The Royal Air Force Museum • History From the Skies
Hello again on another adventure here in London. We explore and share with you popular places thru the eyes of a foreigner from the Philippines. If you love aircraft you will surely enjoy the tour today and the best part is the entrance here is free.
I do apologize as on this tour I was unable to bring my camera with me. The photos were taken from my mobile phone and some photos may not be as good.
The museum is located in North London Grahame Park Way and to visit you will need to book online to confirm the time and schedule of your visit. For more details feel free to visit their official site. RAF Museum
At the entrance, you will see a map of the whole area showing where all the 5 Hangars are located. Hangars 1 is the first you will visit as that is where the entrance is.
Here you will get an introduction to the Royal Air force. About the men and women who are the most important assets of the RAF.
On the right which I think are rockets and bombs. I just took a quick snap as I was already distracted by all the planes hanging from the ceiling.
This is a plane artwork made form tools and other office equipment. It is too good not to notice and stop for a couple of seconds to check.
Uniforms, pilot suits, and gears are on display which will give you an idea of what the uniform of the personnel looks like. How would you like to be in one of those uniforms?
The fastest way for rescue is via air. This is the Westland Sea King HAR3 on display. You could come inside the helicopter for a closer look but there was a line so I didn't bother to check inside.
If you want to hear the sound of the helicopter you could listen thru this earpiece. Not only that you could also smell it in the provided section.
This is only the first room of this hanger to give you of a preview of the things that you could expect and more. We have already spent some time here admiring the planes from the ceiling. If you would like to see the rest of the hangars it would be best not to take too much time.
They also have giant screens from ground to ceiling to give you a virtual view of planes being featured.
Plane engines are shown here, I am not too technical when it comes to engines. Although I know the Rolls Royce and was surprised that the engine was used on a fighter plane.
This is the hall way leading to the next room where the cafe and shops are located. In this hallway are various interactive screens to learn more about the RAF and the planes.
Here is the cafe where you enjoy a cuppa and some snacks as going thru the hangars can be exhausting. You will be doing a lot of walking to see them all.
Also in this area is the Short Sunderland MR5 a reconnaissance and anti-submarine flying machine. It is also known as the Flying Porcupine and was used throughout the war. For those who would like to know more of the technical specs, I have included a photo below.
You can come inside the flying boat to get a feel of what it was like to be part of the crew of the Flying Porcupine.
Some of the sections are a bit tight and I could only imagine what it was like being up in the air while enemies are shooting at you.
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As for the shop they have a lot of souvenirs to take home with you and there is something for everyone.
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I fancy the bomber jacket which I think really looks cool. You can get one for yourself here which looks cool. It seems like was copied from the original on the display glass.
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The shirts are a great souvenier showing the Spitfire which is one of the greatest planes in WW2.
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So we have now completed Hangar 1 which houses stories of the RAF and exhibits the first 100 years of the air force.
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Not only planes are on display here but also boats that are part of the history of the RAF.
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The left path will lead you to the hangers 3,4 and 5 but we will go there later. Next, we will visit Hangar 2 which showcases the Grahame-White Factory. You will see the early planes of London which I find to be most fascinating.
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On the way, there is an open space with tables where you could also relax and enjoy your snack. May not be a good idea though if it is too cold.
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This is the entrance to Hangar 1 and we had no idea what we will be seeing. I have never seen in person a plane from the early 1900s so I find this part very exciting.
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Near the entrance, you will see a part of the first plane to fly across the English Channel in 1909.
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This is the Blériot XXVII an air racing plane which was built in 1911.
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The Avro 504K which was launched in 1913 and is one of the most famous planes of all time.
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Want to be a part of the RAF? This is how they recruited back in the old days.
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This is where I was completely astonished by all the vintage planes in the room. There were so many and I completely lost track of the names of each one. We just went there and admired all its beauty.
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The early pilots of the RAF during the war.
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This plane is very interesting with a wooden frame and almost looks like a glider.
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One of the guns that were mounted on the planes.
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The Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin with an unusual placement of wings which gave a great view for the pilot. It is heavily armed with four guns.
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The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 with the nickname of Harry Tate after a comedian. It was a recon plane used in 1917.
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Here is a display of the flight paths and a simulation of the dog fights in the sky.
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Vehicles are part of the RAF and this is the Crossley 20/25hp Light Tender. These were used to carry airmen and officers.
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We have finished Hangar 2 and are on our way to Hangar 6. which is RAF in an Age of Uncertainty and showcases the year 1980 up to the 21st century.
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Hangar 6 shows RAF in an Age of Uncertainty and showcases the years 1980 up to the 21st century.
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This room shows more modern fighter planes and aircraft. We were amazed as we have never been this close to fighter planes.
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The Panavia Tornado GR1B was designed for high-speed, low-level attack missions and was used during the Gulf War in 1991.
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