchley Park was just one unit, part of a massive intelligence-gathering operation that worked for the RAF, without which many more crews would not have returned from their missions

In this fascinating free talk, Dr Thomas Cheetham, a Research Officer from the Bletchley Park Trust, will examine the role of broader intelligence gathering from various sources and the ground-breaking work conducted by the brilliant code-breakers at Bletchley Park.

📅Date:15 September
🕦Time: 12.30pm- 2.00pm
📍 Location: National Cold War Exhibition Lecture Theatre
🎟️Tickets: https://bit.ly/45Hq0Wt

This lunchtime talk is free to view in person in real-time or online💻 on our Crowdcast Channel at a convenient time.

All welcome.

08/09/2023

Our intrepid team of cyclists 🚴🚴🚴 have taken on the challenge of riding 200 miles from Ladybower Reservoir, where the bouncing bomb was first tested , all the way to the RAF Museum London 🏛️ , finishing under the magnificent S for Sugar later today.

This cycle ride celebrates the ingenuity and bravery of the Dambusters raid and support the work of the access and learning team at our brilliant RAF Museum Midlands.

Show your support by leaving a message 🍀 or a donation at: https://royalairforcemuseum.enthuse.com/cf/the-dambusters-cycle

07/09/2023

Supermarine Spitfire F24 of No. 80 Squadron, being ferried ashore, Hong Kong, July 1949

31/08/2023

in 1973 : RAF Maintenance Command is disbanded. Since 1938 it had been responsible for controlling maintenance for all the UK-based units. All functions of the Command are absorbed by RAF Support Command, which formed the next day.

27/08/2023

in 1941 : an RAF Lockheed Hudson of No. 269 Squadron damages German submarine U-570 beyond repair, forcing it to surrender to British forces. It's the first surrender of a sub to an aircraft. It is towed to Iceland, salvaged and taken in British service as HMS Graph.

20/08/2023

https://ow.ly/VkiI50PzSwv 🎧
In this podcast 👂, Tim Bracey and Norman Brice of the Large Object Volunteer Team at our London site talk about their volunteering roles, particularly their work on the mighty Avro Vulcan jet bomber.

Join them on the Vulcan Experience by following this link: https://ow.ly/meS250PzSPq

17/08/2023

in 1948 : Unrest within Somaliland, triggered by the announced transfer of the Ogaden territory to Ethiopia, leads to the despatch of No. 213 Squadron (flying the Hawker Tempest F6) from Deversoir, Egypt to Mogadishu to ‘fly the flag’ and assist in restoring order.

04/08/2023

in 1948 : The first British civilian charter companies join the Berlin Airlift (Operation Plainfare). Seen here is a civilian Avro Lancastrian, derived from the famous Lancaster bomber.

02/08/2023

Panavia Tornado aircraft departing RAF Bruggen for Saudi Arabia as part of operation Desert Shield (P024195)

in 1990, Iraq invaded neighbouring Kuwait.

We have two Tornados on display at our London site. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/?s=tornado&collection_collection=&collection_museum=&collection_location=&collection_period=

27/07/2023

in 1992 : Our Vickers Varsity WL679 landed at RAF Cosford, and was the last flight of a RAF Varsity. It signalled the end of an era spanning over 43 years, having made its first flight in 1949. The design can trace its pedigree back to the Wellington, and replaced the Wellington T10 as a training aircraft.

The Varsity was a twin piston-engined aircraft used for crew training. Its most outstanding quality was that it could provide excellent training for pilots, flight engineers, radio operators, navigators and bomb aimers simultaneously. The latter were seated in a very large ventral gondola which contained bomb aiming equipment and a small quantity of training bombs.

WL679 was built by Vickers Armstrong at Bournemouth and released from their factory on 25 September 1953. This was the last Varsity to fly with Royal Air Force Insignia, but in the very distinctive livery of the Royal Aircraft Establishment.

