The Royal Air Force Museum, London

Members of the public can now vote for their favourite RAF photograph in the People’s Choice Category of the #RAF100 #Photographic Competition.
This year’s evocative images bring to life some incredible moments from the RAF’s Centenary year:
https://www.raf.mod.uk/photo-of-the-year/ 2018/
... #artphotography #art #artphoto #RAF
See More

Squadron Leader Bob Ankerson, was forced to eject from his #Tornado in the First #GulfWar during Operation GRANBY. He was captured by the #Iraqis and held in Baghdad as a prisoner of war. He delivers a heart-rending account of this incident for our #RAF Stories Project.
Please discover his and others’ incredible #stories about their experiences with the RAF:
#POW #history #historygeek #historynerd #aviationgeek #avgeek #aviation #RAF100

We would like to thank everyone who came to #run and to #support the #runners for the #Spitfire10K at the RAF Museum #London this morning. It was a fantastic #event!

#Spitfire10K Run at the RAF Museum #London today

Squadron Leader Edward Smith, DFC, visited the RAF Museum #London with his wife to view his silhouette which is located next to our McDonnell Douglas #Phantom FGR2.
Edward dreamt of flying in the #RAF since the age of 10. He joined the Service in 1976 and was selected to serve with the #USAirForce, flying the #F16 #jet in a regular operational unit, as part of a long-standing exchange programme between both Services. After the #Iraqi invasion of #Kuwait in 1990, he flew 26 c...ombat missions during Operation Desert Storm alongside his #USAF colleagues.
He was subsequently awarded the American Distinguished Flying Cross and then the British #DFC.
On returning to the UK, his #Tornado squadron was the first RAF fast jet squadron to fly over eastern Germany following reunification.
Please view this short video of his incredible story. We hope it will inspire you to visit his silhouette in #Historic Hangars:
#history #aviationgeek #avgeek #RAF100 #ColdWar #GulfWar #historygeek #historynerd #pilot #airman #aviation #military #DesertStorm
See More

We would like to thank WinkBall for this wonderful report about #London’s #Spitfire Experience.
In this video Becca Avill explores the thrilling opportunity of climbing inside the cockpit of our Supermarine Spitfire MK16 to learn more about its #history and #technical features as well as how to fly it and to land it.
Our #SpitfireExperience is available every day from 11am to 4pm, and is a dream come true for anyone who would like to know what it is like to be a Spitfire #pi...lot. The cost is £10 per person. #aviationgeek #avgeek #historynerd #historygeek #history #airman #WW2 #WWII
See More

Have you ever wondered what that long metal spike is in the nose of a fighter #jet?
It is a pitot tube, named after their French #inventor Henri Pitot, and holds sensors that are used to determine the #airspeed of an aircraft, as well as its rate of climb and altitude.
On older aircraft they tended to be placed on the wings. Obviously, pitot tube malfunctions can result in fatal consequences!
... In our new exhibitions, you can discover the wide range of some incredible technologies used by the #RAF during its 100-year history. Please come and explore. We are free to enter and open daily from 10am. #aviation #avgeek #pilot #aircraft #airman #technologeis
See More

If you intend visiting us this Saturday please be aware that on 1 September our London site is hosting two of our major events: #Spitfire10K and Spitfire 10K #Family Run.
Both events will take place from 8.30am to 11.00am. While they are happening the roads immediately around our #London site will be closed to traffic, so that participants of the Spitfire 10k may use them.
If you are not a participant or a supporter of someone taking part in the Spitfire 10k, please plan your... trip to the #Museum after 11am on Saturday 1 September.
We are sorry for the inconvenience that this may cause non-participants of the Spitfire 10k. We look forward to welcoming you to our London site after 11am.
See More

In order to support and celebrate the launch of our #RAF Stories Project we would like to invite you to a series of #talks at the RAF Museum #Cosford. These talks will be delivered by remarkable individuals who have shared their experience with the RAF for our RAF Stories Project.
Our first RAF #Stories speaker, is ex-RAF #Paramedic Michelle Partington. In this video, which is a part of our RAF Stories project, Michelle talks about initially freezing in horror of the situatio...ns she had to deal with, before jumping straight into action.
Michelle will speak about her life experiences as an RAF paramedic as well as her battles with mental health and #PTSD ( Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) at our Cosford site on Thursday 6 September.
Book your free tickets now at: http://bit.ly/TalksRAFS. Alternatively, please listen to Michelle’s stories collected for our RAF Stories project at https://www.rafstories.org/story/raf-wp-8 145 #RAF100 #womenpower #womenempowered #womeninscience #femaleempowerment #war
See More

