42-746: The Royal Air Force Museum London (also commonly known as the RAF Museum ) is located on the former Hendon Aerodrome , in North London's Borough of Barnet . It includes five buildings and hangars showing the history of aviation and the Royal Air Force . It is part of the Royal Air Force Museum . There is another site at Royal Air Force Museum Cosford at RAF Cosford in Shropshire . The museum site at Colindale
84-797: A Gnat jet trainer of the Red Arrows , and a full-scale mock-up of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. Claude Grahame-White Claude Grahame-White (21 August 1879 – 19 August 1959) was an English pioneer of aviation , and the first to make a night flight, during the Daily Mail -sponsored 1910 London to Manchester air race . Claude Grahame-White was born in Bursledon , Hampshire in England on 21 August 1879, and educated at Bedford School . He learned to drive in 1895,
126-470: A flying school at Hendon Aerodrome . Cheridah de Beauvoir Stocks , the second British woman to gain a Royal Aero Club aviator's licence , trained at the school, earning her certificate in November 1911. In 1912 Grahame-White gave H. G. Wells his first flight. During World War 1, Grahame-White flew the first night patrol mission against an expected German raid on 5 September 1914. Hendon Aerodrome
168-640: A range of permanent exhibitions including "Our Finest Hour" in the Battle of Britain Hall which was designed, produced and installed by specialist theme park and museum designers Sarner Ltd, the award-winning "Milestones of Flight" which details the major developments in flight technology from 1903 to 2003, two buildings containing various aircraft and helicopters, and part of the Grahame-White Factory, which contains many examples of original aircraft from
210-765: A regular event, known from 1925 as the Royal Air Force Display, and in 1938 as the Empire Air Day . The aerodrome was briefly active during the Battle of Britain , but for most of the Second World War , was mainly used for transport activities, and flying dignitaries to and from London. RAF Hendon had three crossed runways with magnetic headings of: QDM 339 – 3975 x 150 feet QDM 280 – 3000 x 150 feet QDM 014 – 3060 x 150 feet These runways were removed by 1969. Production of aeroplanes
252-414: A speed contest for flying his monoplane ten miles at a speed of 61 and 1/2 miles per hour. He is known for activities related to the commercialisation of aviation, and he was also involved in promoting the military application of air power before World War I with a campaign called "Wake Up Britain", also experimenting with fitting various weapons and bombs to aircraft. He appeared in the 1914 film Across
294-558: The Air Ministry took over in 1922, which led to a protracted and ugly legal action lasting until 1925 when Grahame-White left the site. The use of Hendon as an airfield was under threat even before the Second World War, since it was considered that RAF Hendon would become an obvious target for enemy bombing raids. After the war the airfield was increasingly unsuitable, particularly because the runways were too short, and
336-617: The Bleriot flying school. From 9 to 16 September 1911, the first official UK airmail was flown between Hendon and Windsor as part of the celebrations of the coronation of King George V. In 1912, the first Aerial Derby started and ended at Hendon. An estimated three million people turned out across London, forming a human ring around the race circuit to see the aviators fly round the metropolis. An estimated two million of these Londoners had never seen an aircraft in flight before. At Hendon Aerodrome at least 45,000 people paid for admission to
378-614: The Brent Reservoir was a popular spectacle for crowds on bank holidays late in the 19th century. The first powered flight from Hendon was in an 88-foot (27 m) long non-rigid airship built by Spencer Brothers of Highbury. It took off from the Welsh Harp Reservoir in 1909, piloted by Henry Spencer with one passenger, the Australian suffragette Muriel Matters . The first attempt at heavier-than-air flight
420-671: The First World War . In November 1916, the War Office commandeered the flying schools, after which the aerodrome trained 490 pilots. Claude Grahame-White and other members of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) mounted a night defence of London in 1915, constituting the first aerial defence of London. After the First World War, the first RAF "Pageant" was held at Hendon in 1920, and it soon became
462-546: The Red Arrows , and a full-scale mock-up of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter. The Royal Air Force Museum is a National Museum, a Government non-departmental public body (NDPB) and also is a registered charity. The Royal Air Force Museum London is displayed over six hangars. Two exhibitions, RAF Stories and RAF First to the Future, opened in 2018 to commemorate the RAF centenary: RAF Stories, The First 100 years 1918–2018 of
