British aviation pioneer Claude Grahame-White’s office room now open for public viewing…

The Museum is delighted to announce that from this week, Claude Grahame-White’s office on the first floor of the Grahame-White Watchtower will be open to the public as part of the general exhibition.

Quite remarkably Claude Grahame-White’s sumptuous first floor office has been faithfully recreated through careful analysis of a single black and white photograph dating from 1915 – the only known photograph to survive. The colour scheme was noted from a painting.

Great care and attention was taken to source materials from across the world and ensure that the details of the original office were replicated, which ensures the time capsule feel when entering the room.

The office has a style and period charm which Museum visitors will now be able to enjoy at their leisure and copies of historic documents have been re-produced with the intention that these can be handled.

John Waxman: Assistant Director, RAF Museum “It’s wonderful to be opening up this room to our visitors and we have no doubt that it will appeal to a wide audience. The room is a replica of the office where Claude Grahame-White developed his plans for British Aviation which in turn impacted the world. I’m sure it’s charm will resonate with those who visit.”

www.rafmuseum.org

The RAF Museum is pleased to announce the transfer of Bristol Sycamore HR.14 XL824 to the Bristol Aerospace Centre

The Bristol Sycamore was the first British-designed helicopter to serve with the Royal Air Force. Produced by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, it was employed on search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare duties.

The Sycamore entered service with 275 Squadron of the RAF in April 1953, and went on to serve with nine squadrons in total. It was used during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) for deploying Army foot patrols into the jungle. The type was used by the Royal Air Force Central Flying School for pilot training.

This particular example served with No. 284 Squadron in Cyprus during the late 1950’s before returning to the UK in the mid 1960’s. Following a brief stint at the Central Flying School, it was allocated to the RAF Museum in the late 1960’s. It was then loaned out to Manchester Air & Space Museum for public display between 1982 and 2008. Since then it has been in RAFM storage facility at MoD Stafford.

Ian Thirsk, Head of Collections RAF Museum: “We are very happy for the team at the Bristol Aerospace Centre and cannot think of a more appropriate recipient for the Sycamore. As a new organisation celebrating the UK’s rich aviation heritage we would also like to wish them the best of luck and look forward to working together in the future.”

Lloyd Burnell, Project Director at Bristol Aero Collection Trust, said “We are delighted that the RAF Museum has elected to gift its Bristol Sycamore HR.14 to the Bristol Aerospace Centre, which will provide a fitting home for the helicopter as part of our extensive collection of Bristol aerospace products.The Bristol Aerospace Centre is a new £16 million industrial museum and learning centre at Filton, one of the birthplaces of the UK industry, and is due to open in Spring 2017. We already have significant financial backing from corporate and other partners and were recently awarded a £4.7 million grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund. We look forward to continuing to build upon our strong relationships with the RAF Museum as we deliver the project”

www.rafmuseum.org

To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the Royal Air Force Museum London has launched the Spitfire 10K Run

Date: Sunday 6th September 2015

Time: 9.00 am

Location: RAF Museum London

Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain with this brand new event starting and finishing in the magnificent surroundings of the RAF Museum in Hendon. The race begins in the shadow of one of the RAF Spitfires and takes you on a special journey, including a section through the bomber hangar and around the iconic Lancaster, before leaving the museum for two loops of a flat road course. Your finish will be commemorated with an exclusive Spitfire medal.

Entry form: www.nice-work.org.uk/assets/Spitfire%2010k%202015%20Entry%20Form.pdf

The RAF Museum in Hendon today outlined its plans to celebrate and commemorate the Centenary of the RAF in 2018, after the Chancellor announced in his Budget last week that the museum is to receive a £2.5 million grant to support the programme.

The museum revealed its ambitious programme of activities for the summer of 2018, as the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Priti Patel, visited the museum to learn how the funding will be used.

The museum’s plans include re-landscaping the site to create a sense of the original London Aerodrome that stood on the ground nearly 100 years ago. The museum will also build a new visitor centre with a café, shop and soft play area.

A series of new permanent exhibitions will open in the summer of 2018. ‘The First 100 Years of the RAF’ and ‘Now and the Future’ exhibitions will enable visitors to understand the story of the RAF from its earliest years in the First World War to its global role today. The “Air Power in an Age of Uncertainty” exhibition will focus on the roles of the RAF since the early 1980s.

The museum is also rolling out a new digital programme, “My RAF Story”, which will collect and share personal stories of the men and women of the Service to ensure they are preserved for future generations. Additionally, a new learning programme will aim to inspire young people in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.

Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Priti Patel said:

“The RAF Museum in Hendon is a great cause and I’m delighted that the LIBOR funding will provide a necessary cash injection towards their plans to celebrate this important landmark in the RAF’s history.