Bruce Dickinson, the front man of the legendary #heavymetal group Iron Maiden, talks about one of the most successful #combat aircraft of the Second World War - #Focke Wulf Fw190A-8/U-1 in the latest video from World of Warplanes. The #aircraft, nicknamed ‘the Butcher Bird’, is currently on display in Bomber Hall, at our #London site.
We would like to thank World of Warplanes for this fascinating video.
Please watch the video and then come and marvel at ‘the sexiest fighter ...aircraft that the #Germans produced.’ We are open daily from 10am. Entry is free.
#avition #avitiongeek #avgeek #BruceDickinson #IronMaiden #WW2 #WWII #SecondWorldWar #BoB #BattleofBritain
See More

You may already know that we have a wonderful #Gnat in the #RedArrows’ colours in our new #exhibition ‘#RAF Stories: The First 100 Years 1918-2018’. But did you know that the Gnat was originally intended to be a fighter #aircraft?
‘Teddy’ Petter designed the Gnat as a light and affordable #fighter in comparison to the heavier Hawker #Hunter. While the #RAF turned it down and requested a trainer version, the Gnat fighter version was exported to #Finland and India. It proved t...o be a highly successful fighter jet in #India’s war against #Pakistan, shooting down several Pakistani jets.
Please come and view this amazing aircraft, on display at our #London site. We’re open daily from 10am. Admission is free.
#aviationgeek #aviation #avgeek
See More

We are amazed by this incredible 360 footage filmed from the rear #cockpit of an RAF #Tornado shared by HM Armed Forces.
The Tornado was meeting the five latest #F-35B #Lightning Jets as they arrived in the #UK from the #USA.
While watching this video make sure you are looking out to spot the F-35s’ breath-taking flight.... #aviation #aviationgeek #avgeek #technologies #future #jet #DanSnow Dan Snow's HistoryHit
See More

We love this article from Family Travel Times, which provides fantastic #feedback about our #London site from a #young visitor’s perspective.
As Robert, aged 13, says: ‘Personally, I had a great day trying out all the new activities and looking at the new #exhibitions. The day out was a lot more fun than the last time I came so if you haven’t come in a while or are coming to London on a trip then I would definitely recommend a visit!’.
We would like to thank Sarah Ebner and... her son, Robert, for such an extraordinary #review. We are very happy to hear that they had a great time and enjoyed the Museum so much.
We are open daily from 10am to 6pm March to October, and from 10am to 5pm November to February. Admission is free. Plan your visit today.
#dayout #family #familyfun #familyholiday
See More

In her latest blog Jess Boydon, the Museum’s Community Engagement Office RAF Stories, previews a series of #talks, that will take place at the RAF Museum #Cosford this autumn promoting the #RAF #Stories project.
This project unites the stories of different people sharing their RAF #experiences. These stories were so remarkable that we decided to organise a series of talks that would give our visitors the opportunity to listen to some of our incredible contributors in person....
In our first talk on 6 September Michelle Partington, the first female #paramedic in the RAF Regiment, will share the story of her service on the #frontline and her struggle against #PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
Please read Jess’ blog and after doing so, don’t forget to book your free ticket for the RAF Stories talk of your choice: https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cos…/whats -going-on/events.aspx. Alternatively, you can listen now to these heart-rendering stories online at: https://www.rafstories.org/
#history #historygeek #historynerd #aviation #aviationgeek #avgeek
See More

A remarkable aircraft nicknamed ‘The Wooden Wonder’ was so incredibly fast that didn’t even need any #weapons on it, as it could easily escape enemy #fighters thanks to its superior speed.
Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of legendary #heavymetal group Iron Maiden, talks about this amazing aircraft, better known as the De Havilland #Mosquito, in a short video filmed by World of Warplanes at our #London site.
Once you have viewed the video come and marvel at ‘The Wooden Wonde...r’ in our Bomber Hall, where you will also find our collection of aircraft that flew in the Battle of Britain.
#WW2 #BattleofBritain #history #historygeek #aviationgeek #historynerd #avgeek #bomber #aicrfat #RAF100 #RAF
See More

