Latest News from RAF Museum London: 4 February 2012
The RAF Museum occupies two public sites in the UK at Hendon in North London, and Cosford in Shropshire, West Midlands. Find out the latest news for RAF Museum Cosford below.
RAF Museum Website Feedback
The Royal Air Force Museum is currently looking at refreshing its website and we would welcome your input. We have come up with four designs and would appreciate your thoughts on which you like best and what you think of our current site.
All responses are anonymous so please feel free to give honest opinions. The questionnaire will take around 10 minutes to complete and provide the Museum with valuable feedback.
Please click the link shown and thank you for your interest in the Museum.
Read more...
Website Survey Click Here
Helicopter Half Term 13th to 17th of February
This Half Term we are giving children of all ages the opportunity to learn more about the history of our Helicopter Collection through a series of interactive workshops.
We will be opening up our Whirlwind and Royal Wessex Helicopters so that people can view inside.
We will also be allowing children to make their own simple paper helicopter to take home and keep free of charge. This activity will be situated just outside the Museum's Dermot Boyle Wing towards the far end of the Museum's Helicopter Collection.
Session times are 11.00 – 13.00 and 14.00 – 16.00. daily Monday through to Friday.
Read more...
Discover what else is happening at the museum this February
Museum To Exhibit Fresh Air
FREE ART EXHIBITION
21st May 2012 to June 2013
The Royal Air Force Museum London will be displaying from late May a year long retrospective of the work of renowned aviation artist David Bent in an exhibition entitled, Fresh Air
Over the last decade David Bent’s modern and distinctive style has won a plethora of devoted fans including the Red Arrows, with whom he has collaborated as Artist in Residence. Considered as challenging, thought provoking and innovative, his works combine art with technology and compel the viewer to stop and take notice. Each composition demands time for re-examination as details, previously hidden when first seen are revealed anew forcing multiple re-interpretations of the works viewed.
His work is considered by many to be a breath of fresh air in the world of aviation art.
Read more...
Discover what other paintings are currently in our collection.
Green Park Memorial Gives Charity Exposure
The construction of a memorial in London’s Green Park has given a children’s charity vital exposure via a 100m long advertising hoarding.
The Memorial to honour the 55,573 men of Bomber Command who lost their lives in World War II is currently being constructed in the North West corner of Green Park, close to Buckingham Palace.
During the eight month build, the Bomber Command Association has partnered with national children’s charity, Caudwell Children, to run an advertising campaign along the stretch of Piccadilly being used for the Memorial.
Read more...
This month's Flickr Appeal - RNAS Dundee
This month's Flickr Appeal consists of a photograph album, found during a recent inventory of unrecorded photographs, was donated to the Royal Air Force Museum by a Mrs E.M. Griffin in the 1970s.
The album dates from 1916-1919 and includes photographs of Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) personnel and aircraft at RNAS Dundee, later RAF Dundee - plus the occasional monkey.
Can you provide more information and help the Museum record these photographs in more detail?
Read more...
View our latest set of Flickr Photographs
Save 15% on Meeting Room Hire until March 31st 2012
Throughout 2011, it's fair to say, that all our piggy banks have taken beating and that's before the Christmas season gets fully under way!
So we at the RAF Museum are offering a 15% discount on our venue hire charges for all events taking place at the Museum between now and 31st March 2012.
Whether it’s a meeting for 20 or a dinner for 400, our awe-inspiring displays of aircraft will make for a memorable and unique experience guaranteed to ‘Be the Best’ without blowing your budget.
For further information about our offers - or to discuss our year round event facilities further - please contact the Corporate Events Team on 020 8358 4848 or email events@rafmuseum.com quoting ref NY15...there's still time to book a Christmas Reception with us or to take advantage of our Festive Day Delegate Package. (Terms & Conditions apply)
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Learn more about our Day Delegate Packages
Museum Unveils RAF Photography Exhibition - 15th January
The winning images from the annual Royal Air Force Photographic Competition will be on view to members of the public at the RAF Museum London from 15th January 2012.
The Royal Air Force is celebrating the superb achievements of its photographers following the judging of the annual RAF Photographic Competition. The winning entries are to be displayed at a unique exhibition at the RAF Museum in North London which opens on 15th January.
Read more...
