The Royal Air Force Museum - RAFM, RAF Museum

The Royal Air Force Museum - RAFM, RAF Museum Our purpose is to tell the story of the R.A.F through its people and collections. Our ambition is to Language. Please use appropriate language. Corrections.
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The RAF Museum encourages people to share their opinion and experience and engage into the debates and discussions in our Social Media networks. We welcome the constructive criticism and constructive comments and respect the freedom of speech; however, we would kindly ask you to follow our outlined code of conduct to ensure that everyone has a positive experience when interacting with the Museum’s

social media networks:

Respect. Please respect all our visitors, avoid posting any hateful, defamatory, obscene, threatening, abusive, or discriminatory comments. Any comments or posts that harass others or that could be deemed as offensive will be removed and the users who have posted them may also be blocked. Any comments that contain vulgar, obscene or indecent language or images will be removed and the users responsible may also be blocked. We always appreciate your corrections of the facts in the content, but the rules of respect apply here as well. Any disrespectful comments will be removed and the users responsible may also be blocked. Privacy. Please do not post someone else’s personal details such as e-mail addresses, home addresses or phone numbers on our channels. Advertising. Please do not post comments that advertise or promote other organisations, businesses, goods, services or people. All comments used as advertising or promotional tools will be removed. Illegal activities. Please do not post material that advocates illegal activity or discusses illegal activities with the intent to commit them. All such comments will be removed and the users responsible will be banned. Intellectual property. Please be aware that images, videos, texts and other creative content you are posting could be other people’s property, and subject to Intellectual Property Law, which you do not have a lawful right to share. Points of view. We would like you to remember that the views expressed by any of our users don’t necessarily reflect the RAF Museum’s position on a given subject. The Museum reserves the right to remove any and all materials from its social media channels that contravene its guidelines, and reserves the right, where appropriate to ban an individual posting such comments from its pages. We aim to monitor our main Social Media channels every day, but our core office hours are from Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm excluding national holidays. We aim to respond to all enquiries as quickly as possible, but please note that some enquiries can take longer to resolve particularly if posted to the Museum at weekends and on national holidays.

✈️ New Lecture from the RAF Museum Archives! 📜Discover the fascinating story of the RAF’s Medium Bomber Force in "A Wast...
24/01/2025

✈️ New Lecture from the RAF Museum Archives! 📜

Discover the fascinating story of the RAF’s Medium Bomber Force in "A Wasting Asset: The RAF’s Medium Bomber Force in the aftermath of the Nassau Agreement, 1962-1982."

Join Clive Richards as he explores the pivotal two decades following the Nassau Agreement, where the iconic V-Force—Vickers Valiant, Handley Page Victor, and Avro Vulcan—transformed from a strategic nuclear deterrent to a key NATO asset.

Using rich archival material, Richards examines the doctrine, strategy shifts, and evolving Soviet defences that shaped the MBF’s role. Don’t miss this deep dive into RAF history!

Watch now on YouTube. 🎥
https://youtu.be/p_1KXn3Vyww?si=Q8lbYnxCxpK2WZbc

📣Share Your Thoughts With Us📣Join us at the RAF Museum Midlands for a hands-on workshop to share your ideas for our new ...
23/01/2025

📣Share Your Thoughts With Us📣
Join us at the RAF Museum Midlands for a hands-on workshop to share your ideas for our new Hangar 1 exhibition! 🚀

🗓️ Dates: Tuesday, 28 January & Thursday, 6 February
⏰ Time: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
📍 Location: RAF Museum Midlands, TF11 8UP
☕ Refreshments Provided

Email [email protected] to book your spot and help us create an engaging experience for all visitors!

There's still time to register for our first virtual lecture of the year, starting this evening at 6.00pm.🛩️The Arctic C...
23/01/2025

There's still time to register for our first virtual lecture of the year, starting this evening at 6.00pm.

🛩️The Arctic Convoys & Handley Page Hampden: An Unlikely Pairing 🌊

📅 Date: Thursday, 23 January 2025
⏰ Time: 6.00 pm GMT
📍 Where: Livestreamed on the RAF Museum’s Crowdcast channel

Join Bruce Hudson (Arctic Convoy Museum) and Darren Priday (RAF Museum) for a fascinating virtual lecture about the Handley Page Hampden’s role in protecting WWII Arctic convoys.