Come see her up close in Hangar 1 https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/vickers-varsity-t-mk-i/

24/07/2023

in 1918 : The first 1,650 pound ‘SN’ bomb, the largest bomb to be used by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) during the First World War, is dropped on Middelkerke, Belgium by a Handley Page O/400 of No. 214 Squadron.

19/07/2023

Another horrible history! Check out this space tomorrow to find out what we have in store for you this summer!

🤐Or click here: https://ow.ly/HYQC50P4c6l

17/07/2023

Ormer Locklear was a daredevil stunt pilot. He invented wingwalking when he climbed out of the cockpit and onto the wing of his aircraft. Soon, others copied him. What did Ormer do?

Horrible Histories (like these) are coming to the RAF Museum this summer! Get your tickets for guaranteed family fun at our website. https://ow.ly/uIIc50P4bW5 Our Up in the Air Challenge has 6 puzzles to solve and clues to find. Have you got what it takes to crack the case?

Event partners: Scholastic

15/07/2023

We cannot get enough of these . This one is about Adolphe Pégoud, the first French fighter ace. What do you think the answer is? 🤔

If your answer is a or b, congratulations, you have earned the right to click on the following link which will tell you all you need to know about our brand-new Horrible Histories Up in the Air Adventure https://ow.ly/mZvi50P52Ls 😁 ✈️

13/07/2023

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

11/07/2023

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

10/07/2023

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

08/07/2023

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.

08/07/2023

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/

06/07/2023

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

06/07/2023

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.

Register now for RAF Museum's event on Crowdcast, scheduled to go live on Thursday July 06, 2023 at 6:00 pm BST.

06/07/2023

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

03/07/2023

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

30/06/2023

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.

30/06/2023

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.

29/06/2023

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.

29/06/2023

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

26/06/2023

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.

25/06/2023

: 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 .

25/06/2023

We need your help!

The RAF Museum is looking for people with lived experience of a disability – either living with or supporting someone with a disability – to join our Midlands Development Access Advisory Panel, based at the RAF Museum Midlands.

The panel will meet three times a year to ensure that all the appropriate elements of the development have access needs considered, all the way from the development to the build and beyond.

Find out more about the role and how to apply here: https://bit.ly/3Nn07Dz

Our 'Inspiring Everyone: RAF Museum Midlands Development Programme' has been made possible thanks to a generous investment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Museum is developing our plans further and ground works will commence in 2025.

If you live/have lived with a disability or, have an understanding of living with a disability we'd love to hear from you to help us make our site accessible to all.

24/06/2023

in 1948 : the Soviet Union tried to force the Western Allies to give up their part of the city by blocking all road, rail and canal routes to West-Berlin. The Allies countered this by setting up an airbridge. This was the start of the Berlin Air Lift.

After Germany surrendered at the end of the , the country was divided into four sectors, controlled by Britain, France, the United States and the Soviet Union. Berlin was inside the sector, but the other Allied countries controlled the western half.

Against all odds, Britain and its Western Allies decided to sustain the city from the air. As the RAF aircraft pool had significantly been reduced after the cessation of the war, they were forced to pull aircraft out of training units. flying boats, used to hunt down German submarines during the war, were transporting salt, as their hulls were resistant to salty sea water.

New runways were built, bigger employed and more efficient traffic control introduced, eventually resulting in an aircraft landing in Berlin every minute. When the airlift stopped in September 1949, 2.3 million tons of food, coal, medicine and other supplies had been delivered. The British and Americans flew nearly 90,000 flights to Berlin. 39 British, 31 American and 13 German civilians lost their lives in the , but West-Berlin remained in Western hands until the last Soviet troops withdrew in 1994.

23/06/2023

in 1919 : a memorial is erected in Recreation Ground to commemorate the air attack on a school by German bombers on 13 June 1917. A single 50-kg bomb had fallen on the Upper North Street School in Poplar, killing 18 children. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/the-few-and-the-first-battle-of-britain-part-3/

22/06/2023

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush at our country's shores.

To commemorate this anniversary calypso singer Alexander D Great remembers those heroes who served the Mother Country during both World Wars, some of whom settled on these shores - arriving on the Empire Windrush.

