Royal Air Force Museum London - Admission Free

Museum's 2009 Christmas Catalogue Now Available

If you're scratching your head for unusual Christmas gift ideas for the aviation enthusiast in your life and would like to support charity at the same time, why not obtain a copy of our Christmas Catalogue?

In it you will find a range of gifts suitable for all budgets and ages from our limited edition 2010 Royal Air Force Museum Teddy Bear, a very affordable stocking filler at only £10.00 for the younger members of the family, to The Boys Book of Airfix an ideal gift for Dad or Grandad.

Remember by purchasing items from the Royal Air Force Museum shop you are helping to support the Royal Air Force Museum to preserve our country's valuable aviation heritage.

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Request a catalogue be sent out to you.

Register For Your Opportunity To Set A Guinness World Record!

Saturday 19th December
10:30 to 16:30.

This December is the 70th Anniversary of Airfix; the fascinating, affordable and intricate plastic model kits that have kept generations of children entertained since 1939.

To celebrate this anniversary, Airfix and the Royal Air Force Museum are inviting members of the public to help us achieve a brand new Guinness World Record for the most number of Spitfire model aircraft constructed in a day - with each person participating able to take their completed model home to keep totally free of charge as a thank you for taking part and as an early Christmas present from both great British institutions.

Places are limited for this attempt, so if you would like to participate, please fill in the form below.

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Register for world record attempt

November's Podcast Now Live

Operation Corporate: The RAF's Role In The Falklands Campaign

This podcast tells the story of the RAF's response to an unexpected war 8000 miles away from Britain.

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Listen to this month's podcast

Museum Launches Online Book Of Remembrance

As part of its latest online exhibition, Lest We Forget, the Royal Air Force Museum has opened an electronic Book of Remembrance to commemorate the memory of those who have served in the Royal Air Force and its sister services, the Royal Flying Corps, the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and the Women’s Royal Air Force.

Speaking about the online exhibition, Air Vice Marshal (retired) Peter Dye, the Head of the Museum’s Collections Division, stated:

“Lest We Forget is a poignant and unflinching exhibition that highlights the sacrifices made by those that have served in the Royal Air Force since its formation more than 90 years ago. It invites us to reflect on the impact on families and loved ones; whilst exploring the invaluable work of the agencies and support networks that bring practical aid and comfort to those who have suffered bereavement."

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Visit Lest We Forget Online

November's Navigator Highlights

This month Navigator, the Museum's online collection, offers you two new highlights 'First World War Photographs' and 'Charles Brown Photographs 1955 - 1965'.

Charles Brown Photographs:
Having begun his career as a society photographer Charles Brown gradually produced more and more work for the Admiralty, War Office, Air Ministry and aircraft manufacturers until this became his main body of work. Here can be found a sample from the period 1955-1965.

First World War Photographs:
By 11 November 1918 the Royal Air Force had become an armed force in its own right, many of its personnel having served in the ranks of the Navy (Royal Naval Air Service) and Army (Royal Flying Corps).

To commemorate Armistice Day we present a selection of our unique portrait photographs of personnel from 1914-1918.

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Visit Navigator Online Collection

R A F Charitable Trust Competition - Winners Announced.

This Autumn the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust will be holding a series of concerts across the country.

BBC Radio 2 broadcasters Sarah Kennedy, Alan Dedicoat and Lynn Bowles plus former Dad's Army star Ian Lavendar will share the role of compere on the prestigious RAF Concert tour, which embarks on its 13 day trip.

The Royal Air Force Museum managed to obtain 2 pairs of tickets for 2 winners and an accompanying friend to attend the Birmingham Concert at Symphony Hall on 28th October and London Concert at Cadogan Hall on 30th October by entering a free prize draw and is proud to announce the winners of our Prize Draw are as follows:

Mr L Stones of Whitchurch and Mrs Wiseman of Kettering who have won tickets to the Birmingham Concert.

Mr William Eldridge of Sandhurst and Mr John Runcieman of Grays who have won tickets to the London Concert.

Congratulations to both sets of winners!

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Learn more about the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust

Women, The Royal Air Force Museum Needs You!

The Royal Air Force Museum would love to hear anecdotes from any current or former female service personnel through the electronic version of its popular Women of the Air Force exhibition.

All that you need to do is to submit your personal tale to the Women of The Air Force interactive forum. We'll check it for spelling and then post it online for visitors to our website to view sending you a quick email to let you know that it can now be seen.

Nina Burls, the exhibition's Curator, stated:

"The aim of Women of the Air Force is to address what has been perceived by many of our visitors to be a lack of representation given in the Museum's displays specifically to women whilst educating the public about how the roles of women in the Service have changed since the creation of the Women's Royal Air Force in 1918."

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Tell your story to Women of the Air Force

Enjoy London Conferencing Not London Pricing!

In these straightened times we all want value for money and quite often when hospitality budgets are being slashed that can mean settling for a venue that get's the job done rather than one that entertains and delights your guests and delegates.

With this in mind the Royal Air Force Museum London has launched a range of affordable Day Delegate Rates and Meetings Packages starting from only £40.75 per person inclusive of VAT as we believe your delegates will be as delighted with the venue and the service that they receive as you will be with the price.

Better yet, given that the Museum is only 10 minutes from Junction 4 of M1 and just 30 minutes from Central London reaching the venue quick and convenient...and unlike some London venues we are able to offer free secured parking for up to 200 delegates which, in the capital, is a real boon.

