I have been waiting years to visit the Royal Air Force Museum and it was every bit as exciting as the anticipation leading up to our visit to London. I planned to stay there for most of the day and I ended up taking upwards of 500 photos of every aircraft, gun, missile & bomb in the 6 buildings covering the history of the RAF from WWI to modern day. As you enter the grounds, you are greeted by the gate guardian, a Supermarine Spitfire of WWII fame. Starting off at Building H1 are many Cold War and modern weapons, aircraft, history and technology, all the way up to the mock-up of the Lockheed F-35 Lightning II strike/fighter currently serving with the RAF and RN on HMS Queen Elizabeth II and HMS Prince of Wales. You will notice that many of the aircraft are accompanied by life-sized cutout pictures of the pilots that flew them and their stories, giving the machines a personal effect. Buildings H4, H5, H6 house many of the larger historical planes from WWII multi-engined propeller driven bombers to 21st century supersonic interceptors. Both British and American aircraft are seen here from the close allied relations between the USA and UK over the last century. You will also see rare aircraft taken as war trophies from Germany and Japan. Most have been meticulously returned close to their original condition with some still undergoing restoration. One artifact of note is a Handley Page Halifax, a 4-engine heavy bomber from WWII that was shot down after a raid on the German battleship Tirpitz in 1942 and recovered with most of its parts from a Norwegian lake in 1971. The Hendon Kitchen between buildings H2 & H6 is a great place to take a break, rest your feet and grab a bite to eat. I was surprised by the quality of the food and is way better than the hamburger, hot dogs & chicken fingers at museums in the United States. For lunch, I got the Spitfire Wings with Roasted Vegetables and it was excellent. It was served on a porcelain plate with real silverware and I was suitably impressed. Don't forget to visit the gift shop on the way out and make a supporting donation to the museum to keep it free for all to enjoy. read more

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Amazing. It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it. They have a wide selection of planes. 10/10 recommended to go But. The VR flight sim cost a lot of money and only for a short time you can play read more

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Nice museum! Definitely a little further out in London but definitely doable. They have a ton of planes, some you can even walk inside. There's lots of kids activities as well. read more

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The Royal Air Force (RAF) Museum in the Colindale area of northern London is an outstanding air force and aircraft museum and certainly among the best in the world, especially for military aviation. It is on the grounds of a former RAF base and includes several different exhibit sections in different halls. It includes exhibits on the history of the RAF, the future, and with aircraft, information, and other artifacts from the beginnings of aviation to the present day. There are WWI planes in one hall. The is a large section on WWII. with many planes from that war, including German planes and an Italian fighter. Some of the items are very rare. There is a recovered Halifax bomber wreck, a famous large Lancaster bomber which flew numerous missions, a Short Sunderland flying boat which visitors may walk through, and one Spitfire for which one may book on advance to sit in and have everything explained. Admission to the museum is free, but one must pay for the "Spitfire Experience." There is a large gift shop plus restaurant. It is a pleasant walk from the Colindale tube station read more

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This is must see for all airplane lovers. Six hangers of history making planes most in perfect condition. They have every important plane from WW I to the Gulf war. From triplanes to spitfires, Me109, the P51 mustang and the legendary Lancaster! The admission was free but we made several donations ! Just an easy train from London and a short walk to the museum. Go today you won't regret it! read more

This little place is tucked away in Hendon and perfect for a short trip with kids and war plane enthusiasts. It's spacious but not too large a space and beautifully laid out , very interesting to read about and see up close the war planes of eras . We all loved it and have gone back multiple times. Free to get into amd easy parking when we went read more

An awesome museum if you're into aviation / military history. The main area is a large hall called Historic Hangars / Bomber Hall. It is filled with actual planes from WWI, WWII, and beyond, with detailed descriptions and historical stories on the walls. The description of the Pacific campaign in WWII in particular had a lot of informative text and a map showing where the battles were fought. There are interactive exhibits where you can sit in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft for £10 or watch a 4D movie (aka virtual reality ride) for £5. This exhibit certainly has something for everyone, both kids and adults. There is a cafe where you can purchase sandwiches, chips, coffee/tea, juice, and alcoholic beverages. First World War in the Air is another building which focuses on WWI. It begins with an introductory short film and then proceeds to a hall with more planes and glass displays in the middle with uniforms, documents, mementos, etc. Unfortunately, when I visited everything else was closed. 2018 marks the centenary of the RAF, so they are doing a huge reconstruction in preparation for the event. I'm sure it will be even better next year! read more

Royal Air Force Museum - Current as of November 2017. Note that Milestones of Flight is not yet open, despite what the map may imply. - Museums Near Me - London, XGL

