Recovering the Dornier Do 17
Explore the extraordinary recovery and conservation of the world’s last surviving Dornier Do 17. Retrieved from the seabed at Goodwin Sands.
BlogFind out moreDiscover the skill, dedication and engineering expertise behind the preservation of historic aircraft at the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre at RAF Museum Midlands. Professional technicians and trained volunteers care for, conserve and restore aircraft and large objects from the Museum’s National Collection.
Past and present projects include the Sopwith Dolphin, Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIX, Vickers Wellington, Handley Page Hampden and recovered Dornier 17. The team combines traditional techniques with modern conservation methods, helping to protect specialist skills through its award-winning apprenticeship programme.
As a working engineering environment, the Centre is not normally open to visitors, but its annual Open Week offers a rare opportunity to see aircraft conservation in action.
Highlights
Restoring the Lysander
Discover how the only surviving Special Duties variant of the Westland Lysander was conserved using traditional techniques. Its new Irish linen covering was sewn by hand, strengthened with aircraft dope and finished in an accurately researched wartime colour scheme.
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Moving the Mosquito
Go behind the scenes as experts dismantle, move and reassemble the RAF Museum’s de Havilland Mosquito.
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Restoring the Vickers Wellington
Discover how Museum specialists completed the decade-long restoration of a rare Vickers Wellington.
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Handley Page Hampden P1344
Follow the wartime story, recovery and painstaking restoration of the rare Handley Page Hampden P1344.
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