Interactive aircraft hall

Designed as a reconnaissance aircraft for RAF Coastal Command. The first aircraft with a retractable undercarriage to enter RAF service. Used mainly as a crew trainer during the Second World War.

A fighter designed to defend North America from enemy bombers. It could fly in extreme weather conditions.The first all-Canadian designed and built combat aircraft.

The first British jet bomber. It entered service with the RAF in 1951. Designed to fly high and fast to avoid enemy defences. Served for over 50 years in various roles with the RAF and several other air forces.

The most successful version of the world’s first jet passenger aeroplane. This Comet made the first scheduled jet flight across the Atlantic in 1958. The Comet was developed into the maritime reconnaissance Nimrod. This aircraft is still in service with the RAF.

The world’s only successful supersonic passenger aeroplane. Developed and built jointly by Britain and France. Concorde could cross the Atlantic in half the time of a Boeing 747, but with a quarter of the passengers.

First World War British bomber designed for strategic attacks on German cities, railways and airfields. Not very successful because of its underpowered and unreliable engine. DH9s were some of the first aircraft stationed at Duxford.

1950s passenger and business aeroplane. Used all over the world by airlines and other companies. Adapted for aerial survey and other specialist tasks.

The Harrier was the world’s first fixed-wing Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aeroplane. The Harrier has served as a fighter, bomber and ground-attack aeroplane. It is commonly called a ‘strike’ aircraft. Versions of the Harrier serve with the armed forces of Britain, America, Italy, Spain, India and Thailand.

RAF long-range transport aircraft. Hastings carried supplies on the Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949.

The main RAF fighter in the 1950s. Served with twenty air forces around the world. Hunters served at Duxford.

The Jaguar was the first RAF aircraft to be built jointly by two countries - Britain and France. It was designed as a strike aircraft and an advanced trainer. British and French Jaguars served in the Gulf War 1991 and over Kosovo from 1994 to 1995.

The most successful British heavy bomber used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. Lancasters dropped a greater weight of bombs than any other aircraft in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Most famous for the Dam Busters raid of May 1943.

RAF interceptor fighter in service from 1960-1988. The only all-British designed and made supersonic fighter.

Second World War RAF elementary training aircraft. The first monoplane training aircraft in RAF service.

The most effective and fastest bomber of the Second World War. Known as the ‘Wooden Wonder’ because of its all-wood construction. Served in a variety of roles, including night-fighter, ground-attack aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft and target-tug.

Percy Pilcher was a British aviation pioneer. He and his sister Ella built the Hawk in 1896. It was his last and most successful hang glider. However, in 1899 Pilcher was killed when the Hawk crashed. Pilcher had been developing a powered aircraft but bad weather prevented him flying it that day. If the weather had been good, Percy Pilcher might have flown a powered aircraft four years before the Wright brothers. On loan from Eric Littledyke.

The Spitfire was the final version of the legendary British Second World War fighter. The Spitfire remained in production for the whole of the Second World War, with over 40 variants built. The first squadron to be equipped with the Spitfire was No. 19, based at Duxford.

A multi-role aircraft designed for advanced training, ground-attack and reconnaissance. Developed for export, it served with several different countries from the 1970s to the 1990s. Used in combat in Ecuador, Oman and South Yemen.

Long-range flying-boat in RAF service from 1938-1959. During the Second World War, Sunderlands flew maritime reconnaissance, convoy escort, air/sea rescue and anti-submarine operations. They served over the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the North Sea and the Mediterranean.

Second World War torpedo-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Most famous for the attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto. This Swordfish was equipped with radar and used to defend convoys of ships against U-Boats.

RAF training aircraft in service 1932-1952. Many RAF pilots trained on the Tiger Moth during the Second World War. The last biplane trainer in RAF service.

Strike aircraft that can be fitted with different equipment for different jobs. Built by Panavia, a company made up of British, German and Italian aircraft manufacturers. Tornados served with the British, German and Italian air forces from 1980 onwards.

The Rolls-Royce Trent 800 is a high-bypass turbofan aero-engine. It was developed to power the Boeing 777 series of aircraft. It is an extremely reliable engine and has achieved significant commercial success. Since 1997, over 80% of 777 aircraft have been fitted with Trent 800 aero-engines.

Prototype strike aircraft designed to replace the Canberra bomber in the 1960s. TSR2 stands for Tactical, Strike, Reconnaissance (Mach 2). The project was cancelled in 1965 because of rising costs.

Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand made the first crossing of the Atlantic by hot-air balloon in this capsule in July 1987. The British company Thunder and Colt built this two-man crew capsule and the balloon.

RAF long-range jet bomber. Carried Britain’s strategic nuclear weapons from the mid-1950s to 1969.

The first British anti-submarine helicopter. Whirlwinds were also used in transport and reconnaissance roles. They were flown by the Royal Navy, British Army and RAF.

Military and commercial transport aircraft. It was built in three versions: a long-range freight transport, a combined passenger/freighter and a passenger aeroplane. This aircraft took part in the Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949.