The RAF Museum is understated as an aviation museum, but that's consistent with many things British. Without a doubt, this is a world class aviation museum, understated or not. Getting here can be tricky, especially for a foreigner like me, but once you get on the Edgware line of London's famous "tube", and get off at Colindale, it's a short walk, maybe one click, to the museum gate. Admission is free. The museum is well organized, with sections such as WW1, WW2, Bombers and so forth. The assemblage of aircraft is excellent, ranging from the fabric over wood biplanes to a convincing mockup of an American F-35. I was especially taken with the excellent Avro Vulcan display, a diorama including the bomber itself, a maintenance cart, a representative ordnance load, and an armed British sentry and German Shepherd dog mannequins. Well done. Fighter planes include those of British, German, and American lineage, all beautifully restored and wearing appropriate livery. Spitfires, a Hurricane, a Focke-Wulf 190, Mustangs, a Thunderbolt and several others. It is notable that there are two German jet fighters here, an Me 262 and an He 162, both rare artifacts from WW2, and both wonderfully restored. There was a striking display of a downed Halifax bomber, restored to its original crashed condition, showing burned and broken parts, including the engines. torn loose from their wing mounts. Very original. Very well done. Another original display showed a post-bombing German machine shop, A placard explained that the bombing was not very significant, despite destroying the building, since the machines themselves were unscathed and could be moved to operate in a different location. I just wish the lighting would have been brighter for aircraft photos. Most aircraft were properly displayed with their appropriate camouflage colors, making them inconspicuous and difficult to photograph, as my pictures attest. My suggestion to the museum curators is to add some ground level lighting to enable better pictures. Incidentally, there is a very nice little cafe within the museum, great coffee, sandwiches, pastries, juice and soft drinks. And best of all, a great view of many aircraft displays. If you are in the London area, and are an aviation enthusiast, do not miss this museum. read more

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Had to work a bit to get here. On my own on my second day in London, navigated the Tube and a fair walk from the station, but I made it. And man was it worth it! Housed in several buildings including an old aircraft factory, this museum is chock-full of interesting aircraft. From the early days, through WW2, to current fighters, everywhere you turn there is something impressive. Make sure to follow the maps and signs- I almost missed a gallery. Did I mention it's free? Watch yourself in the gift shop though- lots of goodies for plane nuts young and old. read more

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FREE! just pay £3.50 for 6 hours parking! This place has had a little facelift since i used to frequent it as a kid. A great assortment of planes from the begining of flight up until the new Euro fighter from all over Europe, including a fully restored lancaster bomber and a newly unearthed lancaster waiting for funding for restoration. As well as planes they have a great battle of britian display showing how wwii was for kids, women and fighters during the war. Check out the newly moved and recontructed 1900s plane factory and watch tower behind the coast gaurd boats. A look back at Grahame-White's plane factory from a time when the 'plane' was 'taking off!' read more

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This is a fantastic airplane museum. I love airplanes and have as long as I can remember. I am an aerospace engineer and can't imagine doing anything else. Consequently I am an airplane museum junkie. I have visited many aerospace museums and the RAF museum is as good as it gets. The collection is overwhelming ranging from World War 1 to the present. So many cool airplanes to look at and so little time. I saw airplanes that I had read about but never expected to see in real life - in some cases I didn't even know a survivor existed. This museum is equivalent to the U S Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio in terms of the variety and number of airplanes on display. I felt like the proverbial kid in a candy shop. There isn't a lot of explanatory material here as there is in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum but there are a lot more airplanes. It is a bit of a tube ride from central London and then a walk from the station but it is worth it if you are an airplane freak. I have been twice on recent trips to London and will return as many times as I can. read more

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Well if you have a bit of extra time in london the Royal Air Force museum is a fantastic place to visit! there is a vast colection of millitary aircraft modern and the early years WWI WWII. you will need a good few hours to see everything! Visit my flickr set of my visit to the raf museum: http://www.flickr.com/photos/top_gun_1uk/sets/72157627138660015/ read more

Royal Air Force Museum - Museums Near Me - London, XGL

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A fantastic place to come and marvel at some incredible bits of aviation history. It is free entry, but they do have a donation box for people wanting to contribute, and I really recommend you do, it is a fantastic place. Planes of all types and eras for all to goggle at, as well as quite a few helicopters and military vehicles form across the years. There is pretty decent little cafe inside too, selling sandwiches, cakes, drinks and all the usual staples. The filter coffee is not the best, if you are after a nice black coffee, go for the Americano from the special all-singing-all-dancing coffee machine. And the best part, for those that have kids, there is a massive educational section that takes a look at aerodynamics, the science of how things drop from planes, a hang glider you can sit in...actually, sod the kids, I had an amazing time playing around that part!!! A great day out, the PERFECT wet day entertainment for the whole family. read more