You can now see the flight suit worn by the BAE Systems’s Test Pilot Peter ‘Kos’ Kosogorin throughout his test-flights of the F-35 #Lightning #aircraft.
It is now on display in our new exhibition ‘RAF: First to the Future’ at our #London site. This #exhibition gathers together objects that tell the stories of the technologies used by the #RAF during its 100 years of #history while looking, at the same time, at the technologies the RAF will soon use.
The #F-35 Lighting Jet i...s undoubtedly one of the most advanced and #innovative aircraft ever designed, and is already seen as by many in the RAF as ‘a game-changing #technology ‘.
If, after watching this video, you would like to learn more about this pioneering aircraft please visit our new exhibition ‘RAF: First to the Future’ to discover more.
Just one of 100 reasons to visit the RAF Museum this summer. #innovation #aviationgeek #avgeek #RAF100
See More

Today we would like to celebrate an outstanding #Polish #pilot from the Battle of Britain, Antoni Głowacki, who became an #ace today in 1940. The RAF Museum’s #archive has his #logbook which reveals in full the details of his valorous service.
Having escaped his native #Poland after the Nazi invasion, Głowacki joined the #RAF in early 1940. In August 1940, he joined 501 Squadron, flying Hawker #Hurricanes. As can be seen in his log book entry for 15 August 1940, he claimed a ...Ju 87 destroyed and a Do 17 damaged.
24 August 1940 was a busy day for Głowacki as he was scrambled several times. He shot down three Bf 109s and two Ju 88s to become the first ace-in-a-day of the #BattleofBritain. He was later awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) and DFM (Distinguished Flying Medal) and remained a combat pilot in the RAF after the war.
The RAF Museum has always been proud to commemorate and celebrate the enormous contribution of Polish #airmen and ground crew during the Second World War. We will never cease to do so.
#RAF100 #WW2 #WWII #PAF #BoB #BoBPoles #BattleofBritainPoles #PolesinUK #historynerd #history #historygeek #aviationgeek #avgeek
See More

We're celebrating 100 years of the RAF. Why not make 2018, the year of the Royal Air Force's Centenary, the year to visit its Museum?

In this year that commemorates #RAF100, vote for your favourite photo in the Royal Air Force’s annual photography competition.
Judging for the 2018 Royal Air Force Photographic Competition recently took place at the Royal Air Force Museum London.
Over 1,000 photos and 25 videos were entered across the competition’s 13 categories, with the best 9 images being whittled down by 3 industry professional judges, before going head-to-head online to win the ‘Peoples’ Choice’ catego...ry.
The RAF would now like you to vote for your favourite photo. To do so, please go to:
https://www.raf.mod.uk/photo-of-the-year/ 2018/
See More

I have grown up with the RAF museum and must have visited it over 100 times since a child and now with my own children. The new renovations funded by the lottery for the centenary has even surpassed my expectations. It has brought history into the modern day by making it an immersive experience. My children not only enjoyed each part of the exhibition but actually learned things along the way without even realising they were learning. They got to try on uniforms, climb all over wooden replica planes, land a plane, design their own plane, and even prevent viruses from getting through the military firewalls. Our day was topped off by lounging on giant pouffes on the lawn and listening to the RAF voluntary band play live. It amazes me that this exerience is still free for everyone to enjoy, but I do recommend highly that make a donation to ensure that this part of history remains free for the next generation and generations to come.

I attended the preview yesterday. After a £25m revamp there is some improvement to most areas. However more time and money will need to be spent on the large hangar with the Vulcan and the Lancaster in it. The revamp now features discovery areas, learning zones and several points which challenge the visitor to leave feedback about their thoughts on technology, warfare, bombing etc. The Battle of Britain element has been reduced in size although the aircraft remain. There is a significant amount of video and audio interactive stuff to engage young people. Car parking has been reduced I think, certainly rearranged. The gift shop and cafe are now modern affairs. There is more emphasis on the people in the RAF and its 100 year history. The World War One hall is very good. I am sure it will take more time for it all to come together.



