RAF Museum Director General Dr Michael Fopp to Retire
Dr Michael Fopp, Director General of the Royal Air Force Museum for the last 22 years, will retire in June 2010, but will be retained by the Museum to assist a fund-raising campaign for a new visionary project to commemorate and celebrate the enduring legacy of the Battle of Britain.
“Michael Fopp has led the Museum for many years with a commitment and energy which is unsurpassed”, said Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day. “The Trustees and the Royal Air Force owe him a great debt of gratitude for making the RAF Museum the success it has become.”
“I am delighted that he has agreed to maintain his involvement in the Museum in his retirement in order to help with our next major visionary project”.
“I have worked for the RAF Museum for more than half my life and I am delighted that, even in retirement, I will still have a role to play in its success and development”, said Dr Fopp, who is also looking forward to his year as Master of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators during 2010/11.
Dr Fopp’s career has been marked by an energetic approach to all aspects of curatorship and development with, for example, the Museum’s collection management systems making millions of objects held by the Museum available to the public via the internet.
In recent years, major projects at Hendon have included the “Milestones of Flight” and Grahame White factory buildings and at Cosford the opening in 2007 of the immensely successful National Cold War Exhibition, shortly to welcome its one-millionth visitor.
Although remaining in the employment of the Museum until June 2010, Dr Fopp will hand over his post at the end of January 2010. His duties will be undertaken by Peter Dye, currently Deputy Director General, who will be appointed Acting Director General from 1 February 2010. The process of appointing a permanent successor to Dr Fopp will start immediately.