20/06/2023

Congratulations to RAF Museum Volunteer Roy Martin who has been honoured in HM The King’s Birthday Honours List 2023.

The King's Birthday Honours mark the extraordinary contributions and service of people across the UK, and we’re delighted that Roy has been awarded an MBE for his decades of volunteering at the Museum. Roy will be presented with his medal later this year.

Roy first volunteered at the Museum 49 years ago as Curator. After 4 years he returned to his engineering roots, overseeing the engineering volunteer team who help us maintain the aircraft and keep them looking their best. Prior to joining the Museum, Roy served in the RAF for 22 years as Chief Technician, including nine years at RAF Cosford.

From all your friends at the RAF Museum – congratulations Roy, it’s truly deserved!👏👏🥳

20/06/2023

This summer, fasten your seatbelts as the RAF Museum presents Horrible Histories Up in the Air Adventure. Get ready to experience the (sometimes gruesome) history of flight in the Horrible Hangar. Meet fearless and foolish flyers and solve the clues in this fully interactive experience for all the family.

Based on the Horrible Histories book, ‘Up in the Air’, written by Terry Deary and illustrated by Martin Brown, the RAF Museum will bring characters from the book to life with some of the truly brainless blunderers pursuing the desire to fly!

Legendary aviation pioneers from throughout history will be on hand to steer you around six amazing zones for one fantastic adventure, including the Engineer’s Workshop; Barnstorming Braves; Creation Station; Meet the Inventor; Selfie Zone and the Up in the Air Challenge.

Bespoke Horrible Histories activity packs and a free Twinkletoes Trail around the Museum are also on offer for visitors throughout the summer break. Not only did Twinkletoes the cat feature in the book, she’s the Transatlantic traveller and lucky charm of Arthur Whitten Brown who flew on the first ever non-stop transatlantic flight in 1919. Twinkletoes is the purrfect character to guide you round both of our sites.

This year celebrates the 30th anniversary of Horrible Histories – the world’s bestselling historical book series for children.

The Horrible Histories Up in the Air Adventure runs from Saturday 22 July until 3 September, with three 2-hours sessions daily at both Museum sites, in London and in the Midlands.

Advanced booking is strongly advised for this immersive experience. Tickets are £7.50 per person, or £25 for 5 people on our group saver ticket. Book now for a great day out this summer at https://www.rafmuseum.org

Metro London Evening Standard Birmingham Post

16/06/2023

in 1948 : Following serious rioting and social unrest, the Malayan Communist Party was banned. This marked the beginning of the Malayan Emergency (Operation Firedog).

Operation Firedog represented a major commitment for the Royal Air Force (RAF). A total of fifteen RAF squadrons served in Malaya at some stage of the emergency and many more United Kingdom-based units took part in temporary detachments to Malaya.

15/06/2023

Wow, our good friend Bruce Crompton is presenting the second season of the popular podcast Amazing War Stories, starting today. Check it out at
https://www.facebook.com/AmazingWarStories

Honour our veterans, Preserve their legends for future generations and Support military museums…

14/06/2023

A flypast to mark the forthcoming retirement of the Hercules from RAF service is currently taking place over the 4 nations of the U.K. – including a flypast over the Museum and RAF Cosford.

Our Midlands site was honoured to have three Hercules from 47 Squadron flying over our site at 10.34am. Please see the video below.

To mark the Hercules' retirement from service we are currently challenging our online community to run, walk, cycle, or swim 130Km by July 28.

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

07/06/2023

A huge thank you to RocketGro for donating the compost for 1940s week’s Dig for Victory workshops.

All little visitors to the Museum thoroughly enjoyed learning how vital growing your own food was as a result of Second World War rationing.

07/06/2023

We're celebrating Volunteers' Week! Our Learning Hosts greet schools, help out with bags, and assist the team in making school visits run smoothly. You're amazing and we couldn't do it without you! Volunteers' Week The Royal Air Force Museum London