“So far, through LIBOR fines on banks, we’ve taken around £450m from those who broke the rules and demonstrated terrible values, and used the funds to support our brave forces across the UK, and other good causes.?

“This donation is a fitting way to mark the extraordinary contribution the RAF has made and continues to make in service to our country.”

Chief Executive of the RAF Museum Maggie Appleton said:

“The Museum’s RAF Centenary Programme is incredibly important as it commemorates 100 years of the Royal Air Force. The story we tell reflects the bravery, ingenuity and dedication of our people. It is a story that belongs to every one of us. We are therefore very grateful for the support and acknowledgement we received.”

www.rafmuseum.org

Financial penalties levied on banks involved in the LIBOR lending rate-fixing scandal will benefit the RAF Museum in North West London, the Chancellor announced in the last Budget before the General Election. George Osborne said the government will help renovate the RAF Museum in Hendon.The announcement came after Hendon MP Matthew Offord held discussions with the new Chief Executive of the RAF Museum, Maggie Appleton at the end of February. During these talks Ms Appleton outlined the plans of the Museum to commemorate the centenary of the Royal Air Force in 2018 and asked Matthew what assistance he could provide in securing the support from the Treasury.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said “The RAF Museum in Hendon (North West London) is a great cause that Matthew Offord has campaigned strongly in support of. I’m delighted that they will get millions of pounds in LIBOR fines – a fitting way to mark the extraordinary contribution the RAF has made and continues to make in service to our country.”

Chief Executive of the RAF Museum Maggie Appleton said “The Museum’s Centenary Project is incredibly important as it commemorates 100 years of the Royal Air Force. The story we tell reflects the bravery, ingenuity and dedication of our people. It is a story that belongs to every one of us. We are therefore very grateful for the support and acknowledgement we received today. We are a happy museum!”

www.rafmuseum.org

Get ready to stop worrying and learn to love the bomb. The RAF Museum has an extra special night of immersive activities planned for Museums at Night 2015. Its TOP SECRET. On a need to know basis. The final countdown has begun….Date: 16th May

Time: 19:30 – 23:00

Tickets: £28.00 per person (adult price)

After the sell-out success of last year’s P.S.B. gigs, get ready for Domino Theory – The RAF Museum’s immersive experience that will take its audience on a Cold War trip like no other. Cross the Iron Curtain, build the Berlin wall and use your spy skills to crack codes and become the super-power of the 20th century!

For one night only, the RAF Museum in North London will provide an atmospheric setting for a spy mission like no other. The battle lines are divided between the U.K the U.S.A and the USSR. Its spy vs spy in a heady world of gadgets, casinos, discos and more in a night of themed entertainment.

The night is rounded off with a museum-shaking, roof-raising, Berlin Wall breaking set by the legendary DJ Yoda who will take the crowd through a specially created set of music that references the Cold war era

Tickets are on sale now and priced £28 and available at www.rafmuseum.org.uk/whatson

DJ Yoda, is a hip hop producer like no other, subverting the tradition with wry invention and humorous intent. Yoda takes the art of turntablism to new extremes, practising it in unexpected situations. He has spent the best part of two decades as an audacious exponent of the form, winning awards, releasing an eclectic series of mixtapes that prove you can apply cut-up techniques to everything from classical to country, and generally offering a uniquely British take on hip hop music and culture.

Museums at Night is the UK wide annual late night festival of arts, heritage and culture. Over the weekend of Wednesday 13 – Saturday 16 May 2015, hundreds of museums, galleries and historic spaces all over UK will be opening their doors at night-time for a whole host of unique and exciting events. Full listings can be found at www.museumsatnight.org.uk.

trailer to follow…

Event: Open Cockpits Evening
Date: 3 March
Time: 18:15 to 21:15
Location: Bomber Hall / Historic Hangars
Cost: £15.50 per person

Event: Access the Avro Vulcan
Dates: 25 March
Times: 10:00 to 13:00
Location: Bomber Hall
Cost: £25.50 per person

Event: First World War Airfix Make and Take
Dates: 28 March – 3 April
Times: 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm
Location: Bomber Hall
Cost: £3 per kit

Event: Knit for Britain from Above
Dates: 4 – 8 April
Times: 11am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm
Location: TBC
Cost: Free

Event: Storytelling: Sir Alan Cobhams Flying Circus
Dates: 9 – 10 April
Time: TBC
Location: Art Gallery
Cost: Free

Event: Storytelling: RAF Humanitarian Work
Date: 11 – 12 April
Times: TBC
Location: Art Gallery
Cost: Free

Event: Archive Viewing: RAF Humanitarian Work
Date: 11 – 12 April
Times: 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm
Location: Boardroom
Cost: Free

For further details check out www.rafmuseum.org

The RAF Museum introduces ‘Albert’s ‘Ripping’ Cake’ on its menu in tribute to one of England’s most legendary First World War pilots. 

