Bringing the Battle of Britain to life
Follow in the footsteps of fighter pilots at Imperial War Museum Duxford
In the summer of 1940 fighter planes careered over Britain’s skyline, with British Spitfires and Hurricanes exchanging gunfire with German Luftwaffe, miles above people’s heads. This dramatic episode in British history is brought to life once more by IWM Duxford in Cambridgeshire. IWM Duxford is renowned as one of the world’s leading aviation museums, housing an extraordinary collection of historic aircraft. It’s a place where propellers still turn, and chocks are still pulled away: you can stand within a few yards of vintage aircraft as they take off, and then watch them swoop and soar above you. But it is also much more than that. IWM Duxford stands apart from other aviation museums because the site itself is an exhibit. The airfield has a fascinating history that stretches back to the First World War, and it played a key role in the Battle of Britain. From 10 July to 31 October 1940, RAF Duxford was a Sector Station, meaning it was responsible for directing squadrons into battle.
Get closer to the action
You can retrace the footsteps of “The Few” who flew for the nation, as the hangar that was used by Duxford’s fighter squadrons has now been turned into IWM Duxford’s Battle of Britain exhibition. Here, you can discover more about how the Battle of Britain was fought, getting up close to aircraft that flew in the aerial conflict – including two Hurricanes, a Spitfire and a crash-landed Messerschmitt. And to delve into the lives of the men and women who worked at RAF Duxford during the Battle of Britain, go to the Ops Block, a building that was also used in the war. Experience the atmosphere inside this critical room with an audio-visual recreation of the day that the battle reached its climax: 15 September 1940. As well as the Battle of Britain displays, there’s plenty more to discover in this mile-long historic site. Explore seven hangars and historic buildings filled with enormous aircraft, objects and personal stories from over 100 years of aviation history.