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The Royal Air Force Museum is housed at RAF Hendon in north
London. A training school was established here
in 1910 by Claude Graham White of the Royal Naval Air Service,
inspired by Louis Blériot's historic flight over the English
Channel in 1909. The aerodrome served as a military
base throughout both World Wars and was used until 1969.
In 1972 the museum was opened
in two hangars dating from World War I.
Hendon Aerodrome is the birthplace
of aviation in Britain and the museum illustrates the history
of flying in war and peace. The exhibits cover the history
of flight, with the upper floors on the Main Aircraft Hall
showing the earliest attempts at flight.
Hendon contains the UK's largest
range of military aircraft including the Battle of Britain's
Supermarine Spitfire, the Messerschmidt Bf109, and the Lancaster
and B-17 Flying Fortress bombers.
Features include a 'touch and
try' Jet Provost cockpit, a Red Arrows flight simulator and
a walk-through Sunderland flying boat.
Although a military museum it
also shows civilian life during peace and war-time. The
Battle of Britain Hall vividly re-creates British life during
World War II.
The interactive features in the
The 'Fun & Flight' gallery is popular with children.
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