Learn more about our Milestones of Flight Gallery
Wanted, Your Unwanted Books
The Royal Air Force Museum London is launching an appeal for members of the public to donate their unwanted military and aviation books & magazines to the Museum’s shop. These items will then be sold by the shop with the money raised going to the continued and on-going maintenance of the museum’s collections.
Read more...
Interactive gallery to receive £25,000 upgrade
The Royal Air Force Museum is pleased to announce it has received a grant from the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust for the purpose of upgrading its interactive gallery for children.
The grant comes soon after the Charitable Trust supported the successful upgrade of the interactive gallery at the Museum’s Cosford site earlier this year, which refurbished the older exhibits and also added updated ones.
The upgrade will create a new interactive activity area for younger visitors and families and allow the Museum to develop advanced scientific information displays for older visitors.
Read more...
Learn more about Aeronauts
Gloster Meteor F9/40 arrives in London
Hot on the heels (or should that be tail fins?) of the the F.35 full scale model arriving in Milestones of Flight last week we are able to announce that the Gloster Meteor F9/40, which was originally on display at Cosford, has also joined this gallery's aircraft collection and will be fully on display to the public from this weekend (1st October).
This aircraft was the first F9/40 manufactured. However, due to engine problems with the early prototypes the fifth prototype became the first to fly on 5 March 1943. Employed in essential early airframe and engine development trials, the F9/40 fleet laid the groundwork for the introduction into RAF service of the Gloster Meteor fighter and represented a milestone in the use of jet engines by the British aircraft industry.
Read more...
Learn more about our Milestones of Flight Collection.
F-35 model takes pride of place in Milestones of Flight
The Royal Air Force Museum has recently taken delivery of a full scale model of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Built by Lockheed Martin, the model is a fully accurate representation of the aircraft currently in flight test and due to enter service with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in 2020.
Measuring 15.4m long with a wing span of 10.67m, the F-35 Lightning 2 makes an impressive debut alongside the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon fighter and the earlier Harrier GR3 – a veteran of the Falklands War. The model has been employed by Lockheed Martin across the world at numerous exhibitions and air shows.
Their decision to donate the aircraft to the Royal Air Force Museum reflects the importance of British companies in the development of the F-35 and the aircraft’s significant role in the Royal Air Force’s future front line.
Read more...
Learn more about our Milestones of Flight Collection
Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Poland Opens Exhibition
Last night the Royal Air Force Museum London held its annual banquet in honour of Veterans of the Battle of Britain.
Prior to the banquet Mr. Radoslaw Sirkorski, the Minister of Foreign affairs of the Republic of Poland, who honoured the museum with his attendance at the banquet, officially opened the Museum's newest exhibition 'Brothers in Arms'.
At the banquet he delivered an address to honoured guests which included Chief of Air Staff Sir Stephen Dalton and His Excellency Michael Žantovský the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in London and Veterans of the Battle of Britain.
The contents of his address are given below (Read more).
The Museum would also like to take this opportunity to thank BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin for their sponsorship of the Museum's annual banquet in honour of the Battle of Britain Veterans attending and Brent Cross Development for their donation of £1,500 on the evening to the Museum.
Read more...
Learn more about Brothers in Arms
Sir Richard Branson helps kick start Dornier campaign
The Royal Air Force Museum has launched today a fundraising campaign to rescue the sole surviving example of the WWII Dornier Do-17 aircraft.
The Museum is now appealing to the public to raise the remaining £250,000 to complete the recovery and restoration project. The public fundraising campaign is also endorsed by Sir Richard Branson who is a supporter of the Museum.
Sir Richard Branson states: “The discovery of the Dornier is of international importance. Please support the RAF Museum’s appeal to save this unique aircraft as a tribute to the loss of life on both sides of the Battle of Britain.”
Read more...
Make a donation online to the Dornier Do-17 Restoration Project
Omani Hunter Officially Unveiled
On Thursday 21st of July, our London site was proud to welcome the Commander of the Royal Air Force of Oman, Air Vice Marshal Yah Ya Al Juma. Whilst at the museum, The Air Vice Marshall conducted the official unveiling ceremony of the Hawker Hunter FR10 (Oman) which was donated to the Museum by the Sultan of Oman.
Visitors will now greeted by our newest Gate Guardian on arriving at the Museum. The Omani Hunter is located, dynamically showcased 10 feet off the ground, in its new position directly opposite the Museum’s Main Gates.
