branch near england britain largest aviation museum houses museum large exhibits including nearly aircraft military vehicles artillery minor naval vessels seven main exhibition buildings site provides storage space museum collections material film photographs documents books artifacts site british_army regimental museums including named based historic site originally operated royal_air_force raf world war second world war played prominent role later fighter units support daylight bombing germany remained active raf airfield declared site surplus requirements received permission use site storage entirety site transferred museum february keeping site history original buildings use buildings particular architectural historic significance thirty listed building status retain ing best preserved technical fabric remaining historic airfield november remarkably preserved site features purpose built exhibition buildings prize winning designed sir site remains active airfield civilian flying companies hosts regular air shows site operated partnership charity formed preserve civil aircraft promote appreciation british civil aviation history museum history originated world war committee formed british government record war effort sacrifice britain empire museum opened point renamed outbreak second world war museum terms reference enlarged include conflict museum terms reference include modern conflicts british commonwealth forces engaged effect expansions cause museum collections expand enormously point parts collection especially aircraft vehicles artillery effectively stored exhibited museum south london home nineteenth century building previously extended end decade museum seeking additional space royal_air_force fighter station declared surplus requirements museum duly requested permission use airfield temporary storage featured double bay world war vintage provided space years museum aircraft brought restored volunteers museum aircraft restored flying condition private groups museum able mount air shows followed display june attracting audience people runway bought success shows provided valuable source revenue complemented efforts volunteers museum applied permanent transfer entire site use permission received february initially open march october received visitors season million visitors received welcomed visitor august associated british military aviation site near village southern selected new training fighter airfield role retain end operational life august based operate outbreak war september home raf squadrons engaged coastal patrol duties july saw considerable action sector station group middle years war home specialist units engineers april formed notable pilots wing group captain later rise chief air staff served chairman trustees imperial war museum march started arrive republic group north american december end war europe group remained carrying bomber escort fighter sweeps ground ground attack missions officially returned raf december remained fighter station changing defence priorities saw raf fighter force northerly bases operational flight july longer operational site gradually increasingly derelict american film studio obtained permission use site filming shoot single bay hangar built world war demolished simulate air raid announced intention dispose plans drawn developments including implemented operated partnership society registered charity states objectives educate public collecting exhibiting historic aircraft military vehicles boats support society formed divergence members operates preserves maintains especially notable aircraft collection include eastbound jet powered passenger flight october pre production aircraft achieved highest speed making westwards flight hours minutes support museum goals das military vehicle wing provides world leading teams military vehicle restoration engineers wing volunteers vehicles located provide restoration services vehicles museum collection team operate vehicles demonstrations year wing works featured tank overhaul programme james 20th century wide variety magazines media elements society provide support range functions site including aircraft conservation learning activities administrative tasks affiliated group collects preserves exhibits demonstrates historic military electronic equipment housed buildings close january society operated membership scheme museum volunteer members air shows flying remains active airfield maintains parallel grass strip concrete runway usable length oriented degrees runway originally purchased october agreement reached council acres km2 surrounding grassland sold museum approximately million held regular air shows home private aviation companies classic wings fighter collection companies provide pleasure flights historic aircraft film television work aircraft restoration services notable privately owned operated aircraft based preservation ltd flying fortress europe major air shows held regularly include flying legends organised held conjunction units air_force europe based nearby air usually exhibits wide range aircraft vintage contemporary jet aircraft flying groups flying legends focuses historic aircraft especially second world war reported displays generate million loss adverse weather bill necessary manage resulting road traffic reported recent major events included anniversary held september attended people featured formation displays sixteen active civil airfield operations regulated privately operated suffered braking failure landing overran runway came rest motorway student pilot killed ground level air accidents investigation branch inquiry recommended review arrangements aircraft taking landing result agreed reduction runway declared length order provide greater margin error licensed airfield currently vehicles fire fighters officers operates department fire service originally operated voluntary crews training officers coming local airports years mixed voluntary time operation site layout originally planned occupy acre km2 site divided road runs north east area north road occupied accommodation administrative buildings airfield technical buildings south divided museum site bounded east motorway meets adjacent museum site junction construction forced shortening runway role museum north site occupied stored collections generally open public south occupied historic buildings purpose built structures south visitor entrance houses shop visitor facilities previously airfield buildings arranged roughly parallel east running westwards followed museum site approximately end visitor bus operates opening hours aircraft exhibits displayed externally tank replica gate guardians main entrance commercial belonging stand runway apron opposite surface air missile stands site demolished hangar united_states_air_force eagle stands near stands outside inch artillery piece previously nearby historic site buildings particular architectural historic significance following review sites relating british aviation history english_heritage buildings sites received listed building status contains thirty buildings largest number site listed buildings include dating world war operations block received status block open public houses wartime operations room aircraft directed historic building converted accommodate new exhibition entitled exhibition open late depict history site experiences personnel announced plans redevelopment hangar previously