A trip to middle England

[Kapitan]

In the heart of middle England lay one place where the History of the British Royal Air Force is told.
This year marks the Royal Air force's 100th Birthday making it the oldest air force in the world.

Aircraft past and present are here, from the early days to the modern fast jets, a sister museum at Duxford this week took delivery of a panavia Tornado retiring from service after 27 years of flying, the aircraft is still in use in Germany and the UK however the Tornado is due to retire March 2019

Some of the most iconic war birds are here at RAF Cosford they each tell a story some of desperation in the darkest days of World War 2 some tell us the pioneers and some show us a sense of bold adventure.
Everything here is worth a visit and spending time here really does awaken you to what has gone on in our past.

Probably the most notable feature in this collection are the three V bombers the Tin Triangle the Vulcan leads the show of course, but for me the best looking is the Victor its also the most futuristic looking, i have never been up close to a victor but it is awe inspiring, the third of the trio the Valiant is here too due to the fatiguing they were withdrawn early from service this is the only place in the world you can find a real full size valiant.

DSCN0572 by B S, on Flickr
The Tin Triangle Avro Vulcan the most iconic of them all

DSCN0552 by B S, on Flickr

The Victor the most futuristic of them all even Nikita Kruschev gave it the thumbs up

DSCN0534 by B S, on Flickr

The Valiant the bomber who had the shortest life span of them all

Of course no collection would be complete without the English Electric Frightening (Lightning), stood up on its end like a rocket her Bristol Avon engines produced a whopping 32,000lbs of thrust on full after burner today this aircraft would still match for speed the current Tornado and many other modern jets.

DSCN0563 by B S, on Flickr

She took many crews to their deaths and it was said the pilot would break long before the air craft.

In 1982 Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands a task group consisting of HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible along with a task group headed 8,000 miles south into the jaws of a capable enemy their only defense was a handful of fixed wing sub sonic air craft, the now iconic Harrier jump jet.

Difficult to fly for new recruits it none the less proved itself in battle taking on the faster & Supersonic Mirage III as well as the nimble A4 Sky hawks not one was lost in air to air combat, it was that good many export countries bought it including the United States marine corps and produced them on licence as the AV8A/B who still fly them from their LPA type vessels next year marks the 50th anniversary from its concept to current day operations, but as we know they are slowly being replaced by the F35.

DSCN0493 by B S, on Flickr

The iconic Harrier Jump jet still in front line service 50 years after its first primitive tests with the flying bedsted


Some of the most iconic war birds are housed here this includes a late model Avro Lancaster, and also a mosquito these aircraft give us a sense of what being British means, the famous 617 squadron the dam busters flew these aircraft today the squadron lives on flying the now out going tornado while currently transitioning into the F35B.

IMG_0325 by B S, on Flickr

Probably the best loved Bomber in England the Lancaster now along side the very aircraft who were tasked to destroy her.

DSCN0524 by B S, on Flickr

The sleek lines of the ME109 in front with the menacing but iconic FW190 behind

At RAF cosford there is a collection of German and Japanese aircraft on display none more worth of a picture than the famous ME109 & the FW190 both struck fear into the hearts of Common wealth and later American airmen, heavily armed very agile in the early years these planes could take on nearly any allied aircraft and win, only one thing stood in their way.

DSCN0523 by B S, on Flickr

Mark 1 Spitfire became the icon the world over in the battle of Britain along with its more produced buddy the Hawker Hurricane

The Spitfire powered by the mean Rolls Royce Merlin engine was easily a match for any German aircraft, with the ability to turn tighter than the ME109 it is clear that even though both aircraft had similar qualities and capabilities it was pretty much down to the pilot on who would win.

Probably one of the most confusing aircraft in the collection is a British airways plane, yes it is authentic and yes it is true that they flew the German Junkers JU52 for civilian use, this aircraft was the transport of choice by the Germans and acted in every theater of war it is probably one of my most favorite aircraft here yet it doesn't receive the attention from the public that it should and in my opinion no transport aircraft ever does.

DSCN0607 by B S, on Flickr

The rather lonely JU52 sat idol today one still fly's as a memorial flight operated by Lufthansa.

Without the transport aircraft you don't have a war, without air support you don't have battle field dominance since the end of World war two air power has been the key factor in winning a war but yet these vulnerable aircraft are very often the prime targets, these aircraft supply and keep the Battle going the provide relief in times of need and support the troops on the found when required, they are easily adaptable versatile and yet largely remain un armed, they rarely get the recognition they deserve unlike the fighter aircraft they help keep supplied and flying.

DSCN0629
C130 & VC10 rarely get much praise for what they do but without them you have lost your battle

Probably the most recognizable transport aircraft ever made in modern times the C130 has been the work horse of many air forces around the world since the 1950's it has been adapted into many roles from Hurricane Hunter to Medivac and artic support aircraft it is likely to out live any other air force aircraft yet deployed it is continually upgraded and always adaptable.

Next is the Vickers VC10 unusual because it has 4 engines mounted rear wards, these carried freight and also were used as tankers they are adaptions from the airline VC10 and have also had a 50 year life, most notably the Soviet IL62 Airliner looks almost identical.

And so it brings up back to where it started, the first aircraft were not built for war or passengers they were built mainly to carry mail like many other early transport aircraft not many survive its always the fighters and Bombers that get saved, at RAF Cosford the few early aircraft are fighters the Gladiator and Swordfish are the two most famous bi planes, notably the latter of these antiquated aircraft who in 1941 disabled the battleship Bismark when they flew from the Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.




It gives you an idea of just how far we have come in 100 years i know i wont be around to see the bi centennial anniversary but one can only imagine that today's combat jets like the F22 and F35 may one day end up parked in a hanger with a plaque explaining why they were built gathering dust, does it not leave you to wonder what the next half a century will bring?

All i know is "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to make the same mistakes"

[Eichhörnchen]

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/

Thanks for posting these great photos for us. I witnessed an EE Lightning on full afterburners climbing straight up like this at a Biggin Hill airshow once. The ground shook... I remember my rib-cage vibrated... and the babies all screamed. It was awesome!

[Jimbuna]

Looking at this thread took me straight to my pictures HD and my last visit there back in 2013.

Far too many exhibits to mention and I fully appreciate we all have different favourites but one of the many highlights for me was seeing a TSR2 (XR220) for the first time and such an expansive collection of missiles, not to mention the models section.

Thanks for sharing

[Schroeder]

Thanks for sharing.

[STEED]

Some years when I was last there, second biggest collection after Duxford and a great place.

[blackswan40]

great pics STEED old bean I'm looking forward to seeing the Tornado's replacement the F-35 hope to pick up the Air Coms on my Scanner when they become operational at RAF Marham

[Kapitan]

Thanks guys just wait for the next one