Holding high traditions and history is an important facet of society in the United Kingdom, perhaps more so than anywhere else in Europe. There is no surprise that the collecting and storing of heritage items is an integral part of the cultivation of traditions. The mainly positive attitude of the British to the technical and scientific development of society since the “Industrial Revolution” is an additional reason. The role of their own Air Force in World War Two, especially in the Battle of Britain, is still highly appreciated by the public. These are maybe some of the reasons why one can find more aircraft museums in the British Isles than anywhere else in Europe. Most readers will immediately think about the RAF Museum at Hendon, the Imperial War Museum at Duxford or even the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton. Perhaps lesser known, at least for continental Europeans, is one of the best British aviation museums, the RAF Museum Cosford, located near the small village of Shifnal, Shropshire, northeast of Wolverhampton. Maybe it is the remoteness of this site, but for sure not its quality, which is responsible for the museums low recognition. Thereby the RAF Museum Cosford is especially interesting for German visitors. Not only that you can find there one of only two surviving Messerschmitt Me-410 as well as a Messerschmitt Me-163 B1, but also almost the whole (German) rocket development of World War Two can be seen there as well. Relatively new is the COLD WAR exhibition (opened in February 2007), where you can see, beside the obligatory MiG-21 FISHBED (as the exponent for the WARSAW PACT FORCES), the RAF’s three V-Bomber (Avro VULCAN, Handley Page VICTOR as well as the Vickers VALIANT) in one place.
Altogether the museum features following exhibitions/hangers: 

COLD WAR
TEST FLIGHT
HISTORY of ROYAL AIR FORCE
WARPLANES
HANGAR ONE

In every hangar and exhibition hall are outstanding and very rare (sometimes even unique) aircraft to see, which are not available anywhere else. But this is not the only reason for taking a closer look into the different exhibitions. It is also the sympathetic method in which the components are presented (especially in case of the light conditions – very important for photographers). Space is always a critical point in every museum. Although the amount of restored aircraft is huge (over 70, including some really heavy and big ones, like the Avro LINCOLN, Short BELFAST or the V-Bomber), one never gets the feeling that the place is crowded.

After entering the opulent entrance hall and passing a former Royal Netherlands Navy Lockheed NEPTUNE SP-2H you enter the first hangar, called “TEST FLIGHT”. There you find an aviation enthusiast’s paradise. Beside a breathtaking sleek lined BAC TSR.2 there are no less than 11 prototypes and test aircraft built and designed by the British Aircraft Industry, among a Bristol 188, Saunders Roe SR.53, Fairey FD.2 or Short SB.5, just to mention a few. As well, on display is the prototype of the English Electric LIGHTNING (P.1A) and one of the Gloster METEOR (F.9/40) prototypes. THE highlight for sure is the BAC TSR.2. The former Labour Government cancelled this masterful achievement of British Engineering in 1965. This stupid and shortsighted decision pushed the British Aviation Industry in a deep crisis, where it was never able to recover completely. The TSR.2 (Tactical Strike & Reconnaissance, Mach 2) was a quantum leap in its time and would have strengthened the leading role of the British aviation industry for years. The TSR.2 would (maybe) even have flown within the German Luftwaffe, if it ever had entered service; at least there were serious offers and talks to the German authorities. Another great: What If? The aircraft on display at RAF Cosford was the second prototype (XR 220 ). The first prototype (XR 219) had its maiden flight on the 27th September 1964. The third airframe (XR 222) is on display at the Imperial War museum Duxford.

The next hangar (WARBIRDS) is fully packed with rare aircraft. Beside the mandatory Supermarine SPITFIRE (respectively one Mk.1a as well as one LF .XVIe), Hawker HURRICANE Mk.IIc and the North American P-51D MUSTANG following aircraft are on display: Focke-Achgelis FA-330A-1 BACHSTELZE, the sole surviving Mitsubishi Ki-46-III DINAH, and one Yokosuka MYX-7 OHKA 11 flying bomb. From the German point of view the Messerschmitt Me-410 A1/U2 is of special interest. This aircraft is not only in a relatively good condition but also still (mostly) painted it its original camouflage. The HORNET (the Me-410´s official name) was captured in 1945 at Vaerlose/Denmark by British troops and was used extensively for evaluations after the war, before it was stored at RAF Stanmore Park. In case of British aircraft it is especially the Me-410´s counterpart, the legendary de Havilland MOSQUITO TT.35 as well as the Avro LINCOLN B.2, (which is in almost perfect condition) which is of special interest. The later succeeded the Avro LANCASTER but came to late to see service in World War Two. The LINCOLN was nevertheless the backbone of the British Bomber Force until it was replaced by the V-Bombers in the 1950ies.