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Can not go wrong here. For visitors near and far it's an easy, well marked 10 min walk from the tube. There is no admission and they have good food and snacks on site or picnicking available All of this makes for a great museum visit. This museum has plenty of planes and other vehicles to view and take pictures of. Just absolutely awesome to soak in that older history. Along with some excellent modeling of blown up factories and what London was like during the war. Again one of the best museums in London and around the world totally free. Please take the time to see some of the history of years gone by from many nations. (and so much of it) There are only two small things I think they could improve on. One is more photography platforms for shooting pictures up closer to the planes. Can live with the lighting if you gave any sort of flash. Maybe have a book for sale of all that is in the hangers with some additional information ( This may have been available, but I did not see it) Thank you to all who had a hand in this it was a great pleasure to enjoy and a wonderful family outing Steve Lazeroff Rochester NY read more

Royal Air Force Museum - Lancaster bomber. This museum is excellent. Could have stayed 8 hours. Easy walk from Colindale tube station. - Museums Near Me - London, XGL

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A little bit out of the way from central London but well worth the 45 minute tube ride! Half mile walk from the station. It was absolutely amazing seeing all the planes in hangers 3,4 and 5! Amazing aircraft from the Second World War. Great for kids and adults alike. Not very crowded. Knowledgeable and kind staff. This was truly amazing. read more

Royal Air Force Museum - Museums Near Me - London, XGL

I was admittedly a rather precocious child. Those things that most boys were interested in could not command my interest for even a fleeting instant. I memorized maps and coats of arms, studied history both recent and ancient. Basically, I was a nerd, but a well-regarded one. My one lapse into behaving my own age was my fascination with airplanes. I adored them, and still do. I set aside my blooming politics of disengagement and diplomacy, a disregard for military answers even if the answer was buildup to act as deterrent (we know how well this has always worked...), and obsessed over these impossible objects, tin chutes swinging about air currents as remarkably more controlled sailboats on the sea. The Royal Air Force Museum is a nuisance to access and a political stretch but to me is like both a return to lost youth and a palace of technological achievement. Really, guys: breaking the speed of sound?! read more

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This is a military museum and therefore I had to overcome a certain uneasyness when entering the compound. However: The exhibits - military airplanes, helicopters, jets are plenty and very often in unrivalled condition. I was impressed by the amazing technical qualities of Word War II airplanes. Excellent display and explanations. Be careful to get there from Colindale tube station and not from Hendon. read more

Royal Air Force Museum - Museums Near Me - London, XGL

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The RAF Museum at Hendon is one of London's little secrets - a free musuem tucked away in north London. However, it's easily accessible by Tube - 10 minute walk from Colindale station. Now I have to confess to being a bit of a plane spotter so this museum is right up my alley. The museum is well laid out with a fair amount to see. The planes are mainly older, with old stalwarts like the Vickers Vimy to the Vulcan bomber as well as some old legends like the Lancaster. There are some interactive exhibits as well as more modern exhibits like the 3D cinema and the Eurofighter simulator. There are also rotating exhibitions that pass through. The Wings restaurant serves hot lunches as well as drinks and snacks For an aeroplane fan like myself, this is easily a half day if not full day museum. I haven't yet made it up to the sister RAF museum in Cosford, north of London. read more

Even if you r not into planes, trust me you'll find dis place quite interesting. Look out for the Eurofighter typhoon. It's wicked. read more

Royal Air Force Museum - Museums Near Me - London, XGL

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I love this place - I would live here if they would let me. When I used to live in London (back in 2001) I chanced upon this single building museum literally up the street from my flat. Back then, I spent an entire day going through the building in awe of the collection of aircraft and memorabilia. So imaging my surprise when I was back in London earlier this year and discovered that the museum now is FOUR buildings. The collection has been greatly expanded and includes some truly one of a kind aircraft. Where else can you walk through the interior of a behemoth Sunderland flying boat? Or stand and look into the wreckage of a crashed Halifax bomber? If you have ANY interest in aviation, and especially if you are a World War aviation enthusiast, this museum is a MUST for your bucket list. Bring money, and a comfortable pair of shoes - there's a LOT of walking, but it is well worth the trip. =;^) read more