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Learn more about our great value Day Delegate Rates

Trailblazers: Still On View 'til 31st December

5th May to 31st December 2009

Many people identify the Golden Age of aviation as the period between the two World Wars, a time when young men and women sought thrills, danger and, ultimately, international recognition through trailblazing aviation exploits that set the world alight during the 1920s and 1930s.

This small group of pioneers were the first to conquer oceans and seas or just the physical and mental demands of long distance flying without the comfort of the modern technologies that we take for granted today, making their achievements, for many, even more wondrous.

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Learn more about "Wonderful Amy!"

Bomber Hall Audio Tours Now Avaliable

The Royal Air Force Museum London is proud to announce that it is the first museum in the country to install a new mobile phone based audio tour. Visitors to the Bomber Hall at the Museum can now dial a number on their phones and receive a commentary on the different exhibits by keying in the relevant number. The cost of such calls will be only at local rates or automatically deducted from your minutes plan. Alternatively, the tour can be downloaded from this website onto your Ipod or MP3 player and can be used in conjunction with the Museum's printed Guide Book to give you further insight into the Museum's historic collection
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Download and listen to Bomber Hall Audio Tours

Reach For The Skies And Add Some Christmas Sparkle To Your Event!

The Royal Air Force Museum London is pleased to unveil our 2009 Group Christmas Party Packages and to invite guests to enjoy a fully managed evening of entertainment in our historic Battle of Britain Hall, prices from a very affordable £65.25 per person!

Available for up to180 guests each package includes:
• Exclusive hire of our recently refurbished Battle of Britain Hall from 7.30pm to midnight
• A full event lighting package
• PA system with disco and dance-floor
• A ‘Christmas Sparkle’ drinks reception on arrival
• A choice of either a serviced Christmas buffet or three course plated menu
• Seasonal table centres and crackers
• Free car and coach parking
• Full provision of security, cloakroom and event management.

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Make an enquiry via online booking form.

Don't Forget Our Women Of The Air Force Trail

As part of our Women of the Royal Air Force exhibition we are running a free trail for children under 12. Booklets are available, on arrival, at Main Reception.

Each child 12 and under who completes this trail and either posts it in the letter box located by the exhibition or hands it in at our Aeronauts Reception Desk will go into a monthly prize draw to win £25 worth of goods from the Museum Shop.

This competition will run monthly until the end of December, with the final monthly draw taking place the 1st week in January.

Our winner for May was Emily Wettasinghe from Northolt and in June Rebecca Coleman of Hemel Hempstead. July's winner is Helena Procopis from London and we are happy to announce that Beth Martin of Maple Cross in Hertfordshire has won August's Prize Draw.

September's draw will take place 1st week in October, so don't forget, if you have any young people in your party, to pick up a free trail booklet when visiting.

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Visit The Women of the Air Force Online Exhibition

Museum Sword Makes Historic Transatlantic Journey

An RAF Officer's ceremonial sword, presented by the Museum's American Foundation, is flying across the Atlantic in the B-25 Mitchell 'Grumpy'.

The sword has been funded by the RAF Museum American Foundation, and will be presented to the RAF Exchange officer in the US who has most contributed to Anglo-American relations during the year.

The epic journey is being undertaken by Foundation Board Member John T Sessions in his B-25 Mitchell bomber, Grumpy. He is following the route taken by the lend-lease aircraft on their way to the UK during the Second World War.

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Amazing Glazing! Battle Of Britain Hall Now Open.

The Battle of Britain Hall is now open on to the public with a stunning new glass wall. Now you can see the Sunderland flying boat and the famous Lysander in broad daylight plus the Museum's sound and light show detailing the course of the Battle,"Our Finest Hour".

Our iconic Battle of Britain Spitfire and Hurricane are also on view.

Please note that work is not entirely complete in the area, some electrical installations in the Upper Mezzanine Area of the Hall will come back on line in the next couple of days. Accordingly, this part of the Hall and access to the Sunderland Flying Boat is not currently available.

Don't miss this opportunity to be the first to see this world beating collection in an entirely new light!

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Learn more about our Battle of Britain Collection

Flt. Lt. Michelle Goodman D F C In Her Own Words

We are proud to announce that, as part of our Women of the Air Force on-line exhibition, Flt. Lt. Michelle Goodman DFC has contributed her own very personal account of the operation for which she was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

To read her account please go to "Women in the RAF Today".

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Visit Women in the RAF Today

Our Latest Restoration Is Unveiled

At 2.15 pm on 1st July the Royal Air Force Museum's latest restoration, the FE2b, was unveiled to an invited audience of press and the public in the Museum's Bomber Hall.

The FE2b was first introduced as a night bomber on the Western Front in 1915 and saw front line service against occupying forces until 1919.

The exhibit will be on permanent display in the Royal Air Force Museum's Bomber Hall daily from 10 am to 6pm with admission to Bomber Hall and the rest of the Museum site being free of charge.

If you would like to learn more about the FE2, we have recorded a podcast to celebrate its unveiling which people can access below.

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Listen to our podcast about the FE2

Don't Forget, When Visiting, Our Society Of Friends' Museum Tours

Don't forget that our Society of Friends offer informal tours of the Museum on a regular basis throughout the week which provide added insight into the aircraft in our collection.

To find out when these tours take place remember to examine the "What's On Today" boards located in the entrance areas of the Battle of Britain Hall and our Bomber Hall.

If the idea of working on one of our aircraft, marine craft or vehicles in your spare time appeals to you, our Society of Friends are looking for able bodied individuals to assist our curatorial team in their preservation and upkeep. No need for experience as training will be given - just the willingness to muck in and make new friends. For further information click on the link below