Collections

Explore our collections of incredible stories, created to mark anniversaries, events, aircraft and more.

Before Jenny Green tragically became a widow in August 1990, women and children were all suffering “triple bereavements”, as they lost their husband/father, but also, their homes, support network and way of life. Given two months to leave quarters, their station passes revoked and suddenly finding themselves with no home, school, doctors or income.

Despite her grief, Jenny realised there was a huge deficit in financial and logistical support so wrote to other widows and they met in 1992. From this, they formed The Widows Association, primarily to support other widows but going on to work with the War Pensions Society, Defence Bereaved Families Group and the War Widows Association to change policies and the lives of bereaved military families.

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Old Haltonians Stained Glass Windows

In October 1997, RAF Padre at St Georges Church, the Rev Richard Lee, suggested that the Old Haltonians do something with the many windows at the church. It then became tradition for each Entry of apprentices to design and create their own window, resulting in an amazing, colourful and historical wall of windows, each with its own unique story and personality.

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The Anniversary of the Gay Ban

On the 12th January 2000, the ban on LGBT+ people serving in the British Armed Forces was removed. Before this date, anyone discovered to be gay could be subjected to arrest, interrogation, examination, imprisonment, and dismissal. To commemorate that important day, the RAF Museum has been recording the experiences of those effected by the ban with help from military charity Fighting with Pride and the RAF LGBT+ Network.

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The Queens Air Bearer Party

The King’s Colour Squadron is the RAF’s dedicated ceremonial unit, responsible for representing the RAF at both state and national ceremonial occasions, and providing Guards of Honour for the Royal Family, Heads of State, dignitaries and other VIPs. On the demise of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 the Squadron became the custodians of the King’s Colour and was renamed the King’s Colour Squadron on 27 October 2022.

Formed exclusively by the Officers and Gunners of the RAF Regiment, the King’s Colour Squadron holds a dual role capability as a regular field squadron under 63 Squadron RAF Regiment with personnel deployed actively on Operations throughout Europe and the Middle East. The Squadron provided the Bearer Party and Guard of Honour when an RAF C-17 transport aircraft delivered Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin to RAF Northolt at London from Scotland.

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Bomber Command 1939-1945

By mid-1940 the only way for Britain to take the war to the enemy homeland was through the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command. By 1945, the Command had helped deliver Allied victory, but at what cost? 55,573 of its aircrew were dead, over 8,000 were injured, hundreds of thousands of civilians had perished in Axis (enemy) and Allied bombing raids, and cities across Europe were in ruins.

From an unpromising start, volunteer Bomber Command aircrew faced a nightly battle to complete their assigned raids. Developments in technology and tactics helped increase their chances of survival. With increasing precision, the Command’s attacks on German industrial centres reduced the production of arms, ammunition, material and fuel, almost certainly shortening the war.

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