| The
Museum is situated on the site of the original London Aerodrome, used
for the great Hendon Air Shows between the two World Wars. Five buildings contain over a hundred aircraft, artefacts, aviation
memorabilia, fine art and photographs covering the history of aviation
from early balloon flights to the latest jet fighters.
The RAF Museum began acquiring objects in
1965. It had a store at RAF Henlow but needed a more suitable location.
It was allocated the two remaining Auxiliary Air Force hangars near the
railway. Once construction was completed aircraft were moved to Hendon.
Gallery displays were produced with the help of the resident Exhibition
Design and Display Unit of the RAF. On 15 November 1972 the RAF Museum
was opened by Her Majesty The Queen. Further expansion took place in
1978 with the opening of the Battle of Britain Museum and again in 1983
with the opening of the Bomber Command Museum.
On 1 April 1987 RAF Hendon officially
closed although personnel were still present until 1988. East Camp
remained until 1993 when most remaining buildings were demolished except
for the Grahame-White factory buildings, the former Officers' Mess and a
few RAF buildings from the 1930s.
New uses will be found for the former RAF
station and the buildings but the RAF Museum will continue to preserve
Hendon's links with its aeronautical
The Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon
houses one of the largest aviation collections in the United Kingdom.
Over 90 historic aircraft covering the whole span of the first 100 years
of aviation development
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| 112372
ME262 A-2a |
4101 BF109 E-3 |
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| XS925
Lightning
F6 |
XV424
Phantom FGR2 |
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|
WV783
Sycamore HR12
|
XV732
Wessex HCC.4 |
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