Archive exhibitions

The following exhibitions are available online only and are not on display at the Royal Air Force Museum.

Alex Henshaw

Alex Henshaw - Flying Legend - A Life in Art

Alex Henshaw took up flying in 1932 and quickly gained his Pilot's licence flying over the open landscape of Lincolnshire. Aviation soon became a passion in which the honing of his skill was matched by increasing ambitions to tour across Europe and to take part in competitions and races.
Visit the Alex Henshaw - Flying Legend - A Life in Art Exhibition

Freedom and Liberty

Freedom & Liberty

During the Second World War the Royal Air Force not only fought to defend the freedom and liberties of the British people but also helped to liberate people living in countries occupied by Germany, Italy and Japan.
Visit the Freedom & Liberty Exhibition

Wonderful Amy

Wonderful Amy!

In 1930 Amy Johnson became world famous overnight, when she became the first woman aviator to fly solo to Australia. This biography is taken from the exhibition, originally created to celebrate the centenary of her birth, and uses material from her extensive archive held by the Museum.
Visit the Wonderful Amy Exhibition

De Havilland

De Havilland - The Man and the Company

Geoffrey de Havilland was one of the great pioneers of aviation. His work was of value to the whole of the aircraft industry and he was always ready to share his knowledge. Millions of people have either had their first flight, learned to fly or travelled to destinations world-wide in de Havilland aircraft.
Visit the De Havilland - The Man and the Company Exhibition

Kings, Queens & Flying Machines

Kings, Queens & Flying Machines

The connection between flying and the Royal Family stretches back almost to the dawn of aviation. In 1909, during a visit to Paris, King Edward VII met the Wright brothers and watched them demonstrate their Flyer aircraft.
Visit the Kings, Queens & Flying Machines Exhibition

Worth a Thousand Words - Air Diagrams

Worth a Thousand Words - Air Diagrams

It is often said that "a picture is worth a thousand words" and nowhere is this more true than in the case of Air Diagrams - posters produced for use in the training of air and ground crews.
Visit the Worth a Thousand Words - Air Diagrams Exhibition

Not Quite Extinct

Not Quite Extinct

The collection of the RAF Museum aircraft has many regrettable gaps, reflected in the ranks of preserved aircraft as a whole. Many famous aircraft types, of all vintages, nationalities and types, right up to the 1940s and 50s, are now extinct, either through scrapping at the end of their service lives or the later destruction of one-time 'preserved' examples.
Visit the Not Quite Extinct Exhibition

Battle of Britain Class Locomotive Plates

Battle of Britain Class Locomotive Plates

The Royal Air Force Museum's Charter requires that it collects examples of artefacts associated with the Royal Air Force, and these locomotive plates are part of the related social history. The RAF Museum holds the following nineteen single Battle of Britain Class steam locomotive Nameplates from a class of 44 engines that once ran on British Railways
Visit the Battle of Britain Class Locomotive Plates Exhibition

Comet - The First Jet Airliner

Comet - The First Jet Airliner

Between 1930 and 1950 military aircraft design advanced from propeller driven biplanes to jet powered monoplanes. Civil aviation remained dominated by large propeller driven aircraft until 1949 when de Havilland introduced the world to the age of the jet airliner.
Visit the Comet - The First Jet Airliner Exhibition

The Art of Elva Blacker

The Art of Elva Blacker

Despite wartime shortages Blacker was able to work in several media, water-colour, oil and ink, the latter used with both brush and pen. She was most successful and prolific in water-colour and in drawing with ink, though some of her pencil drawings show a highly refined and sensitive technique.
Visit the The Art of Elva Blacker Exhibition

  • Air Force American Foundation Learn about The Royal Air Force Museum American Foundation.
  • 100 First Air War Objects Explore our 100 First Air War Objects. E-mail your Top 5 objects to: dcm@rafmuseum.org.
  • National Cold War Exhibition Discover the National Cold War Exhibition, Cosford.
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  • 100 First Air War Objects Tell us which objects should feature in our First World War Exhibition.
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Royal Air Force Museum - American Foundation