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#1732779873816504-400: The 'Millionaires' Squadron' due to the wealth and upper social class of its volunteers. In 1939, the outbreak of war saw Hendon once again become an operational RAF station, home to No. 24 Transport and Communications Squadron . RAF Hendon also served briefly as a fighter station during the Battle of Britain . The last flight to Hendon by a fixed-wing aircraft took place on 19 June 1968, when
546-609: The 1960s it was then largely redeveloped as a housing estate which was named Grahame Park in tribute to Grahame-White. An original World War I Grahame-White aircraft factory hangar was relocated a few years ago to the Royal Air Force Museum London , where it houses the museum's World War I collection and is named the Grahame White Factory. Grahame-White was a co-founder of Aerofilms Limited in 1919. In 1911 The Grahame-White Aviation Company
588-581: The American aviator George Beatty , in partnership with Handley Page Ltd . These continued normal operation until late 1916. On 11 September 1916, Cicely Ethel Wilkinson qualified as a pilot in a Caudron biplane at the Beatty School at the aerodrome for which she received Royal Aero Club Aviator Certificate number 3522. She was possibly the only woman to qualify as a pilot in Britain during
630-615: The Atlantic (also titled Secret of the Air ) with fellow aviator Gustav Hamel ; the film was directed by Herbert Brenon and starred King Baggot . Grahame-White trained several women to fly and he had formed the Women's Aerial League in 1909. The membership of this league included test pilot Mrs Winifred Buller , Lady Anne Savile and Eleanor Trehawke Davies and the suffragette leaders Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst . He established
672-493: The Battle of Britain. The RAF from 1980 to the 21st century. The museum contains a public restaurant built within a 1930s mess store building. Next to it is a children's play area with mini RAF aircraft, vehicles and buildings. A volunteer centre has been created within Building 69, originally a parachute packing RAF building. The museum's archives, containing thousands of paper documents, books and photographs are situated on
714-551: The First World War and the early days of aviation. The museum was officially opened at the Colindale (then part of Hendon ) London site on 15 November 1972 by Queen Elizabeth II . The hangars housed 36 aircraft at opening. Over the years, the collection has increased in size substantially, and aircraft not on display at Hendon were stored or displayed at smaller local RAF station museums. The Battle of Britain Museum (later Hall)
756-455: The RAF after the First World War in reserving it for military aviation. It was known as a place of pioneering experiments including the first airmail , the first parachute descent from a powered aircraft, the first night flights and the first aerial defence of a city. Henry Coxwell and James Glaisher were the first to fly from Hendon in a balloon called the Mammoth in 1862. Ballooning at
798-479: The RAF. This exhibition observes the RAF's first 100 years, from its creation in 1918 as the world's first independent air force. It explores the different roles of the people of the RAF, alongside the changes in technology. Hangar 1 forms the main point of entry to the museum. Also known as the Grahame-White Factory shows the earliest days of flight on the site of The London Aerodrome, through to
840-550: The aerodrome can be seen in "the parade" scene in the 1967 film The Dirty Dozen , with at one point a Kirby Cadet glider of the then-resident 617 Volunteer Gliding School of the Air Training Corps launching in the background. Late in 1968, when two of the three runways had been removed, a Blackburn Beverley was flown in to be an exhibit at the new RAF Museum: this was the last aircraft to land at Hendon. The RAF station finally closed on 1 April 1987. The site of
882-708: The aerodrome is now occupied by the Grahame Park housing estate, Hendon Police College , and the RAF Museum which is situated on the southeast side of the site. The following squadrons were here at some point: Units; Today, Hendon houses the London branch of the Royal Air Force Museum which portrays the role of the Royal Air Force in the development of aviation and avionics in the United Kingdom. The museum consists of several buildings containing