known built 1980s plans expand building providing display conservation space improve internal conditions enable museum british commonwealth aircraft collection brought cover planning permission received later year project cost million supported contributed million building provides floor space consists aircraft conservation area large exhibition hall providing views aircraft interactive educational installations exploring engineering principles flight officially opened public july aircraft display dating world war early aircraft include rare examples surviving example display complete original existence recent notable aircraft include served war squadron raf tornado flew highest number bomber sorties tornado gulf war display strike aircraft survivors cancellation project recent additions include seven typhoon development aircraft donated museum went display june civil aircraft include described houses museum british_army airborne forces previously located barracks near museum opened december opening ceremony led colonel chief museum chronicles history british airborne forces second world war current operations afghanistan cost million hangar flying aircraft hangar double type hangar erected 1970s occupies site hangar erected 1950s aircraft private aviation companies allows visitors aircraft undergoing maintenance restoration hangar air sea hangar original belfast hangar houses maritime exhibition collection includes notable vessels naval aircraft boats display include built saw action baltic campaign commander lieutenant won victoria_cross sinking russian cruiser june vessels include motor torpedo boat acquired example submarine wartime boat stationed variety naval aircraft display including sea helicopter embarked frigate war hangar battle britain exhibition hangar historic houses exhibition exploring history operational raf airfield world war cold war early period represented type operated period represented flew squadron raf type operational flight hungarian common jet fighter britain air defence second world war particularly emphasised exhibits representing blitz flying bomb offensive notable aircraft include flown forced sussex engine failure displayed showing crashed aircraft guard unusual aircraft display signals wing based test coastal radar units hangar conservation action hangar westernmost original hangar houses aircraft conservation workshops open public hangar allows visitors museum staff volunteers work variety conservation tasks notable projects include zero fighter acquired american owner jungle recovery condition display partner funded aims provide training volunteers supporting aviation heritage projects late 1970s museum acquired important american aircraft flying fortress association mid-1980s plans developed commemoration role american air power second world war group american supporters formed architect sir commissioned design new building fundraising project began support funds sought united_states founding member general fundraising events held houston washington los_angeles project widely supported united_states individual subscribers funding secured saudi_arabia september groundbreaking new building performed wartime veteran major architecture construction designed sir museum specification called landmark building provide neutral backdrop aircraft collection provide appropriate climatic controls cost efficient operate building shaped section formed curved concrete roof wide high deep dimensions building dictated need accommodate museum bomber wingspan tail high roof constructed double layered concrete shell built reinforced concrete sections inverted shaped sections provided inner layer flat panels forming outer layer roof weighs tonnes able support suspended aircraft weighing tonnes glass wall permit aircraft rearranged allows daylight reducing lighting costs enabling aircraft seen outside building allows visitors inside museum watch aircraft landing taking visitor perspective pedestrian entrance leads floor level cockpit museum lack supporting columns allows aircraft hang ceiling heavier aircraft stand floor building covers construction began building october roof completed september building won prize foster partners described judges great big clear span hangar building dramatic awe inspiring object beauty simple imagery opening dedication opened queen elizabeth_ii august total cost project million museum dedicated september ceremony attended president opened museum glass removed allow bringing serial number example type display outside united_states set flight altitude record feet july nineteen american aircraft display notable examples include flew troop carrier group participated major second world war airborne operations june normandy landings operation market garden airborne crossing march museum flew korean war 7th example europe preserved museums outside united_states flew sorties vietnam war 28th display flew missions gulf war january museum announced award museum planned use money build website based photographic collection aviation historian update museum interpretation conserve aircraft exhibits museum launched october website seeks photographs information public men women served second world war british people befriended land warfare hall land warfare hall opened september lord building provides accommodation collection armoured vehicles artillery military vehicles included vehicles belonging hall comprises viewing balcony runs length hall providing views range vehicles tanks artillery run world war present day notable world war exhibits battle damaged artillery action september victoria crosses won second world war particular illustrated eastern invasion normandy outside building whale floating roadway bridge span significant vehicles collection include command vehicles field marshal bernard law montgomery commander north west europe campaign display extracts montgomery personal papers held depict scenes conflicts korean war war british contributions bosnia gulf war vehicles maintained running condition site features running area building forgotten war land warfare hall houses forgotten war exhibition opened march joint project association represents veterans burma campaign consider fought forgotten army compared fought europe exhibition explores aspects second world war far_east features artefacts archival film photographs depicting scenes troops moving jungle village exhibition supported financially memorial land warfare hall formed amalgamation regiments museum opened june noted war correspondent previously served sergeant national museum covers history regiment predecessors date seventeenth century recent operations iraq afghanistan alongside museum displays items regiment collection exhibits include lost fall singapore recovered war september memorial dedicated fundraising campaign raised launched following deaths action soldiers 1st battalion royal regiment unit operational tour afghanistan memorial inscribed names soldiers killed east regiments formed conflicts including afghanistan iraq northern_ireland dedication attended people north collections storage addition exhibition buildings north area site north road provides storage collecting departments stored collections include film collection potentially hazardous film kept purpose built nearby collections stored north include books maps photographs documents collections uniforms equipment
Imperial War Museum Duxford