To read the full history of this aircraft, please click on the link below.
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Read the aircraft history of the Omani Hunter
Battle of Britain Hall Opening Hours From 1st July.
From 1st July 2011 the Museum's Battle of Britain Hall will be opening to the public from 10.00 am as opposed to its current published opening hours of 12 noon.
To reflect the Hall's new opening hours 'Our Finest Hour' the Museum's sound and light show, which narrates the story of the RAF in the Battle of Britain, will be shown daily on the hour from 11am to 5pm.
Last admission to the Museum's Battle of Britain Hall will be at 5.30pm.
These new opening hours reflect the recent extension of the Grahame White Factory opening hours to 6pm and the re-opening of the Museum's Art Gallery.
Read more...
Learn more about the aircraft of the Battle of Britain
Museum to Re-open Art Gallery to the Public
The Royal Air Force Museum London is proud to announce the re-opening of its Art Gallery to the public on Friday 10th June with the installation of an exhibition of portraits by renowned wartime artist Eric Kennington.
The guest curator of the exhibition, which will run until 7th of May 2012, is the Senior Research Fellow in History of Art at Kingston University, Jonathan Black, who has mounted two other shows about Kennington in the last decade.
Read more...
Purchase a copy of 'The Face of Courage'
Get Ready 4D Feeling of Flight
If you have ever wondered what it actually feels to soar amongst the clouds or to participate an intense aerial battle wonder no more. From next Saturday visitors to the Royal Air Force Museum will be able to experience all the thrills and exhilaration of powered flight by entering the Museum’s newest attraction – its 4 Dimensional Theatre.
Read more...
Learn more about our 4D Theatre
Much loved Wimpy packs her bags and moves north.
Our Wellington bomber, Wimpy, has been on display at RAF Hendon since the museum opened in 1972. The old lady is getting tired and is starting to show her age.
Following a series of extensive engineering inspections, by museum technicians, it was decided that she should be dismantled and taken to the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre at Cosford for a major restoration programme.
Until the aircraft has been completely stripped it is impossible to say how long our Wimpy will be away - certainly several years. Present planning will see the last parts leave the Hendon site on 1st July. You may no longer be able to see her at our London site but do remember the Museum runs ‘open’ weeks at its MBCC facility at Cosford.
The RAF Museum has been fortunate in being able to shortly bring in a replacement for the Wellington. Big Nig III is an A-20 Havoc recovered some years ago from jungles in New Guinea and completely rebuilt and restored for the museum in Australia.
Read more...
Learn more about Wimpy
Latest News from RAF Museum Cosford: 4 February 2012
Motorcycle Eggstravaganza to support Midlands Air Ambulance
Sunday 1st April 2012
£5.00 per person donation
This Spring, thousands of bikers from across the country are expected to join together for a massive ride out when they take part in the ‘Bike 4 Life Easter Run’. The motorcycle run will take place on Sunday 1st April 2012 in aid of two local charities, the Midlands Air Ambulance and Royal Air Force Museum.
Read more...
See what other events are taking place in 2012
RAF Museum Website Feedback
The Royal Air Force Museum is currently looking at refreshing its website and we would welcome your input. We have come up with four designs and would appreciate your thoughts on which you like best and what you think of our current site.
All responses are anonymous so please feel free to give honest opinions. The questionnaire will take around 10 minutes to complete and provide the Museum with valuable feedback.
Please click the link shown and thank you for your interest in the Museum.
Read more...
Website Survey Click Here
Shropshire Caterer is Costa’s Top Barista
Tracey Jones, Aramark Catering Supervisor at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, beat off tough competition in a National competition for best barista amongst all Costa Coffee franchised outlets. Tracey who came third in last year’s national finals took the top spot this year after impressing the judges with her own chocolate orange coffee creation.
Read more...
Museum Apprentices train local engineering students
Monday 6th February 2012
The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford will be hosting a group of students from North East Wolverhampton Academy on Monday 6th February 2012 for a day of aircraft engineering training. The training day is part of the National Apprenticeship Week which runs from the 6th to 10th February 2012.
On the day ten students will be undertaking basic engineering training in hands on sessions at the Museum’s Michael Beetham Conservation Centre. The Conservation Centre has twice won the West Midlands National Apprenticeship Scheme ‘Small Employer of the Year’ award.
Read more...