The legendary English pilot Albert Ball was one of the most iconic heroes of the sky during the First World War. His bravery won him the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished service Order and the Military Cross. At the time of his death in May 1917, he was the country’s leading flying ace, with 44 victories to his name.

One little known fact was that he always flew with his mother’s home-made plum cake on board his aircraft and he requested it many times in his letters home:

“You make me a cake, and I would like it all the more. I so love to have a huge piece of cake to go flying with in the morning. It is fine, and if made by you would be better still.” (Letter to his Mother)

“I was so pleased to get your ripping cake, but I have nearly finished it. I love to take a huge piece with me when I fly.” (Letter to his sister)

The Royal Air Force Museum in association with students from Barnet and Southgate College and with assistance from Centerplate Restaurant have re-developed this age old family recipe for Plum Cake as preferred by Albert Ball.

The recipe was discovered by the Albert Ball’s great niece whilst clearing out her grandmother’s house in Nottingham.

The cake will go on sale at the Museum restaurant from April 20th and will be packaged as if being sent as a parcel to Albert Ball.

In between slices of this legendary cake, visitors can also find out more about aviation during the First World war in the ‘First World War in the Air’ – a new permanent exhibition supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), that enables visitors to discover and explore the unique and often overlooked role of air power during the First World War through the incredible stories of the men and women who served and protected our nation.

www.rafmuseum.org

The RAF Museum London offers a unique opportunity to access cockpits of some of its most iconic aircraft.

Date: 3rd March 2015

Time: 18:15 to 21:00

Tickets: £15.50/£20.50 (Vulcan ticket)

Join us in March for an exclusive evening at the Royal Air Force Museum. For one night only the Museum will open its doors and allow access to some historic aircraft. Get a closer look at legendary aircraft like the Spitfire, Lancaster and Vulcan. With staff on hand to explain the controls visitors will experience the collection in a new light.

Cockpit viewing:
Avro Lancaster
Spitfire 5B
Canberra
B24 Liberator

Cockpit access:
Chipmunk
Jet Provost 5
Gazelle
Vulcan (you must buy a separate ticket to access this aircraft)

Cabin access/viewing:
Merlin Helicopter (A)
Whirlwind (V)
Wessex (A)
HE162 (V)
Vampire (V)
ME109G (V)
Sycamore (V)

V = viewing, A = access

Please note:

*A Vulcan access ticket is for the Vulcan only. It does not allow you access into the event – you will need to purchase an event ticket (Adult or member) to access the Museum

**Access to the Vulcan Aircraft is challenging and only for the physically able. The Museum reserves the right to refuse access to the Vulcan if you are not physically fit enough. If you have any questions please call the event organiser on 0208 358 4997 for more information.

Doors open at 6.15pm until 9.15pm Royal Air Force Museum, Grahame Park Way, NW9 5LL (please use NW9 5QW if travelling using a SAT NAV)

For more information please email whatson@rafmuseum.org or telephone the event organiser on 0208 358 4997.

Tickets on sale now. Click here to book: https://royalairforcemuseum.digitickets.co.uk/tickets?branches.branchID=353

To register your interest and to receive an email notifying you when tickets are available please email london@rafmuseum.org

The RAF Museum London is pleased to announce that the City Bridge Trust has donated £87,600 towards its program to engage older visitors.

City Bridge Trust is the grant-making arm of Bridge House Estates, whose sole trustee is the City of London Corporation. It supports London’s charities and provides grants totaling around £15 million annually.

In December of last year HRH the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh conducted the official opening of a new permanent exhibition at the Royal Air Force Museum London entitled ‘First World War in the Air.’ The exhibition was funded by the HLF with support from BAE Systems and encompasses a four year long program of supporting events.

The funds from City Bridge Trust will be used to ensure a run of events and activities to support the First World War exhibition which are specifically targeted at an older audience. It will also fund three posts Education Officer, Community Development Officer and Volunteer Co-ordinator, all of which encourage a wider engagement with the Museum’s audiences

Jeremy Mayhew, Chairman of the City Bridge Trust, said: “The Royal Air Force has played a vital role in British military history – and the Royal Air Force Museum offers people, of all ages, a great opportunity to learn about that role; this is an excellent national resource which can be used to connect and engage with an older audience, who are also in a position to share their knowledge of history with younger generations. We are delighted that our grant will enable more older people to get involved in a number of aspects of the Museum’s activities – including its work with schools, both as visitors and volunteers.”

Karen Whitting, Director Public Programmes RAF Museum: “We are delighted to receive this grant from City Bridge Trust which will enable us to widen and develop our relationship with more mature audiences. As we near the Centenary of the RAF itself, it is of utmost importance to engage the different generations whose lives have been touched by the work of the Service and the bravery and sacrifice of its men and women.”

www.rafmuseum.org