Showing 21 to 30 of 30 search results

Messerschmitt Me 262A-2a

Aircraft & Exhibits, MAR 1945-NOV 1945, Cosford, Hangar Three, 85/A/69

Me 262s were the first operational jet fighters to enter Luftwaffe service, in April 1944. This example was surrendered to the British in northern Germany at the very end of the war.

Starboard side view of Messerschmitt Me 262A-2a on a white background., (C) RAF Museum/Iain Duncan

de Havilland Mosquito B.35

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1945-1959, London, Hangar Five, 1994/1351/A

This Mosquito is a late bomber variant. It was built at the end of the Second World War, and served with No 98 Squadron in Germany in 1950-51 before being replaced by Vampire fighter-bombers.

Side view of aircraft with green and dark grey camouflaged upper surfaces and a pale grey underside, (C) RAF Museum/Iain Duncan / RAF Museum/ Iain Duncan

Gloster Meteor F.8

Aircraft & Exhibits, NOV 1951-FEB 1967, London, Hangar Three/Four, 67/A/208

The Gloster Meteor was the only allied jet to see combat in the Second World War and in its various marks served in day, night and training operations. Its sturdy construction also made it an ideal test bed for a variety of products which followed it. Between 1950 and 1955 the Meteor F8 provided the backbone of Britain’s air defence capability. By the end of the 1947 the British Meteor fighter had fallen behind its contemporaries in efficiency and performance. In an effort to redress the balance the Gloster design office produced a re-design which was a marked improvement while retaining as much of the structure of the earlier aircraft as possible for production purposes.

Silver-coloured aircraft with twin jet engines embedded in wings, (C) RAF Museum/Iain Duncan / (c) RAF Museum/ Iain Duncan

English Electric Canberra PR.3 WE139

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1953-1969, London, Hangar Three/Four, 69/A/695

The Canberra long-range, photo-reconnaissance aircraft was one of several versions of the Canberra bomber, and one of the success stories of the post-war British aircraft industry. Many British-built aircraft were exported and production also took place under licence in the United States of America and Australia.

Front view of BAC Canberra photographic reconnaissance aircraft on display at the RAF Museum London, © RAF Museum/Iain Duncan

Hawker-Siddeley Hunter F.4, Cockpit Section

Aircraft & Exhibits, JUN 1955-JUL 1995, Cosford, Hangar Four, 1995/1005/A

The Hunter was the first high-speed jet fighter with radar and fully-powered flying controls to go into widespread service with the Royal Air Force.

Image pending

Hawker Hunter FGA9

Aircraft & Exhibits, OCT 1956-OCT 1985, London, Hangar Three/Four, 1990/0698/A

The Hunter was the first high-speed jet fighter with radar and fully-powered flying controls to go into widespread service with the Royal Air Force. It was one of the most successful of the British post-war jet fighters; over 1000 were purchased by the Royal Air Force. Entering service in July 1954 it became the Royal Air Force’s standard single-seat fighter, replacing Meteor, Sabre and Venom aircraft. From 1960 Lightnings began to supersede the Hunter in Fighter Command.

Image pending

Bedford OXC Tractor

Aircraft & Exhibits, JAN 1957-AUG 1972, London, Hangar Five, 72/V/1399

The Bedford OXC tractor was developed with the assistance of Scammell, pioneers in the development of articulated lorries, now used extensively for transporting goods by road. The Bedford was one of two tractors used with an articulated aircraft recovery trailer, commonly known as a Queen Mary (after the ship of the same name).

Incomplete aircraft with wings and cockpit glass missing, sitting on top of a trailer, © RAF Museum

Blackburn Buccaneer S.1, Cockpit Section

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1963-1995, Cosford, Hangar Four, 1995/1002/A

Designed as a low-level maritime strike aircraft, the Blackburn Buccaneer was first used by the Royal Navy.

Blackburn Buccaneer S1 nose-section on display in the National Cold War Exhibition Cosford., © RAF Museum/Iain Duncan

British Aircraft Corporation TSR.2 XR220

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1965-1966, Cosford, Hangar Two, 84/A/1171

The British Aircraft Corporation TSR2 strike and reconnaissance aircraft was one of the most exciting and controversial British combat aircraft designs of the late 1950s and early 60s. But due to rising costs and inter-service disagreements saw the programme cancelled entirely.

British Aircraft Corporation TSR 2 on display at Cosford, RAF Museum/Iain Duncan

Short Belfast C.1

Aircraft & Exhibits, JAN 1967-OCT 1978, Cosford, Hangar Four, 78/A/1122

Design of this long-range, strategic transport aircraft began in February 1959, with the first flight in January 1964. Only ten of the originally ordered thirty Belfasts were built, all for the RAF.

Large white aircraft with four engines and a high wing configuration, © RAF Museum/Iain Duncan / (c) RAF Museum/ Iain Duncan