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Irvin Flying Jacket, 1938 Pattern

Aircraft & Exhibits, Circa 1945, Cosford, Hangar Three, 83/U/319

The Irvin flying suit, introduced to the RAF in the early 1930s, consisted of a jacket and trousers made of sheepskin, the leather of which had been treated to make it waterproof. The jacket proved a popular item and was frequently worn without the trousers.

Image pending

4lb Incendiary Bomb Mk 4

Aircraft & Exhibits, Circa 1945, London, Hangar Five, 72/O/30

Fires started by incendiary bombs were found to be the most effective way of destroying industrial and urban targets. The 4lb incendiary was the smallest but most effective device used by Bomber Command – 80 million were dropped during the war.

grey metal hexagonal stick cylinder with red end. Partition of metal visible at midway point, small hole, small screw head., RAF Museum/Iain Duncan

The Enigma Machine

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1940-1945, London, Hangar Five, 82/R/503

Engima was the trade name for the cypher machine used by the Germans to code their communications, the codes of which changed daily. British listening stations intercepted messages which were then passed to cryptographers at the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park to decode.

Metal machine with individual keys for each letter and interconnecting wires, inside a wooden box, © RAF Museum

Boulton Paul Defiant Mark I

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1940-1944, Cosford, Hangar Two, 74/A/16

The Defiant introduced a new tactical concept in two-seat RAF fighter design by concentrating all armament in a four-gun turret behind the cockpit. During the Battle of Britain, it proved no match for German fighters and was quickly withdrawn from daylight operations and moved to a night-fighter role.

Single engine aircraft with propeller and black wings and body, © RAF Museum

Combination Set Identity Tags of Squadron Leader Beswick

Aircraft & Exhibits, Circa 1945, London, Hangar One, X002-8234

This set belonged to Squadron Leader Ernest Norman Beswick, who enlisted in 1936 and became an officer in 1941.

Two discs, one red and circular, one black and hexagonal, threaded on string, © RAF Museum

Type C Mk II Bomb Trolley

Aircraft & Exhibits, Circa 1945-Circa 1979, London, Hangar Five, 79/O/1724

Bomb trolleys were used to transport munitions from their storage area to aircraft. The versatile Type C trolley could carry a range of bombs of different shapes and sizes up to a weight of 6,000lb.

Image pending

500lb General Purpose (GP) Bomb Mk 4

Aircraft & Exhibits, Circa 1945-Circa 1965, London, Hangar Five, 65/O/1067

General Purpose bombs were the standard air dropped munitions used by the RAF at the outbreak of the Second World War.

Image pending

Churchill Handkerchief

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1940-1941, In Storage, 1997/0061/C

This commemorative handkerchief, likely printed in 1940, celebrates then Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Britain’s armed forces.

Churchill Handkerchief | 1997/0061/C

Spitfire Mark I Windscreen

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1940, In Storage, 80/A/1142

This armoured windscreen from a Spitfire Mk I was damaged by machine gun fire on 9 September 1940 during the Battle of Britain. The pilot was Sub Lieutenant Arthur Blake RN from No. 19 Squadron based at Fowlmere.

Shattered glass in an arch-shaped thick metal frame, © RAF Museum

Fiat CR 42 Falco

Aircraft & Exhibits, 1940-1943, London, Hangar Three/Four, 78/A/952

Designed by Celestino Rosatelli, the Italian Fiat CR 42 was the last single-seat biplane fighter to be manufactured by any Second World War combatant. CR 42s took part in the invasion of Southern France and later fought against the RAF in the Battle of Britain.

Biplane with propeller and camouflage pattern, © RAF Museum

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