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One of the most elegant helicopters ever designed, this is the Westland/Aérospatiale . It became iconic through its 'fenestron' tail rotor.
32 Gazelles were delivered to the Royal Air Force, and they served from the mid 70s until mid 90s. Others served with the Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm.
Sopwith Triplane N5912 in Hangar 2 at the RAF Museum London. Compared to mono- and bi-planes, triplanes have always been rather rare. The advantage of having a third step of wings was that it increased the wing area which in turn improved climb rate. By keeping the wing span short, it also meant the was very manoeuvrable. The downside is that triple wings also create a lot of aerodynamic drag, which made the aircraft rather slow. Yet, the Germans were sufficiently impressed with its performance and a captured Triplane inspired the development of the Fokker Dr. I, made famous by the Red Baron.
The was used in combat by the Royal Naval Air Service, which together with the Royal Flying Corps, became the RAF in 1918. British fighter ace Cecil Lewis said of 'all machines, the Triplane remains in my memory as the best . . . Other machines were faster, stronger, had better climb or vision; but none was so friendly as the Tripe. . . It could do more than this: set the engine at 3/4 throttle and wind the tail well back and the Tripe would loop indefinitely. I once did 21 loops in a row!'
in 1917 Our Triplane N5912 left for although some of its time there is recorded as unserviceable for unspecified reasons. Come and view her up close; book your free ticket:
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/sopwith-triplane/
in 1948 : the very last Supermarine Spitfire is produced at Vickers Armstrong at Hursley Park. VN496 was a F24, the ultimate development of the type. However, the advent of the jet fighter meant that only 70 were built, many of which converted F22s.
Our Hangar 3 holds a rare Spitfire F24. It was produced at as Mk. 22 but taken to South Marston where it was completed as a Mk. 24. Like most F24s it was kept in storage.
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/collections/supermarine-spitfire-f24/
However, VN496 served with No. 80 Squadron in Hong Kong until struck of charge in 1950.
These ultimate examples of the Spitfire only vaguely resembled the early of the Battle of Britain. Equipped with a powerful Rolls Royce Griffon engine (replacing the legendary Merlin), a tear-drop canopy for greater visibility, enlarged tail, five propeller blades, four machine cannons, ... all of these changes created a Spitfire, twice as heavy as the original. Performance was stellar: 160 km/h (100 mph) greater top speed than the early Spitfires and almost twice the rate of climb.
In fact, the only reason why they were still called Spitfires was the propaganda value of the name. The final version received a new name: the Supermarine Spiteful. Very few were produced as the future of combat aviation lay with jet propulsion.
: The Earl of Athlone inspecting No. 907 (Balloon) Squadron, RAF Stanmore Park, 1939.
RAF Stanmore Park opened in 1939 as the home of Balloon Command. The squadrons it controlled were formed as part of the Auxiliary Air Force and manned by part time volunteers.
The squadrons flew barrage balloons to protect industrial and military locations around the country. When the Second World War started, they were embodied in the Royal Air Force and came under the operational control of Fighter Command, playing an important role in the Battle of Britain and the campaign against the German V-1 flying bombs.
(Charles Brown Collection 5873-10)
Exhaust of the BAe Hawk. Diesel is mixed with a coloured dye and ejected into the jet exhaust to produce either red, white or blue smoke for their displays.
On 10 December 1941 Arthur Scarf's parents received, via telegram, the news that every parent dreads: the loss of their child.
The fact that he died saving the lives of his crew and while successfully completing his mission would have been of some comfort to his family as would the posthumous award of his Victoria Cross.
We have raised almost £15,000 so far to keep it in the United Kingdom. Can you help us reach our £250,000 target?
The RAF Museum has launched the campaign to save the Arthur Scarf Victoria Cross from being taken overseas.
The medal has been sold at auction to an overseas buyer, but we have been given until Sunday 30 April 2023 to fundraise and match the sale price of £660,000.
A contribution is being made from the Museum’s own funds, and we also have a potential grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. We need your help to raise the remaining £250,000.
Without your help, this medal will be sent overseas and lost to the nation.
During the Second World War, 22 Victoria Crosses were awarded to RAF personnel.
Arthur Scarf was the recipient of the only Victoria Cross awarded to the Royal Air Force for services in the Far East during the Second World War. This incredibly rare medal, and Arthur’s Story, is a national treasure which represents an extraordinary and highly poignant story of great personal courage. The RAF Museum is determined for it to remain within the UK.
