This magnificent aircraft is the focal point of the museum but unfortunately also the meeting point (as can be seen from the sign) making a photograph with no-one on it very difficult to get. After a long wait I managed to get this.

On display at RAF Museum Hendon. This was the second Auster delivered out of a batch of 100 between May and Dec. 1942. It was intended for artillery spotting. Apart from the usual flying training duties, this Auster was used to assess the possibility of landing on ships, and was used for camouflage tests. In May 1946 it was sold to a flying club and struck off charge. Acquired by the RAF Museum in 2002, it is the oldest surviving Auster Mk. 1.

On display at RAF Museum Hendon. This Gladiator was taken on charge in Aug. 1937. It served briefly at Boscombe Down in 1941 to test a pair of additional 0.303 in. guns fitted under the top wing. The aircraft was used as a trainer with No. 5 (P) Advanced Flying Unit in 1942. It was struck off charge in March 1948.

Built and delivered to the Luftwaffe in 1944 as an H-20 variant to carry 16 paratroopers, with wing racks for supply containers. Captured in May 1945, this He-111 missed the boat to be sent to the USA for evaluation. It was ferried to England and later marked for preservation. Assigned Stammkennzeichen or factory radio code NTSL.

On display at RAFM Hendon. This Bf-110G carries the improved 91 MHz Telefunken FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2b switchable frequency AI radar connected to Hirschgeweih aerials. Max. detection range was 8 km, but min. was only 900 m. One staggered barrel of the upper 30 mm Mk 108 nose cannons is visible, as are lower two 20 mm MG 151/20 ports. Exhaust flame dampers are fitted to the 1475 hp DB 605B-1 nacelles and 300 L external tanks are fitted. D5+RL was on the strength of I./NJG 3 under Luftflotte Reich, which re-equipped by end of war with the faster Ju-88G. It was captured in Denmark in May 1945.

On display at RAF Museum Hendon. This Vampire served with No. 32 Sqn. at Cyprus in Dec. 1948, and then moved to No. 614 (County of Glamorgan) Sqn. in 1950 and to No. 601 (County of London) Sqn. in 1952. After repairs following Cat 3 damage, it moved to No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Sqn. and by 1955 was used for ground instructional use and display.

On display at RAF Museum Hendon.

On display at RAF Museum Hendon. Thought to have been built as a D-5 ground-attack variant, later changed to a G-2 with two 37mm BK 3,7/Flak 18 anti-tank cannon attachment points under the wings. Captured in Germany in May 1945, this G-2 was earmarked early on for museum display purposes.

Replica on display at RAF Museum Hendon. The original was owned and flown by Alex Henshaw, who won the 1938 King's Cup in his Mew Gull. Just six of these aircraft were built and used extensively for racing.