In early March the Royal Air Force Museum has announced that several aircraft from its national collection are being made available for transfer, as part of its ongoing efforts to align with its core mission: to share the story of the Royal Air Force—past, present, and future—through its people, aircraft, and innovations. The initiative is designed to inspire and educate the public through its museums in the Midlands and London, as well as through collaborations with heritage organizations across the UK and internationally.
This latest move follows the RAF Centenary in 2018 and the Museum’s strategic shift outlined in its 2030 Strategy. The Museum launched a comprehensive Collections Review to ensure each artifact directly supports the telling of the RAF Story. Trustees of the Museum requested the review to prioritize objects that resonate most with this mission. Each item in the collection was evaluated based on its relevance to the RAF narrative, the presence of duplicates, and overall condition. As a result of this review, several aircraft have been identified for transfer. Priority will be given to public organizations within the UK. The transfer process adheres strictly to the Museum’s Collection Development Policy and the Museums Association’s Off the Shelf Toolkit.
The Museum is now inviting expressions of interest in the following aircraft, with submissions required via email by 25 April 2025. Interested parties can request object condition reports (OCRs), images, and hazard information. Due to resource constraints, further details beyond those included in the OCRs cannot be provided.
Aircraft available for transfer include:- Boulton Paul Sea Balliol (Accession No. 69/A/626)
- De Havilland Chipmunk (X002-3448)
- De Havilland Comet (84/A/1186)
- De Havilland Devon (1987/0015/A)
- Fairchild Argus (73/A/1097)
- Fairey Swordfish (1996/0164/A)
- Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (1989/0315/A)
- FMA Pucara (83/A/1159)
- Hunting Percival Jet Provost T1 (1986/0039/A)
- Lockheed Ventura (83/A/877)
- Vickers Valetta (69/A/87)
- Vickers Varsity (1993/0860/A)
