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Handley Page Halifax Mk II Series 1

Aircraft & Exhibits, 27 MAR 1942-27 APR 1942, London, Hangar Five, 73/A/1113

This Halifax served with No. 102 Squadron. On 27 April 1942, it flew its first operational mission – an attack on the German battleship Tirpitz that was moored in a Norwegian fjord. Damaged by anti-aircraft artillery, the aircraft made a forced landing on a frozen lake. One of the crew suffered a broken ankle and was taken prisoner. The other five, with the help of the Norwegian resistance, escaped to neutral Sweden. W1048 sank to the bottom of the fjord where it remained for the next 31 years.

Handley Page Halifax B.Mk.II on display at RAF Museum London, (C) RAF Museum/Iain Duncan / RAF Museum

De Havilland Vampire T.11

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1954-1968, In Storage, X004-9218

The Vampire was a first generation jet fighter which saw service in the immediate post-war period with Royal Air Force front-line fighter squadrons in the United Kingdom and Germany, followed by further service with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Work on the design of the DH100 began in May 1942 and the prototype made its first flight on 20 September 1943. Originally called the Spider Crab it was re-named Vampire when ordered into production for the Royal Air Force. The first aircraft did not become available until 1945 and the Vampire did not enter service until the early summer of 1946.

Image pending

Percival Provost T.1

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1954-1979, Cosford, Hangar Four, 84/A/1184

Adopted as the RAF’s basic trainer in 1953, the Provost T.1 remained in service in that role until replaced by a development of the design, the Jet Provost, in 1961.

Grey painted metal single engine monoplane, © RAF Museum/Iain Duncan

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

British Aircraft Corporation Jet Provost T5

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1970-1992, London, Hangar Three/Four, 1994/1344/A

The Jet Provost was the first basic jet trainer in the world to go into service. The T5 was the final development of the Jet Provost and a total of 110 were produced for the RAF. The first was handed over to the Central Flying School on 3 September 1969.

Single-engined two-seat low-wing basic training jet, RAF Museum/Iain Duncan

Rolls-Royce Viper 202

Aircraft & Exhibits, Cosford, Hangar Three, X001-2108

Axial-flow turbojet engine, sectioned along its full length, mounted on four wheeled metal stand.

Image pending

Flying Suit Badge

Aircraft & Exhibits, London, Hangar One, X004-6281

After a course in elementary flying, pupils are sent to flying training schools to develop their skills. The training varied for fast jet, transport or helicopter pilots.

Triangular cloth badge with speeding cartoon aircraft firing on all cylinders, RAF Museum