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#1732779873816924-469: The city and landed on West Executive Avenue near the White House . Rather than being arrested Grahame-White was applauded for the feat by the newspapers. On 26 September 1911 at an International Air Meet at Nassau Boulevard Long Island New York attended by Eugene Ely , George W. Beatty , Harry Atwood , Bud Mars , J. A. D. MucCurdy and Matilda Moissant, Grahame-White won a prize of $ 600.00 in
966-751: The enclosures. These annual events became as important as the Ascot and Epsom races during the London Season. By 1925, 100,000 people were coming to see the display, and it was so popular that there was talk of having to spread it over a few days. The first fatality at Hendon, reported in The Times in May 1911, was Bernard Benson (aged 23). On 25 May 1911 he fell 100 feet (30 m) from an ASL Valkyrie . Several flying schools were located at Hendon, including Grahame-White's, and another established in 1914 by
1008-623: The formation of the independent Royal Air Force in 1918. These hangars focus on the aircraft of the Second World War and the Cold War. It includes original Battle of Britain fighter aircraft: the Hawker Hurricane , Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Supermarine Spitfire ; helicopters, and some Cold War jet aircraft. Battle of Britain: shows the German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka and Heinkel He 111 bombers which were types used during
1050-555: The former Hendon airfield was like, in what has become a heavily urbanised area. As of 2012, it had over 100 aircraft, including the Avro Lancaster S-Sugar , which flew 137 night sorties. It also includes the only complete Hawker Typhoon . Added in 2018, as part of the RAF Centenary exhibitions, were a Westland Sea King helicopter (once flown by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge ), a Gnat jet trainer of
1092-575: The holder of Royal Aero Club certificate No. 6, awarded in April 1910 . He became a celebrity in England in April 1910 when he competed with the French pilot Louis Paulhan for the £10,000 prize offered by the Daily Mail newspaper for the first flight between London and Manchester in under 24 hours. Although Paulhan won the prize, Grahame White's achievement was widely praised. On 2 July 1910, Claude Grahame-White, in his Farman III biplane, won
1134-528: The last operational Blackburn Beverley was delivered to the museum prior to its royal opening in 1972. Soon afterwards, the runways were removed to make way for the Grahame Park Housing Estate. The official closure of RAF Hendon took place on 1 April 1987. The museum was officially opened at the Colindale (then part of Hendon ) London site on 15 November 1972 by Queen Elizabeth II . The hangars housed 36 aircraft at opening. Over
1176-515: The museum. Retired Air Vice-Marshal Peter Dye replaced Fopp as director general on 9 June 2010. In October 2014, it was announced that Maggie Appleton was to be appointed as CEO of the museum. The Battle of Britain Museum (later Hall) was opened by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in November 1978. On 3 October 2016 the Battle of Britain Hall was permanently closed and refurbished. The London site has been regularly expanded. For example, in recent years landscaping had taking place to illustrate what
1218-597: The outskirts of Manchester after three hours 55 minutes in the air, during a period of just over twelve hours. This was the first true flight from the Hendon site. Grahame-White created a new company, the Grahame-White Aviation Company, taking control of more than 200 acres (0.81 km ) of Colindale and converting it into what could be recognised as a proper modern airfield. The first occupants were Horatio Barber 's Aeronautical Syndicate Ltd and
1260-525: The plane was called, taxied about and left the ground briefly, but failed to get truly airborne, although these attempts attracted quite a crowd. In 1906, before any powered flight had taken place in Britain, the Daily Mail newspaper had challenged aviators to fly from London to Manchester or vice versa, offering a prize of £ 10,000 . The journey had to be completed within twenty-four hours, with no more than two landings. Aircraft and engine design had improved sufficiently by 1910 to make an attempt to win
1302-521: The prize realistic, and both Claude Grahame-White and the French aviator Louis Paulhan prepared for the challenge during April 1910. Grahame-White made two attempts, but it was Paulhan who succeeded. He chose a field on the future aerodrome site as his point of departure. On 27 April he flew 117 miles (188 km) from Hendon to Lichfield , easily the longest flight accomplished in the UK at that time. Before dawn on 28 April he took off and reached Burnage on