Discover how these torpedo bombers safeguarded convoys in the treacherous Barents Sea, including the tragic convoy PQ17 and Operation Orator.

The talk will also explore the Hampden's recovery and restoration journey, ending with captivating crew stories. 🎖️

🎟️ Free registration required!
👉 Secure your free spot here: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/vl-2025-acm-rafm

We look forward to welcoming you virtually this evening 😊

👉This January and February we are celebrating the Tornado, and the amazing stories of its pilots and ground crew. Sign u...
20/01/2025

👉This January and February we are celebrating the Tornado, and the amazing stories of its pilots and ground crew.

Sign up to the Tornado challenge and help the Royal Air Force Museum soar! We are asking our challengers to set their own distance and pledge to raise £50.

So if you wish you can just walk 20K, or just run 5K or just cycle 200K. This is your challenge, so you set the distance and how you reach it. All that we ask is that you hit your target by 28 February.

Once you hit your distance target you will get a medal, if you hit your £50 pledge then you will receive one of our amazing Tornado t-shirts.

🏅 Hit your distance = Tornado Challenge medal
👕Raise £50 = Exclusive t-shirt
📅Complete the Challenge by 28 Feb, starting it on 31 January

🔗Sign up now: https://the-tornado-challenge.raiselysite.com/

🎉 Tickets Now On Sale for February Half Term Events at our Midlands site! 🚀🧪Get ready for an unforgettable February Half...
20/01/2025

🎉 Tickets Now On Sale for February Half Term Events at our Midlands site! 🚀🧪

Get ready for an unforgettable February Half Term 2025 at the RAF Museum Midlands! From 15th-23rd February, join us for STEM Week—packed with mind-blowing activities for all ages. 🌌👩‍🔬

✨ Highlights Include:

🔭 Galileo Dome Planetarium Shows – Step inside the incredible Galileo Dome and be transported to the stars! 🌟 Choose from three amazing shows:

🧑‍🚀Astronaut George (30 min): Perfect for little ones (ages 3+), this fun and engaging adventure introduces the wonders of space in a way that's easy to understand.

🧑‍🚀Family Space Journey (45 min): Designed for families with kids aged 6+, dive deeper into the mysteries of the universe!

🧑‍🚀We Are Aliens (60 min): For ages 10+, this show explores the science of extra-terrestrial life—are we alone in the universe? 🌌 Limited spaces—book now to secure your seat under the stars!

💥 Volatile Chemistry Show – Science has never been this exciting (or explosive)! Join us in the Lecture Theatre for a thrilling journey through the history of chemistry.

👀Watch as experiments fizzle, pop, and ignite while learning how chemistry has shaped the world. Perfect for ages 5+, this interactive show is as entertaining as it is educational. 🧪💡

🗓️Shows run on 21st-23rd February, so don’t miss your chance to catch the action!

🕵️ Museum-Wide Trail – Solve puzzles to find a hidden lab and save the day!

🚁 Quadcopters – Learn to fly like a pro!

🎮 Flight Simulators – Take control in the cockpit.

🔬 Telescopes & More – Go cosmic with space-based workshops.

🛠️ Lego Dragsters – Build, race, and test the laws of physics!

💸 Prices start at just £3, with many activities FREE! Secure your spot now—spaces fill up fast! 🎟️

🌟 Don't miss this chance to spark curiosity and fun this half term! Book now 👉 https://bit.ly/4hhiOFS

👉Our latest archived lecture is now live on YouTube: "The Role of Airpower in the Six-Day War" 🎥✈️Did airpower truly dec...
17/01/2025

👉Our latest archived lecture is now live on YouTube: "The Role of Airpower in the Six-Day War" 🎥✈️

Did airpower truly decide the outcome of the 1967 conflict?

Christina Chatzitheodorou dives deep into this myth, exploring the pivotal yet often misunderstood role of the Israeli Air Force. 💭📚

From securing air superiority to its psychological impact, this lecture offers fresh insights on ground operations and tactical success. 🚁⚔️

📅 Don’t miss this eye-opening analysis. Watch now!

