RAF Museum London, Aviation museum in Colindale, London, United Kingdom.
RAF Museum London is an aviation museum housed in massive hangars at a former airfield, containing aircraft, engines, and equipment spanning over a century of development. The collection ranges from early propeller-driven planes to modern fighter jets and includes rare foreign aircraft as well.
The museum opened in 1972 to preserve the British Royal Air Force's heritage, born from a need to protect aircraft and stories before they were lost. Its founding came at a time when many historical aircraft were disappearing.
The museum reflects how aviation shaped British life, displaying objects from pilots, engineers, and civilians during wartime and peacetime. Visitors encounter personal letters and belongings that show the everyday lives of those connected to these aircraft.
Wear comfortable shoes, as the hangars are vast and require considerable walking to explore properly. The site has rest areas, food outlets, and facilities spread throughout, allowing visitors to take breaks whenever needed.
The collection holds the last surviving Boulton Paul Defiant night fighter, an aircraft of which only a handful were ever made and now exists nowhere else. Equally remarkable is a German Heinkel He 162 Salamander jet, developed in the final months of the war.
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