A unique opportunity will be available at this year’s RAF Cosford Air Show on June 18th. Eight of the RAF Museum’s historic aircraft will be on static display outside for visitors to see in the open air. While it is not unprecedented for museum aircraft to make brief outdoors appearances, it doesn’t happen very often, and never before for this particular group of airframes.
Representing WWI in the lineup will be a WWI era Bristol M1C monoplane fighter and Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter.
For WWII, the world’s sole surviving Boulton Paul Defiant turret fighter and an ultra-rare Gloster Gladiator will feature. However, an extraordinary addition to the lineup will include the WWII prototype for Britain’s first jet fighter!
As RAF Museum Cosford’s Public Relations Executive, Michelle Morgans stated, “We are delighted to be able to support the show again this year and celebrate the RAF centenary in such a spectacular way. In addition to the aircraft being moved out of our hangars for display on the airfield, we will also be bringing the Gloster Meteor F9/40 out of storage exclusively for the show, which we hope will prove popular with visitors.”
There is no doubt this will be a major hit for many visitors!
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Post WWII transports will be represented by the de Havilland Devon C2, Percival Pembroke C1, the Scottish Aviation Jetstream T1 pilot trainer. While not as exciting to the average enthusiast, these last three are seminal British designs, and increasingly rare these days, and the museum aircraft have not been outdoors on public display for many years, so it will be a treat to have this opportunity.
The RAF Cosford Air Show itself is a major display, and attracts in excess of 50,000 visitors. For those interested in going, tickets are advanced sale only and cost £29 per person with free entry for accompanied children under 16. Tickets will not be available to purchase on the gate, so to avoid disappointment, visit the show’s website www.cosfordairshow.co.uk and book online. Tickets are also available to purchase in advance from the Museum.
