Royal Air Force Museum London facts for kids
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| Established | 15 November 1972 |
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| Location | Grahame Park Way, Colindale London, NW9 5LL United Kingdom |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Visitors | 496,614 (2019) |
| Public transit access |  Colindale |
The Royal Air Force Museum London, often called the RAF Museum, is a cool place in North London. It's built on what used to be Hendon Aerodrome, a famous old airfield. The museum has five big buildings and hangars. They show the amazing history of aviation (flying planes) and the Royal Air Force (RAF). This museum is part of a bigger group called the Royal Air Force Museum.
There's also another RAF Museum site. It's located at Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in Shropshire.
History of the RAF Museum
The museum in Colindale is on land that was once part of RAF Hendon. Before that, it was one of the very first civilian airfields. A man named Claude Grahame-White bought it in 1911.
Hendon Aerodrome During Wars
In 1914, the airfield was taken over for defense during the First World War. Hendon became a Royal Naval Air Station. It trained new pilots in its flying schools. After the war, these operations stopped.
From 1927 to 1939, Hendon was home to No. 601 Squadron RAF. This group was nicknamed the 'Millionaires' Squadron'. This was because many of its volunteers were wealthy. In 1939, when World War II began, Hendon became an active RAF station again. It housed No. 24 Transport and Communications Squadron. RAF Hendon also helped as a fighter station during the Battle of Britain.
The very last flight by a fixed-wing aircraft at Hendon was on June 19, 1968. A Blackburn Beverley plane was delivered to the museum. This happened before the museum officially opened in 1972. Soon after, the runways were removed. A housing estate called Grahame Park was built there. RAF Hendon officially closed on April 1, 1987.
Opening and Growth of the Museum
The museum officially opened its doors in Colindale on November 15, 1972. Queen Elizabeth II opened it. At first, the hangars held 36 aircraft. Over the years, the museum's collection grew a lot. Planes not shown at Hendon were kept or displayed at smaller RAF museums.
The first director of the museum was Dr John Tanner. He retired in 1987. Later, Maggie Appleton became the CEO of the museum in 2014.
The Battle of Britain Museum opened in November 1978. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother opened it. This hall was updated and reopened in 2016.
The London museum has grown over time. For example, the area around it has been landscaped. This helps show what the old Hendon airfield looked like.
As of 2012, the museum had over 100 aircraft. This includes the Avro Lancaster S-Sugar. This plane flew 137 night missions. It also has the only complete Hawker Typhoon. In 2018, new planes were added for the RAF's 100th birthday. These included a Westland Sea King helicopter. This helicopter was once flown by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. A Gnat jet trainer from the Red Arrows was also added. Plus, there's a full-size model of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.
What You Can See at the Museum
The Royal Air Force Museum is a National Museum. It's also a registered charity. The Royal Air Force Museum London has displays across six large hangars.
Hangar 1: RAF Stories and First to the Future
Two new exhibitions opened in 2018. They celebrate 100 years of the RAF.
- RAF Stories: The First 100 Years 1918–2018: This part looks at the RAF's first century. It started in 1918 as the world's first independent air force. You can learn about the different jobs people had in the RAF. You also see how technology changed over time.
Hangar 1 is where you usually enter the museum.
Hangar 2: The Grahame-White Factory
This hangar is also known as the Grahame-White Factory. It shows the very first days of flight at the London Aerodrome. It also covers the time up to 1918. That's when the Royal Air Force was officially formed.
Hangars 3 and 4: The Historic Hangars
These hangars focus on planes from the Second World War and the Cold War. You can see original Battle of Britain fighter planes. These include the Hawker Hurricane, Messerschmitt Bf 109, and Supermarine Spitfire. There are also helicopters and some Cold War jet aircraft.
Hangar 5: The Bomber Hall
This hall is part of the Battle of Britain exhibition. It shows German bomber planes. These include the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka and Heinkel He 111. These types of planes were used during the Battle of Britain.
Hangar 6: RAF in an Age of Uncertainty
This hangar covers the RAF's history from 1980 up to the 21st century.
Other Cool Places at the Museum
The museum has a restaurant for visitors. It's built inside an old 1930s mess hall. Next to it, there's a play area for kids. It has mini RAF planes, vehicles, and buildings. The museum also has archives. These hold thousands of old documents, books, and photos. They are located on the top floor of Hangars 3/4/5.
Aircraft on display
See also
In Spanish: Museo de la Real Fuerza Aérea Británica de Londres para niños
- Hendon Aerodrome
- List of aerospace museums