Leaving WARBIRDS and entering the exhibition hall – COLD WAR – you can immediately see the massive presence of the V-Bombers. These aircraft were initially used as Strategic Nuclear Bomber – comparable with the US-American B-47 or B-52 of SAC (Strategic Air Command). Maybe the most popular mission flown by one of the V-Bombers was of conventional nature. A single Avro VULCAN B.2 (XH607) flew on the 1st May 1982, coming from Ascension Island, a single bombing attack on the airfield of the capital town of the Falkland Islands (Port Stanley), which in this time was occupied by Argentinean Armed Forces. The whole attack caused not that much damage, but the boost in morale, especially at home (in UK) was enormous. The very last operational VULCAN was decommissioned in March 1984. The other V-Bomber, the Handley Page VICTOR was serving a bit longer, but only in the tanker role (decommissioned in 1993). The less successful and more conventionally built Vickers 667 VALIANT had a comparatively short career. After serving only for 9 years the VALIANTS were taken out of service. (The aircraft which is shown at RAF Cosford is not only the sole surviving aircraft of this type, but had also been the one which dropped the very first British H-bomb on the 15th of May 1957).

Another great part of the COLD WAR exhibition is the huge amount of missiles and rockets. Even a Chinese Anti-Ship-Missile, the Hai Ying 2G Silkworm is on display. This one was captured during the Gulf war by British troops. The visitor will also see some relics of the Cold War, such as an Opel Record, which belonged to the British Military in West Berlin. Another Cold War warrior is the famous German LEOPARD I A5 MBT and of course the East German equivalent to the VW Beatle, the TRABANT might also not be missed in this collection . The Avro YORK and the Douglas C-47 SKYTRAIN represents the beginning of the Cold War (Berlin Airlift).
 

Nowhere else in this world you might find an almost complete collection of former German rockets and missiles, like at the RAF Museum Cosford. Beside the well-known V-weapons (V-Waffen = Vengeance weapons) V-1 and V-2 (Fieseler Fi-103 and Aggregat A-4) there are lots more test models, which never reached serial production due to the critical situation in the last years of World War Two. Many of the displayed missiles still look futuristic even in our times and were the basis for all further developments in this area on this side and beyond of the Iron Curtain. One of the most interesting examples, the Surface-to-Air missile “WASSERFALL” is stored in parts almost hidden on wooden palettes in the TEST FLIGHT hangar. The WASSERFALL (Waterfall) was one of the first SAM’s that was successfully tested in the final stage of World War Two. If this promising missile had placed into service before the war ended it would have caused horrendous losses with the US-American and British bombers. The WASSERFALL´s targeting system was based on a proximity fuse (ignites by a change of the magnetic field), but was also capable of being remotely detonated from the ground. An infrared control system was also planned for nocturnal interceptions. Some 50 prototypes had been built whereas 40 of them were test-fired, reaching a top speed of little more than 1,680 km/h and an altitude of approx. 12.5 miles. Although the EMW WASSERFALL looked very similar to the V-2 (Aggregat 4), it was a completely independent development, and not, as often claimed, a downsized variant of the V-2.

If you speak about precision weapons, it is often forgotten, that the first weapons of this kind were already developed and even successfully deployed before 1945. Deserving particular mention is the Ruhrstahl FRITZ X, which was responsible for the sinking of the Italian battleship ROMA and the heavy damage on its sister-ship, the ITALIA. Almost 1,400 of this innovative weapon were manufactured until December 1944. Also the Henschel HS 293 glider bomb was used with formidable success. Both types can be seen at the RAF museum Cosford. Beside this you can also find following missiles/rockets:

Henschel HS-294
Henschel HS-298
Henschel HS-117 SCHMETTERLING
Messerschmitt ENZIAN
Rheinmetall Borsig RHEINTOCHTER
Rheinmetall Borsig RHEINBOTE
Rheinmetall Borsig F55 FEUERLILIE
Scheufeln TAIFUN
Ruhrstahl Kramer X4
Blohm & Voss BV-246 HAGELKORN

Inside HANGAR ONE you can even see more exponents, to enumerate all off them would definitely overload this whole article. Of special interest is for sure the huge collection of piston and jet engines. Beside some cut away models (like the one from a JUMO 004), you can see a few real highlights there such as a complete Daimler Benz DB 610 (this double V–engine propelled the Heinkel He-177 and was infamous for its poor cooling which caused a lot of engines and airframes to ignite) as well as a Nakajima SAKAE 21, which propelled among others also the famous Mitsubishi A6M5 ZERO. Also on display is a complete Walther- HWK-109-509A1 rocket engine, a 500kp Walther JATO-bottle (HWK 109-500) and some of the first British radial jet engines.

Admittedly, the location of the RAF Museum Cosford is not as auspicious as the one from its sister museum at Hendon, but this doesn’t make RAF Cosford less interesting. If you are around Birmingham or Manchester, take the time to visit this outstanding aviation collection. Entrance is free, in a nice cafeteria you can get delicious food and a fresh brewed tea or coffee and by visiting the museum’s shop (located in the COLD WAR hangar), you might find the one or the other souvenir or find the book you were always looking for. The only thing, you really have to take with you is time (at least 3 up to 4 hours are recommended – minimum!)

Robert Kysela/ CHK6