🔗 https://youtu.be/Ugufx41JAwg

This lecture was first broadcast live on the Museum's Crowdcast Channel in autumn 2021.

💡

🚨 New Virtual Lecture 🚨🛩️The Arctic Convoys & Handley Page Hampden: An Unlikely Pairing 🌊📅 Date: Thursday, 23 January 20...
17/01/2025

🚨 New Virtual Lecture 🚨

🛩️The Arctic Convoys & Handley Page Hampden: An Unlikely Pairing 🌊

📅 Date: Thursday, 23 January 2025
⏰ Time: 6 PM GMT
📍 Where: Livestreamed on the RAF Museum’s Crowdcast channel

Join Bruce Hudson (Arctic Convoy Museum) and Darren Priday (RAF Museum) for a fascinating virtual lecture about the Handley Page Hampden’s role in protecting WWII Arctic convoys.

Discover how these torpedo bombers safeguarded convoys in the treacherous Barents Sea, including the tragic convoy PQ17 and Operation Orator.

The talk will also explore the Hampden's recovery and restoration journey, ending with captivating crew stories. 🎖️

🎟️ Free registration required!
👉 Secure your free spot here: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/vl-2025-acm-rafm

We look forward to welcoming you virtually 😊

📢 We Want Your Ideas!Join us at the RAF Museum Midlands for a hands-on workshop to help shape our new Hangar 1 exhibitio...
14/01/2025

📢 We Want Your Ideas!
Join us at the RAF Museum Midlands for a hands-on workshop to help shape our new Hangar 1 exhibition! 🚀 Share your thoughts on how we can spark discussion and debate in our displays.

📅 Dates: Tuesday 28 Jan & Thursday 6 Feb
⏰ Time: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
📍 Location: RAF Museum Midlands, TF11 8UP
☕ Refreshments provided!

Email [email protected] to book your spot. Your ideas can help shape the future of our exhibitions!

Group

We're joining The National Lottery Heritage Fund in celebrating  ! Today we're showcasing the wonderful Wellington at ou...
14/01/2025

We're joining The National Lottery Heritage Fund in celebrating !

Today we're showcasing the wonderful Wellington at our Midlands site. The Wellington was restored to its former glory in 2023, after more than a decade of conservation at the RAF Museum, it is one of only two remaining.

The aircraft can be viewed at our Midlands site as part of our Bomber Command exhibition.

🌟 New on the RAF Museum's YouTube Channel! 🎥Dive into history with “Rhubarb Sorties: Controversy and Cost” – a lecture b...
14/01/2025

🌟 New on the RAF Museum's YouTube Channel! 🎥

Dive into history with “Rhubarb Sorties: Controversy and Cost” – a lecture by former RAF Museum Archivist Gary Haines. Learn about the daring yet costly missions flown in poor weather to disrupt enemy infrastructure during the Second World War. 🌫️💥

Discover the story of Canadian ace Willie McKnight and the high price paid by RAF pilots in this gripping exploration of the archives. ✈️📜

📺 Watch now: https://youtu.be/5Hj0cNqHFMY

🔎Still searching for a new adventure this year? ✨ Join our incredible volunteer team at the RAF Museum London! 🌟🛩️ Take ...
13/01/2025

🔎Still searching for a new adventure this year? ✨

Join our incredible volunteer team at the RAF Museum London! 🌟

🛩️ Take visitors on a journey through Cold War history inside our legendary Vulcan & Phantom aircraft.

📅 Commit just 1 day every 2 months (or more if you like)!

🎉 Perks: Discounts, travel expenses, free attractions & more!
Full training will be given

📅 Taster Day: 4th Feb 2025 – Discover what makes this experience unforgettable.

📩 Apply now or email [email protected] for info.

👉Full details at: https://search.volunteero.org/9e2ed3/2b911ea2-f9fb-4ccc-a7be-f8322146c73d

12/01/2025

25 years today, the ban on LGBT+ people serving in the British Armed Forces was removed. 🌈 When in 1967 homosexuality was legalised in British society, at the same time new legislation came into effect which forbade gay personnel from serving in the Armed Forces.