Visitors should consider going to Bentley Priory and the Uxbridge Fighter control centre too.

not one to normally leave a review I felt i needed to this time this is a fantastic museum I've been many times and the new refurbished hangers are great but the restaurant prices really need looking at while I know it's free to get into the museum charging £5 for a kids chicken nuggets and chips (only 4 nuggets) and £1.50 for a slice of bread and butter is way over the top as is the prices for the rest of the food on offer. I would have given 5 stars if it wasn't for the restaurant and the bomber hall still being updated

We've been coming here for several years and for free it's amazing really. The new areas are fantastic, really interactive and great for kids, lots packed in for all ages. However, perhaps as a consequence some of the old areas now look a little neglected, the aeronauts playzone is currently pretty useless, only about 3 exhibits were in full working order, I had hoped that during the refurbishment all these would be fixed again as the things there are actually fantastic and it's such a shame to have odd little bits missing (in one case it was only some ping pong balls needed so nothing too pricey!) rendering them useless. It was a shame also that despite the sign saying the playground would be open for the summer holidays it was still fenced off and unfinished when we went on Monday. We couldn't spot the blitz/ evacuation bits this time, I'm hoping if they've been temporarily removed that they come back, ditto some of the history of flight bits as they were interesting. But we will definitely continue to put Hendon on our list of places to visit each holiday, lots to do and very interactive so the kids really like it, plenty of planes to sit in and look into etc. However in future we will take a picnic as the new restaurant isn't a patch on the old one, they hadn't had a delivery so the first two things we tried to order weren't available, service was slow on some of the meals (even identical meals) which meant the kids had to sit and wait for us to finish and the food just simply wasn't as nice, there aren't many attractions where we choose to eat there rather than take a picnic but Hendon had always been one of them as the food used to be delicious but now it's pretty mediocre standard fare.

I have grown up with the RAF museum and must have visited it over 100 times since a child and now with my own children. The new renovations funded by the lottery for the centenary has even surpassed my expectations. It has brought history into the modern day by making it an immersive experience. My children not only enjoyed each part of the exhibition but actually learned things along the way without even realising they were learning. They got to try on uniforms, climb all over wooden replica planes, land a plane, design their own plane, and even prevent viruses from getting through the military firewalls. Our day was topped off by lounging on giant pouffes on the lawn and listening to the RAF voluntary band play live. It amazes me that this exerience is still free for everyone to enjoy, but I do recommend highly that make a donation to ensure that this part of history remains free for the next generation and generations to come.

I attended the preview yesterday. After a £25m revamp there is some improvement to most areas. However more time and money will need to be spent on the large hangar with the Vulcan and the Lancaster in it. The revamp now features discovery areas, learning zones and several points which challenge the visitor to leave feedback about their thoughts on technology, warfare, bombing etc. The Battle of Britain element has been reduced in size although the aircraft remain. There is a significant amount of video and audio interactive stuff to engage young people. Car parking has been reduced I think, certainly rearranged. The gift shop and cafe are now modern affairs. There is more emphasis on the people in the RAF and its 100 year history. The World War One hall is very good. I am sure it will take more time for it all to come together.



Visitors should consider going to Bentley Priory and the Uxbridge Fighter control centre too.

not one to normally leave a review I felt i needed to this time this is a fantastic museum I've been many times and the new refurbished hangers are great but the restaurant prices really need looking at while I know it's free to get into the museum charging £5 for a kids chicken nuggets and chips (only 4 nuggets) and £1.50 for a slice of bread and butter is way over the top as is the prices for the rest of the food on offer. I would have given 5 stars if it wasn't for the restaurant and the bomber hall still being updated

We've been coming here for several years and for free it's amazing really. The new areas are fantastic, really interactive and great for kids, lots packed in for all ages. However, perhaps as a consequence some of the old areas now look a little neglected, the aeronauts playzone is currently pretty useless, only about 3 exhibits were in full working order, I had hoped that during the refurbishment all these would be fixed again as the things there are actually fantastic and it's such a shame to have odd little bits missing (in one case it was only some ping pong balls needed so nothing too pricey!) rendering them useless. It was a shame also that despite the sign saying the playground would be open for the summer holidays it was still fenced off and unfinished when we went on Monday. We couldn't spot the blitz/ evacuation bits this time, I'm hoping if they've been temporarily removed that they come back, ditto some of the history of flight bits as they were interesting. But we will definitely continue to put Hendon on our list of places to visit each holiday, lots to do and very interactive so the kids really like it, plenty of planes to sit in and look into etc. However in future we will take a picnic as the new restaurant isn't a patch on the old one, they hadn't had a delivery so the first two things we tried to order weren't available, service was slow on some of the meals (even identical meals) which meant the kids had to sit and wait for us to finish and the food just simply wasn't as nice, there aren't many attractions where we choose to eat there rather than take a picnic but Hendon had always been one of them as the food used to be delicious but now it's pretty mediocre standard fare.