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The Imperial War Museum (IWM) at Duxford in Cambridgeshire has got to be one of United Kingdom's most impressive aircraft museums, mostly because of its size and number of exhibits rather than for the rarity of its aircraft on display. The collection has grown since it was first opened to the public in 1976. The aircraft on display and available for close inspection, are dispersed around the famous former Battle
of Britain airfield, at a number of distinct locations. Since my first visit over thirty years two major buildings have been constructed and now most of the collection is protected from the elements. |
Left to right: English Electric Canberra B.2 (WH725). The B.2 variant was the first production Canberra entering service with the RAF in 1951. |
American Air Museum |
Left to right: General view of the AAM looking out from the back towards the large semi-circular glass frontage with a Douglas C-47A (315509/W7-S and G-BHUB) suspended from the ceiling with a composite AT-6 Texan beside it. |
A Brief History of Duxford Duxford airfield dates back to 1918 when the Royal Flying Corps and the Airco DH.9 arrived along with an American forces contingent tasked with assembling aircraft shipped from the United States. Many of the original buildings still stand including the wonderful double-bay Belfast hangars with their distinctive lattice effect roof supports and wooden hangar doors. By 1939 and the start of WW2, 19 Squadron RAF's first Spitfire squadron was operating from Duxford. In 1943 the RAF made way for the USAAF's 78th Fighter Group with their P-47 Thunderbolts, these were replaced by the P-51 Mustang by the end of 1944. The airfield was handed back to the RAF after the war and Meteors, Hunters and then the Javelin were flown from here until the airfields closure in 1961. In 1971 the IWM moved surplus aircraft to Duxford for storage. The Old Flying Machine Company (OFMC) and The Fighter Collection (TFC) moved to Duxford in 1983. Also operating from Duxford is the Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo) and the Historic Aircraft Collection (HAC) which has six warbirds based at Duxford, mostly in hangar 4. |
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The Double-bay Belfast hangars 2, 3, 4 and 5 |
Hangar 3 houses around 25 aircraft including a Sea Vampire, Sea Hawk, Sea Venom, Sea Vixen and Gannet which were operated by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm from the 1950's to 1970's. A Fairy Firefly TT.1 (SE-BRG) acquired from Sweden was here awaiting restoration as a static exhibit. |
Hangar 4 with almost twenty aircraft on display in its two bays includes; a Vampire, Meteor, Hunter, Javelin and F-4 Phantom. These former RAF jets share space with much earlier warbirds, notably a Bristol F.2B, Spitfire, Hurricane and Bf.109. |
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Outside and braving the elements are a fleet of Britain's finest home produced airliners dating from the 1960's to the 1970's. These are Britannia, Super VC-10, Trident 2 and BAC One-Eleven. |
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This summary does not do justice to what is on display, the aircraft at the IWM are very impressive, where else could you see over twelve Spitfires for example? A full day's visit is required to properly appreciate the wealth of exhibits on show. Yes you can see everything during the flying displays held throughout the year at Duxford, but those shows really warrant your full attention not really leaving enough time for the hangared museum aircraft. |