This is in the middle of nowhere. Even for me in northwest no mans land it takes me two bus rides in an hour to get there. But then again I don't work near the northern line where Yee Gan O. says you can take the tube and walk, and I was with kiddies on a field trip that day. That being said. Walking under a HUGE airplane wing can be exciting. If you have children (or big children) who are interested in aviation, or at least involuntarily yell out "airplane!!!!" every time one is overhead, then this is the place for you. There's even a little flight simulator in one of the main rooms. We only went into the main building but I think there were other sections that were more interactive for the kiddies. And there's a cafe in there in case you get a bit peckish halfway through. Beware the gift shop! They have kid sized jumpsuits and bomber jackets. All of my money would have been gone with all the cuteness if I weren't being dragged around by hungry children wanting to leave already. read more

This little-known but huge museum is a great idea to spend half a day out. When I first saw it on the map following a suggestion from a friend coming to visit me, I thought it would be take ages to get there, but the truth is that is easily accesible from Central London on the Northern Line. To be honest, I would never thought about going until this friend told me he was very interested, and I loved it! It's really interesting to see all the planes from all the different ages of aviation, some of them painted with cartoon characters, and have a go on the simulator. It's worth a visit to see a different kind of museum, and it's free!! My only complain is that it's too big!! :)very difficult to see everything of it unless you want to spend the whole day there. read more

Fun place though kind of empty. I suppose due to school being in while we were there. This is a place to spend hours learning up close and personal about the Royal Airforce's technologies and advances in avaition and warfare. Many exhibits and interesting stories such as the tale of the "bouncing bombs." DT read more

I cannot believe this AMAZING museum is free. Absolutely free. Buy the guidebook for about 4 quid, its a useful companion as there is so much to see and take in! If you have any kind of interest in aircraft or the Royal Air Force, you will love every minute you spend here. Be forewarned, the Battle of Britain hangar (the best part) closes at 5:30pm sharp, while the rest of the museum closes at 6pm. Totally missed the Battle of Britain part by a few minutes. But it gives us another reason to go back again! Skip the flight simulator. It's watching the Red Arrows from the 90s with a track of "Roll. Go. Roll. Go." Not inspiring at all, nor do you feel like you're flying. Totally not worth the money. However, the 4D film was really cool. I really enjoyed the film we watched. That was definitely worth the money spent. I'm not going to list all of the planes you can see here as many of the reviews already do that, it's a bit redundant. For me, my favourite part of the museum was the Avro Lancaster and the Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II. So awesome! The museum is laid out really well and goes through the history of flight. Totally amazing to think how far flight has come in a few years. Definitely check out this museum! It's hard to imagine that the Cosford branch is supposed to be even better than the Colindale location. Three hours is not enough time to spend here. Give yourself plenty of time so you can appreciate everything you see. You'll thank me later. read more

I was pretty excited when I found this place, and took a long tube ride to go and check it out. I was somewhat disappointed. They have some nice planes on display, and some are very impressive. It doesn't seem to have a lot of modern stuff in general and it's a bit runned down. I know they are renovating and expanding, which is part of the reason, but it was less impressive than I had hoped. read more

Impressive museum and collection of planes hidden away a short walk from Colindale Station. Large hangars full of planes and it is usually quiet and not busy. Good place for a different day out. read more

I admit, I went to be a kind wife. My husband was giddy. But it was cool! And huge! Plan to spend 3+ hours. If you want to sit in a Spitfire, make reservations ahead of time. The staff were gracious and eager to answer questions. It's interactive for kids and adults. It was also a nice break from London traffic and busyness. It's not as posh as the museums in London proper, but the content is good and there are so many aircraft! I really enjoyed watching people get excited about the planes. read more

This is just like Excel Motor show except it is planes. not just a load of old planes many modern, also catch the panaramic cinema and youll feel like your fluying. also has simulators aswell as a science part of how to fly and lots of games. the second building is not planes but all your fav brands ovaltine etc postors and moving statues mini tussards. then the journey begins with many old medical showrooms set up and lots of old uniforms finally you have picnic areas and also a restaurant. bring your own food eating place not very clean and food a bit stale alright for teat/coffe read more

Seeing a whole load of hairy planes is not normally my ideal of a good day out but I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here. There is so much to see but the guidebook gives helpful hints on what to see if you have a short, medium or long visit. It is set out in four huge buildings (3 are joined by walkways) and there are hundreds of planes all well laid out, the information interesting and easy to read & understand. There are simulators, interactive displays, cinema and enthralling shows. The restaurant is laid out canteen style and the food is very good. There is also a coffee shop in one of the hangers where you can take a much need rest. Even the shop was spell binding with models, clothing, prints and a wonderful selection of books. The staff were happy, friendly and helpful, reminding you that shows etc. were about to start so you didn't miss anything. We had a super day and will certainly go back, if only to see the things we missed. There is free parking on site and the whole thing is free entry. Amazing. There is a small charge for guide books & simulator rides. read more

