Kent Battle of Britain Museum, Military aviation museum in Hawkinge, England
The Kent Battle of Britain Museum is a military aviation museum in Hawkinge displaying aircraft wreckage, uniforms, documents, and personal items recovered from the 1940 air campaign. The collection features objects excavated from crash sites across the region.
The museum was founded in 1971 on the grounds of a former Royal Air Force airfield. Its collection grew from excavations at crash sites throughout the 1960s, recovering artifacts from the aerial conflict.
The exhibits feature personal letters, photographs, and belongings that reveal how pilots on both sides experienced the conflict. Walking through the displays, you encounter the human stories behind the machines and uniforms.
The museum operates from March through November and offers guided tours by appointment. Parking is available on the grounds, and comfortable walking shoes are recommended as you move between indoor exhibits and outdoor display areas.
The collection contains pieces from over 700 crashed aircraft, including rare German Luftwaffe equipment rarely seen elsewhere. Many of these objects were recovered directly from beneath fields and villages across the surrounding area.
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