In our fifth Victoria Cross blog, we tell the story of Squadron Leader John Dering Nettleton’s daring but highly risky raid on M.A.N, a diesel-engine manufacturer. Location: 17 April 1942, over France and Germany Who: Squadron Leader John Dering Nettleton (41452) VC,  Royal Air Force, 28 June 1917 – 13 July 1943 In the Spring of 1942, German U-Boats [submarines] were winning the Battle of the Atlantic, sinking many merchant ships and risking breaking the life-line of war materials and food to the UK. To slow production, the Air Ministry decided to mount an attack on the M.A.N [Maschinen ..read more

50 years ago today, on 7 April 1974, the historic aircraft collection at RAF Cosford had its first public opening. Here, we give a brief history and our thanks to visionaries who opened the collection up to the public establishing, over time, the second site of the Royal Air Force Museum. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had already opened the Royal Air Force Museum on the site of RAF Hendon on 15 November 1972. The 36 aircraft that were initially on display at this site were just a small part of the Museum’s historic aircraft collection, which were stored at various sites around the U.K. The b ..read more

In our fourth Victoria Cross blog, we’ll explore Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell who gained the Victoria Cross on 6 April 1941 over France. Location: 6 April 1941 over France Who: Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 21 April 1917 – 6 April 1941 Flying Officer Campbell was captain and pilot of Bristol Beaufort N 1016, coded OA-X, of 22 Squadron. Campbell was tasked with a torpedo attack on the German battle-cruiser Gneisenau, which was undergoing repairs in Brest, France. Campbell’s crew comprised Sergeant James Phillip Scott (RCAF), navigator; Sergeant William C ..read more

In the third of a new series of blogs, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the stories of the 29 RAF personnel whose valour earned them the Victoria Cross. This post covers Pilot Officer Cyril Joe Barton who gained the Victoria Cross on 30 March. On 30 March 1944, Pilot Officer Barton was Captain of Halifax LK 797, coded E and named Excalibur, of 78 Squadron, based at RAF Breighton. That night, 30/31 March 1944, was a “Maximum Effort” against Nuremberg by 795 Lancasters and Halifaxes. Barton took off at 22.12 hours. That night also saw the heaviest-ever Bomber Command losses, some 94 bombers goi ..read more

Our first guest post from blogger-in-residence Will Jarman gives a first-hand look of our half-term activities on a busy February day. We set off for the RAF Museum Midlands for a new perspective on the collection, anticipating a busy day. As a dad, I tend to choose relatively quiet days to visit, but we had a ticket for my son to attend ‘Aircrew Needs You’ in the Lecture Theatre of the National Cold War Exhibition. So a half-term visit became a priority. It was nice to see how the hangar spaces managed to cope with significant crowds rather well. We arranged to arrive early for our visit. We ..read more

In the second of a new series of blogs, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the stories of the 29 RAF personnel whose valour earned them the Victoria Cross. This post covers Captain Edward Swales who earnt the Victoria Cross on 23 February. Location: February 23rd 1945, over Germany Who: Captain Edwin Swales (6101V) VC DFC, South African Air Force VC 3 July 1915 – 23 February 1945 Role: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve On 23 February 1945, Captain Swales was Captain of Lancaster PB 538 ‘M’ of 582 Squadron, Path Finder Force, based at RAF Little Staughton. Swales was appointed Master Bomber for ..read more

Martin-Baker development model At 10 am on 1 October 1956, Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan B1 serial XA 897 of 230 Operational Conversion Unit was on its final approach to land at London Heathrow Airport, eagerly awaited by VIPs and families. This was a very unusual airfield for a Vulcan bomber, but then it was a very special flight. This was the first Vulcan to have been delivered to the RAF and which was on its way home from a round-the-world tour to New Zealand to demonstrate this latest addition to Britain’s aircraft industry and defence capabilities. But at this point, the fairy tale turns t ..read more

Credit: IWM In the first of a new series of blogs, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the stories of the 29 RAF personnel whose valour earned them the Victoria Cross. Published on the day they won their medal, we’ll be revealing the circumstances the award was won, the aircraft they were flying in and much more. Our first post covers Flight Sergeant George Thompson who started 1945 by earning the Victoria Cross on 1 January. Location: January 1st 1945, over Germany Who: Flight Sergeant George Thompson (13707000) VC 23 October 1920 – 23 January 1945 Role: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve O ..read more

On the 16 December at a square in Bristol Avenue, Colindale a naming ceremony took place commemorating one of the many female pioneers in the world of aviation. The names of four women were considered for this with consultation with the RAF Museum and voted for by the public. These were Gabrielle Patterson, Margaret Fairweather, Mona Friedlander and Winifred Crossley Fair. The four women who were under consideration were all part of a group of eight female pilots that were the first women to join the Air Transport Auxiliary who ferried aircraft in wartime across Britain and who signed up on t ..read more

Source: Norman Brice, RAF Museum London One exhibit in the Hendon museum which is often either overlooked or misunderstood is the Alsatian dog sometimes found by the entrance to the Avro Vulcan or by the Blue Steel missile. From the late 1950s until April 1969, Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent was provided by the RAF’s V-Bomber fleet – the Vickers Valiant, Avro Vulcan and Handley Page Victor. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, on airfields across eastern England, there were always a dozen or more V-Bombers on Quick Reaction Alert, fully fuelled and armed with live nuclear weap ..read more