Royal Air Force Museum - Museums Near Me - London, XGL

OK, I'm a bit of an RAF buff and this place is both fascinating and interesting all in one. It's not very often that the general public can get up close to the military aircraft, and hence this museum fills that gap by providing that opportunity. There are some brilliant displays. The Dambusters area demonstrates how they did it with the bouncing bomb. There is a larger display with commentary that highlights what happened in the Battle of Britain and the bombings of London. There are also plenty of other interactive displays to detail the history of the Royal Air Force. A brilliant day out for the family. read more

I've known about the RAF Museum for some time but I've never been up until recently. There are lots of planes from different eras including the early days of flying. There are 4 big areas to visit and the interactive information provided is very informative. I'm not an airplane aficionado by any means but I thought it was great. There are lots of impressive airplanes and one that stood out for me was the Vulcan bomber because of its sheer size. There are are lots of WWII planes some of which are still being restored although a few are in bits and don't look as if they can be rebuilt but I may be wrong. Its free and all you pay for is parking which isn't a lot. I would definitely recommend it. read more

One of my favourite places to visit. Having been here many times over the years, I have always really enjoyed a day out to RAF Hendon. They have kept up with the times and introduced new areas to the museum as well as opening up the old factory towards the back of the site, if you are interested in WWII history and you live anywhere near Hendon or are just visiting, it really is worth a visit. read more

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This is one of those places that reminds me how great a city London is in terms of its free museums. As a bit of a nerd on this stuff I was blown away by the sheer volume of aircraft, both historic and contemporary. There was a huge volume of information on offer, and if you read it all you could easily spend a day there. My childlike attention span meant I went around quite quickly though, doing most areas within the two and a half hours we spent at the museum. Unfortunately we didn't make the Battle of Britain exhibition as closing time came round faster that we had planned, but we fully intend to go back. Great place! read more

This museum is certainly not close to London central, but there's a reason for that.... because it has SO many planes! It's absolutely fantastic to see so many incredible different models from all through the last 116 years of flight. My favourite was the Halifax that was brought up from the bottom of a lake in Norway ... it's possibly the last of its kind! There are two great hangers with lots of planes and there is a LOT of information for you to learn all about the RAF and various wartime adventures. Well worth a visit. read more

One of the few famous landmarks in this part of town, the RAF Museum at Colindale is renowned for it's excellent military aircraft display. Often busy with school trips during the week, this is an informative and interesting trip. read more

This is a perfect day out during a wet holiday. This outing is completely free. Free parking and free entry to the Museum. The planes are housed in huge hangers so there is a vast amount of space to wander through the exhibits. (My two boys run from plane to plane and although it's frowned upon there is enough space to do it) There is a 'hands on section where you can ride a hang glider, drop cargo from a plane 'see air flow etc. My boys particularly like this bit and will spend a good hour in this section playing. There are steps up to some of the planes and with a few you are allowed to sit in. There is a film show at regular intervals during the day but as yet we haven't seen it. During the school holidays there are often events where helicopters fly in which adds to the excitement. It really is a fab day out and quite close to Brent Cross so if you are coming from a distance it's possible to split your day up between the two places. read more

The Royal Air force Museum in Hendon is a fantastic place for aircraft enthusiasts to visit. The museum is located towards Colindale in North West London and features many exciting aircraft from all eras, including large bombers and fighter jets. The place would also a great place to bring the children. Kids would especially love the flight simulator game where you can try out flying for yourself! There is also a café serving food and coffee when you get hungry. The museum also hosts corporate events and I attend my companies Christmas party there. It was a pretty unique experience to have Christmas dinner under a giant bomber aircraft! read more

Really great and free museum. Can easily spend a few hours here even with very little interest in planes. Battle of Britain exhibits very good. read more

It takes a while to get to but its worth it. Its huge and has some very impressive machines. Went there many times as a child and would recomend it as a family day out. Plenty to about the history of flight learn from the experience too. Its not all about wars planes. read more

An excellent and informative museum with lots of space for kids to run around in if they're a bit too young and not interested in the amazing models of planes throughout the ages hanging from the ceiling. There's an excellent history of air travel on one of the walls downstairs setting out landmarks in aeronautical history. There's also a great interactive area towards the exit which both my kids really enjoyed - even my 2 year old who was totally clueless about cause and effect and what he was doing! read more