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1344-642: The proximity of large residential areas made matters worse. The RAF argued for the military importance of the complex into the 1950s, in case future developments in aviation technology might render the base suitable again, but eventually Hendon Borough Council and the London County Council were able to argue that houses were needed far more than the aerodrome. The last flying unit, the Metropolitan Communication Squadron, left Hendon in November 1957. The entrance to
1386-468: The top floor of Hangars 3/4/5. Hendon Aerodrome Hendon Aerodrome was an aerodrome in London, England, that was an important centre for aviation from 1908 to 1968. It was situated in Colindale , seven miles (11 km) north west of Charing Cross . It nearly became a central hub of civil aviation ("the Charing Cross of [the UK's] international air routes"), but for the actions of
1428-497: The years, the collection has increased in size substantially, and aircraft not on display at Hendon were stored or displayed at smaller local RAF station museums. The first director of the museum was Dr John Tanner, who retired in 1987. In 1988, Dr Michael A. Fopp (who had previously directed the London Transport Museum ) was appointed director general of all three sites (London, Cosford and Stafford) operated by
1470-852: The £1,000 first prize for Aggregate Duration in Flight (1 hr 23 min 20 secs) at the Midlands Aviation Meeting at Wolverhampton . In the same year he won the Gordon Bennett Trophy race in Belmont Park , Long Island , New York , for which he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Aero Club. On 14 October 1910, while in Washington, D.C., Grahame-White flew his Farman biplane over
1512-554: Was apprenticed as an engineer and later started his own motor engineering company. Grahame-White's interest in aviation was sparked by Louis Blériot 's crossing of the English Channel in 1909. This prompted him to go to France, where he attended the Reims aviation meeting , at which he met Blériot and subsequently enrolled at his flying school. Grahame-White was one of the first people to qualify as pilot in England, becoming
1554-485: Was by H.P. Martin and G.H. Handasyde, also at Welsh Harp. They constructed a monoplane with four engines in the ballroom of the hotel , but were never able to get airborne. Inspired by Louis Blériot 's flight across the Channel, Everett, Edgecumbe and Co began to experiment with an aircraft to be built at their works at Colindale near Hendon, erecting a small hangar to house it. From 1908 to 1910, their "Grasshopper", as
1596-462: Was formed to cover his aviation interests, including aerodromes and aircraft design, development, and construction. One of the designers, John Dudley North , became Boulton & Paul 's chief designer. Aircraft built by the Grahame-White Aviation Company included: As well as his success in aviation, Claude Grahame-White was a published author whose works include: He also contributed to newspapers, reviews, and magazines, dealing with aeronautics in
1638-513: Was lent to the Admiralty (1916), and eventually taken over by the RAF in 1919. It was purchased by the RAF in 1925, after a protracted legal struggle. After this he lost his interest in aviation, eventually moving to Nice in his old age, where he died in 1959 having made a fortune in property development in the UK and US. Hendon Aerodrome later became RAF Hendon but after flying ceased there in
1680-553: Was once part of the RAF Hendon station and prior to that, one of the first civilian airfields, acquired by Claude Grahame-White in 1911. In 1914, the aerodrome was requisitioned for Home Defence during the First World War . Hendon became a Royal Naval Air Station, training new pilots in the flying schools on site. Operations ceased after the end of the Great War. From 1927 to 1939 Hendon housed No. 601 Squadron , nicknamed
1722-539: Was one of the features of the aerodrome's activities under Grahame-White. During the First World War production increased rapidly. To facilitate the transportation of the 3,500 workers and materials, the Midland Railway built a spur from the embanked main line with a platform close to the main line and a loop around the airfield to the plant. It had been Claude Grahame-White's conviction that Hendon would become "the Charing Cross of our international air routes", but
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1764-527: Was opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in November 1978. On 3 October 2016 the Battle of Britain Hall was permanently closed and refurbished. As of 2012, it had over 100 aircraft, including the Avro Lancaster S-Sugar , which flew 137 night sorties. It also includes the only complete Hawker Typhoon . Added in 2018, as part of the RAF Centenary exhibitions, were a Westland Sea King helicopter (once flown by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge ),
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