On 12 January 2000 this law was repealed after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that it violated Article 8 of the Human Rights Act: the right to a private and family life. ⚖️

During the ban, anyone discovered to be gay could be subjected to arrest, interrogation, examination, imprisonment, and dismissal. To mark this important anniversary, the RAF Museum has been recording the experiences of those affected by the ban, with help from the military charity for dismissed LGBT+ veterans, Fighting with Pride , and the RAF LGBT+ Freedom Network of currently serving personnel. ✈️

Each month we will share the perspectives of a selection of people who will discuss the impact of the ban and their treatment by the RAF at the time, which had a lasting effect on their lives. 💬

Kevin Bazeley joined the Royal Air Force in 1985 and served as a navigator on VC10s and Nimrods. ✈️ In 1994 Kevin was arrested after his lost wallet containing a membership card to the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club was found and handed back to the RAF. 🏍️ He was subjected to a number of interrogations before eventually being discharged from the service, ending his successful career abruptly and prematurely.

In this anniversary year, the RAF Museum is also developing an artist commission 🎨 co-produced with LGBT+ veterans and personnel, in further collaboration with Fighting with Pride and RAF LGBTQ + Network 🌟

Here is just one snippet from Kevin’s story. To find out more please visit: https://rafstories.org/stories/search?fulltext=Kevin%20Bazeley&source=editorial

🚨 New Lecture Alert! 🚨Our latest Archive Lecture is now live on our YouTube channel! 🎥📚Join David Spruce as he uncovers ...
07/01/2025

🚨 New Lecture Alert! 🚨

Our latest Archive Lecture is now live on our YouTube channel! 🎥📚

Join David Spruce as he uncovers the real stories of the men in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War🌍. Learn about the evolution of training and separate fact from fiction in this fascinating Trenchard Lecture, supported by the Royal Aeronautical Society.

This lecture was first broadcast live on the Museum's Crowdcast Channel in 2021.

Watch now for free and explore history like never before! 🌍✨
👉 https://youtu.be/IMYyJYe_Y-U

📢 New Blog Alert! Norman Brice's latest For Valour blog is now live! 📢This blog recounts the heroic story of Serjeant Th...
07/01/2025

📢 New Blog Alert! Norman Brice's latest For Valour blog is now live! 📢

This blog recounts the heroic story of Serjeant Thomas Mottershead, VC, of the Royal Flying Corps, who displayed extraordinary courage during a fiery aerial encounter on 7 January 1917.

One of the blog's highlights includes a poignant image of a 1916 Christmas card—Mottershead's last message to his young son.
Discover the story behind the Victoria Cross citation and the remarkable bravery that saved a comrade's life.

📰 Read it now at: https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/for-valour-serjeant-thomas-mottershead-1396-vc-royal-flying-corps/

🚨We are now closed until 10:00am, 2 January 2025. ✈️ 🙏Thank you for your incredible support over the past 12 months! 🙏 F...
31/12/2024

🚨We are now closed until 10:00am, 2 January 2025. ✈️

🙏Thank you for your incredible support over the past 12 months! 🙏

From all of us at the Museum, we appreciate every visit, story shared, and memory made. Have a fantastic start to 2025 however you choose see it in.🎉

🌟 We can’t wait to welcome you back in the New Year for more aviation adventures. 🛩️

Ready to kickstart your 2025 with a challenge that makes a difference? 🌟Did you know you can raise funds for the Museum ...
31/12/2024

Ready to kickstart your 2025 with a challenge that makes a difference? 🌟

Did you know you can raise funds for the Museum while taking on a range of different runs? Whether you're running a 5K, 10K, half marathon, or even tackling a Tough Mudder, your fundraising efforts help us open our doors for free and inspire thousands with the incredible stories of the RAF✈️

💥 We also have exclusive access to sold-out races like the Hackney Half Marathon! Don’t miss your chance to race for our charity.

🔥 Plus, stay tuned for our newest fundraising challenge: The Tornado Challenge, launching in the New Year.

Visit our ‘Fly High and Fundraise’ page to choose your run and sign up today!

🔗 https://bit.ly/4fJpeMS

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