RAAF Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
RAAF Museum
Established	1952
Location	RAAF Williams Point Cook
Type	Military museum
Website	http://www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum/

RAAF Museum is the official museum of the Royal Australian Air Force, the second oldest air force in the world, located at RAAF Williams Point Cook, Victoria, Australia which is the oldest continuously operating Military Air Base in the world. The museum displays aircraft of significance to the RAAF from its inception as the Australian Flying Corps to the present. At the direction of Air Marshal Sir George Jones, the RAAF Museum was formed in 1952 and fell under the administration of Headquarters Point Cook until 1988 when it became a separate unit of the RAAF. It is currently overseen by the force's Air Training Wing.

Entry

Entry to the museum is free. The operating hours are Tuesday to Friday 10am - 3pm, Weekends and Public Holidays 10am - 5pm. The museum is closed on Mondays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday.

RAAF Williams (Point Cook) is a working Military facility so adult visitors are required to produce photo identification and sign in to gain entry.

Aircraft on display

A Bristol Boxkite replica at the Centenary of Military Aviation

Not all of the Museum's collection is permanently exhibited. Among those on display are:

Static display

Some of the aircraft, helicopters and missiles displayed in different exhibitions are:

Replica Aircraft

Bristol Boxkite
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2
Deperdussin 1910 monoplane

Training Hangar

de Havilland Tiger Moth (A17-711)

Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorn
Avro 504K
de Havilland Tiger Moth
de Havilland Vampire T Mk 35
CAC Winjeel
Pacific Aerospace Corporation CT/4A
Aermacchi MB-326H

Technology Hangar

Supermarine Walrus
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
Douglas Boston
de Havilland Vampire F.30
UH-1B Iroquois
Bristol Bloodhound SAM

Hangar 180

CAC Boomerang
Consolidated Catalina
GAF Pika
GAF Jindivik
Hawker Demon
Avro 643 Cadet
de Havilland DH.84 Dragon
Bell UH-1 Iroquois
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly
CAC Sabre

Outdoors

Lockheed C-130A Hercules (A97-214)

Lockheed C-130A Hercules
Lockheed C-130E Hercules
Lockheed C-130H Hercules
Hawker Siddeley HS 748
Bristol Freighter
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Bristol Bloodhound missile (and launcher)
de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou

Strike Aircraft Hangar

Aircraft in storage

CA25-39 Winjeel, A85-439

Currently non-displayed aircraft include:

Avro 707A WD280
CAC Wirraway
Douglas C-47 Dakota A65-78
Gloster Meteor T.7
Gloster Meteor F.8
CAC Winjeel
Lockheed Neptune
North American Harvard
Lockheed Ventura
de Havilland Vampire T.35
General Dynamics F-111C (A8-125)

Flying display

The museum conducts an interactive flying display at 1pm (1300) every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday for visitors. Aircraft include the museum's own CA-18 Mustang, North American Harvard, CAC Winjeel, CT4A Trainer, DH Tiger Moth, Replica Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 and Replica Sopwith Pup. Also visiting aircraft from other museums and operators participate in these displays, once the flying display is completed the pilots land and then hold an interactive discussion with the spectators answering any questions they may have.

The RAAF Roulettes aerobatic display team perform at least twice annually replacing the normal Sunday interactive display, performance dates are shared via Social media.