Please help us keep this precious piece of our history in the UK as part of the National Collection. If we are successful, we shall display the medal and bar alongside other objects from the RAF's campaign in the Far East, helping us to share Arthur Scarf’s incredible but little-known story both now and in the future.
Find out more about Arthur’s Story and how to donate by visiting:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-scarf-vc
Every contribution will play a part and no donation is too small to make a difference.
We would also be grateful if you could help by also sharing Arthur’s story on your social media and displaying our GoFundMe page. Thank you.
The Royal Air Force Museum is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC000922) and is a charity registered in England and Wales (1197541)
The Hawker Siddeley Andover was a tactical transport aircraft, which entered service in 1965.
Come and sit inside our Andover, and get up close to all our aircraft in Hangar 1, during Sunday’s members-only after-hours event.
http://ow.ly/6MPH50MTh0O
It was developed from the Avro 748 airliner to become a military aircraft, capable of short distance taking off and landing, carrying troops, paradropping, freighting and medical evacuation roles.
The main modification incorporated a hydraulic kneeling arrangement in the main undercarriage. This allowed the rear loading door to adjust to any truckbed height.
Power was provided by two Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines. These jet engines were a massive improvement over the older piston engines. They made the Andover substantially faster than the Vickers Valetta and Blackburn Beverley it replaced.
With a maximum payload of 6,691kg (14,750 lbs) of freight, the Andover could fly 602km (374miles). This short range limited its transport capability.
Many of the 31 RAF aircraft were used for other duties, such as photographic mapping and VIP transport. Our Andover E3A serial XS639 was used for calibration of ground navigation aids.
Escape the weekend crowds and explore our Andover and the many transport and training aircraft. From 5.00pm to 7.00pm on Sunday 19 February Hangar 1 will be open exclusively to members only! The aircraft on display include Chinook 'Bravo November', Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, Hawker Hart, Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the Mignet Flying Flee, the Avro Anson C19, de Havilland Comet 1XB and Chipmunk, and several other aircraft, weapons and aero engines.
Light refreshments and parking are free!
Find out here how to become a member and see all members' benefits:
http://ow.ly/rgpG50MTlsT
in 1953 : Operation Sandbag, involving 14 Handley Page Halifaxes and 6 Vickers Valettas of RAF Transport Command, flies several million sandbags from the Continent to the UK to repair breaches in sea defences caused by floods from Lincolnshire to Kent.
Yesterday, we posted about the recent installation of the the 617 Dambusters Anniversary Window in Scampton church.
Since this post we have received enquiries from our followers asking whether we could show this happening. Thankfully Look North News where there to cover the installation.
To watch their report, just click on the link below.
in 1928 : The Short Calcutta flying boat makes its first flight at Rochester. Derived from the military Short Singapore, the Calcutta was the first British stressed skin, metal-hulled flying boat. More importantly, it's the first airliner with a full kitchen.🍴🍳🥗🍗😋
: Hawker-Siddeley Trident 1C (G-ARPC), in flight to the SBAC Show, Farnborough, 1962.
The Trident began in the 1950s as the De Havilland DH121. A consortium was formed to manufacture the aircraft and the name Airco was adopted. In 1960 De Havilland was acquired by Hawker-Siddeley and the Airco name dropped, the type making its first flight in 1961 as the Hawker-Siddeley Trident.
The actions of the British Government and British European Airways reduced the type’s value to other airlines, and it failed to achieve the sale of the similar Boeing 727.
Despite this lack of success, however, it did introduce an automatic blind landing system which allowed the aircraft to land in fog, something few could do.
(Charles Brown Collection 6857-11)
Diving down, this is the Hawker Hunter T7A in the National Cold War Hangar.
The Hawker T series were a dual-control training version of the classic single-seat Hunter. Slightly unusual is the side-by-side seating for the student pilot and instructor. Most variants would have them seated in a row.
The first prototype Hunter trainer flew in July 1955, and the Hunter T7 first entered service with No. 229 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Chivenor, in August 1958.
The T7A was again slightly different in that it received Hawker Siddeley instrumentation in the cockpit for conversion training for RAF pilots, probably those having flown English Electric Canberra..
Come and see this Hunter at the NCWE
http://ow.ly/TwJ750MNoN9