During the Cold War of the 1950's the US Airforce used Manston as a Strategic Air Command base for its fighter and fighter-bomber units. This unit was the 7554th Target Tow Flight and, its role was to tow aerial targets used for gunnery practice by NATO fighter … On 22nd March 1952 another unit arrived to take up temporary residence at the base. I think there was some controversy when we discussed looking at the bomber offensive in more detail, and looking at the effect on Germany at the individual level, so to speak, the de-housing and so on. Whilst Fighter Command was set to coordinate the air defence of the British Isles, ... RAF Museum. Why did that– why was that the case, and why did it eventually become part of a broader museum? A "Rodeo" is the RAF code name for a fighter sweep.Lee Cunningham 26-Oct-2014. Again, the Ministry wouldn’t fund the building and the staff. Show caption About this image. Please enable JavaScript or consider upgrading your browser.The Battle of Britain and Bomber Command Museums at RAF Hendon.In this step, Peter and Ross examine the following statements and questions:© Royal Air Force Museum & Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London

Try out an online course to discover a new hobby, learn a new language, or even change career.Further your career with an online communication, leadership, or business management course.Get vital skills and training in everything from Parkinson’s disease to nutrition, with our online healthcare courses.Support your professional development and learn new teaching skills and approaches.This content is taken from the Royal Holloway, University of London & RAF Museum's online course, ROSS MAHONEY: Welcome back. The money had to be raised through an appeal and so on. Peter, can you tell me why we end up with a Battle of Britain Museum here at Hendon? This building talks more about the bombing role in general, from the First World War through to– well, up to the Gulf War with aircraft that have come in since, like a Tornado. The American Air Museum is Open And in a sense, the Battle of Britain Hall is talking about the fighter pilots, the fighter crews, and their ground crews’ role, in particularly the Second World War. And clearly that is a story that the museum must tell. But mostly feedback has been more about it being a source of memorial to the 55,000-plus who died in Bomber Command. So come back to us later. Discover how we remember and debate the history of this war.Learn how to understand the past to explain the present, and get to know the amazing sources and resources of the British Library.Trying to keep boredom at bay while in coronavirus lockdown? PETER ELLIOT: In the early years, we covered bombing from the First World War. ROSS MAHONEY: In terms of the aircraft in the collection that’s in this hall, I mean it obviously spans Bomber Command’s history, but also the successor to Bomber Command, Strike Command. Whilst of great importance, the operations undertaken by Bomber Command involved great risk to the aircrew. The Buccaneer came at the end of the Gulf War and helps to bring the story of that bit much more up to date.

52nd Fighter Group. PETER ELLIOT: The Battle of Britain obviously is one of the RAF’s defining moments, when the RAF effectively saved the nation. Air Britain’s RAF Aircraft Register Series (Various Authors) Air Britain’s RAF Serials Registers – J J Halley; Bill Chorley’s RAF Bomber Command … PETER ELLIOT: Well, of course since the museum was founded, the aircraft collection has continued to grow. Google Custom Search Engine for RAF Commands; Henk Welting’s Unaccounted Thread Index; Links; RAF Serials; Support this site. The 81st’s role was to assist No. Now we’re stood in what was originally, in the early 1980s, the Bomber Command Museum, which was the next phase in the development of the site here at Hendon. Or have people just recognised that this is a memorialisation and commemoration of a part of the RAF’s history? Carry on browsing if you're happy with this, or read ourUnable to play video. PETER ELLIOT: It seems to be that although the initial Royal Air Force Museum was funded by the Ministry of Defence, they were less keen on funding expansion, and obviously more staff costs, and running costs, and so on. ROSS MAHONEY: And I mean, what does the collection represent? ROSS MAHONEY: Just going back to the creation of the museum, the museum was a separate entity to the RAF Museum for a long time, wasn’t it?

Thanks to the long runway built during the Second World War, it was designated one of the country's MEDAs (Master Emergency Diversion Airfield) for both military and civilian flights. Fighter Command is airborne again at Bentley Priory After an appeal launched in the Telegraph by the Prince of Wales, the RAF’s wartime HQ and nerve centre of … And as that happens, the museum gains new types that are representative, and we see that here in the Bomber Command Hall. And between the opening of the original museum and the end of the 1970s, more aircraft were becoming available. And since then we’ve added Tornadoes, that type came out of service to show, again, part of the progression and the fact that Air Force history keeps happening. Group Two of the Squadrons of the 52nd Fighter Group flew Spitfires with RAF Fighter Command in August and early September 1942 from northern Ireland. And with our outstanding collection of aircraft, particularly the German aircraft of the Battle of Britain, but also the aircraft from the RAF that took part in the battle. We heard a little bit about the history of a unique collection in the United Kingdom and the role the museum plays in the public’s memory of the history of the Royal Air Force.