Aircraft and Aviation Museums - UK

RAF Museum Museum, Cosford, Shropshire, UK (telephone 01902 374872)

• Location - one mile from Junction 3 of M54 motorway. The RAF Museum, Cosford (formerly called Cosford Aerospace Museum) claims to be 'four museums in one.'

Junkers Ju52/3m the work horse of the German Luftwaffe during WW2

• The collection of World War 2 aircraft includes British, American, German and Japanese planes, as well as missiles from WW2.

V2 and other unique German rocket missiles from WW2

• The Japanese aircraft include an example of a Mitsubishi Ki-46 twin-engined reconnaissance aircraft (known to the Allies as Dinah). This plane was highly rated by its crews and by Allied pilots. Recently the Japanese pilot who had orginally flown this particular aircraft was reunited with his plane.

Mitsubishi Ki-46 reconnaissance aircraft (Code name Dinah), with a Ohka (Cherry Blossom) piloted bomb in the fore ground

• There is also a fine display of British jet engines, from early Whittle development units through to the current Rolls-Royce Trent turbo fan which powers the largest wide bodied airliners.

The development of the British jet engine

• The collection also includes many post war British research aircraft and prototypes. Among the aircraft is an example of the great hope of the British aircraft industry in the 1960s - the TSR2 strike bomber. This advanced plane was cancelled by the British government because of the economic crisis of the mid-1960s.

Prototype of the TSR2 strike aircraft

• An other intersting British research aircraft on display is the Bristol 188, designed for high speed research. The airframe is constructed of stainless steel to withstand the air friction of high speed flight, but the problem which limited the flying time was the limited fuel load and the two thirsty De Havilland Gyron Junior engines.

Bristol 188 high speed research plane

• Over 80 aircraft are in the collection including many British transport aircraft. The Avro Lincoln bomber on display (which was developed just too late to see action in World War 2) is reputed to be haunted and has been the subject of a number of investigative TV programmes.

The Avro Lincoln bomber on display is reputed to be haunted

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