Learn more about the Museum's Conservation Centre
Museum launches book recycling scheme
The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is launching an appeal for members of the public to donate their unwanted military and aviation books and magazines to the Museum’s Shop. These items will then be sold by the shop with the money raised going to the continued and ongoing maintenance of the Museum’s collections.
The scheme is being launched at the RAF Museum Cosford in February and the Museum would like to ask that members of the public donate any books or magazines published about the Armed Services since 1900 which are in reasonable condition by handing them in at the Museum shop’s till.
Read more...
This month's Flickr Appeal - RNAS Dundee
This month's Flickr Appeal consists of a photograph album, found during a recent inventory of unrecorded photographs, was donated to the Royal Air Force Museum by a Mrs E.M. Griffin in the 1970s.
The album dates from 1916-1919 and includes photographs of Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) personnel and aircraft at RNAS Dundee, later RAF Dundee - plus the occasional monkey.
Can you provide more information and help the Museum record these photographs in more detail?
Read more...
View our latest collection of Flickr photographs
Model Making Half Term at RAF Museum
13th to 17th February 2012
11am to 4.00pm
£3.00 per person
If you’re looking for something exciting to entertain the children this February Half Term, the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is inviting families to participate in a fun model making activity. Taking place from Monday 13th to Friday 17th February, visitors will have the opportunity to build an Airfix 1:72 Spitfire.
Read more...
See what other events are taking place in 2012
A Herculean Christmas Gift Arrives at Cosford!
A Hercules C130K Mk.3 has just become the latest aircraft to go on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, arriving just in time for Christmas. The aircraft was moved from the airfield to the Museum’s site yesterday and placed in its new permanent display space, outside overlooking the Museum site. This supersized Christmas present took a team of fifteen Museum Technicians and RAF Personnel three hours to safely move the aircraft into position, once the aircraft had been defueled.
Read more...
View the full aircraft collection at Cosford
VIP Unveils Comper Swift
Unveiled on Thursday 3rd November 2011
The Royal Air Force Museum has today officially unveiled the Museum’s latest acquisition, the Comper Swift CLA.7 G-ACGL. The aircraft was unveiled to invited guests including relatives of the aircraft’s designer and of original owner in the Museum’s Hangar 1, where it is now on permanent display to the public.
During the unveiling guests gathered by the Comper Swift for a welcome speech from the RAF Museum Director General, Peter Dye. Immediately afterwards the aircraft was unveiled by special guest Alex Henshaw Junior, son of Alex Henshaw Senior, the original owner of the aircraft. Other V.I.Ps at the launch included Comper Swift Aircraft Designer’s grandson, Mr Stephen Perry and its Engine Designer’s daughter Mrs Shirley Ann Manser.
Read more...
Museum staff help construct charity pedal car
Staff at RAF Cosford, assisted by staff in the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford have created a pedal car in the form of a World War Two Hurricane aircraft. The pedal car will be entered into a 24 hour charity cycle car race taking place in St Etienne de Chigny in the centre of France. A team of four from RAF Cosford will travel to France for the race in August 2012 hoping to raise money for RAF Charities whilst winning the best design for their pedal car.
Photo: Left to Right Tony Pass, Mick Rose, CPL Ree and Malcolm Hill.
Read more...
Sir Richard Branson kick starts Dornier Fundraising Campaign.
The Royal Air Force Museum has launched a fundraising campaign to rescue the sole surviving example of the WWII Dornier Do-17 aircraft.
The Museum is now appealing to the public to raise the remaining £250,000 to complete the recovery and restoration project. The public fundraising campaign is also endorsed by Sir Richard Branson who is a supporter of the Museum.
Sir Richard Branson states: “The discovery of the Dornier is of international importance. Please support the RAF Museum’s appeal to save this unique aircraft as a tribute to the loss of life on both sides of the Battle of Britain.”
Read more...
Make a donation to the Dornier Do-17 restoration campaign
Dornier 17 Underwater Footage Now Available To View
As recently reported the Royal Air Force Museum has been working with Wessex Archeology and English Heritage on a German bomber that was shot down in the Battle of Britain in 1940.
In addition to a micro-site which gives further details about this project the Museum has now placed on YouTube previously unseen film-footage of an underwater survey of the Dornier which took place on 2nd & 3rd of June at Goodwin Sands.
To view this film, please select the link below.
Read more...
View the Dornier 17 Underwater Survey
