This summer the RAF Museum London has teamed with Highly Sprung Performance to create a 45-minute-long family show TRAILBLAZERS.
TRAILBLAZERS is a breath-taking and exhilarating performance that unveils the untold stories of unsung heroes, both within the Royal Air Force and from the early days of aviation, with particular focus placed upon audacious aviators such as Amelia Earhart, brave African American adventuress Bessie Coleman and the amazing Amy Johnson.
Crafted by Highly Sprung, the UK’s physical theatre company for children and young people, watch performers soar in this stunning new acrobatic show. Audiences will be taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions while pilots overcome adversity, engineers achieve the seemingly impossible and thrilling flights and missions will leave viewers utterly speechless. The stage will come alive with the magic of Highly Sprung, as performers soar through the air, glide with precision and collide in stunning displays of skill and artistry.
Whether you’re an ardent RAF enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of aviation, this show guarantees to surprise, inspire and leave you breathless with its dynamic storytelling and awe-inspiring performances. Don’t miss the chance to witness the hidden narratives that have shaped the RAF’s history and salute the trailblazers who have paved the way for future generations.
Trailblazers essentials
Wednesday-Sunday at 11am and 2pm from 25 July to 1 September
Duration: 45 minutes
Tickets start from £10 per child and £12.50 per adult, with family tickets also available.
For more information, click here.
Watch as performers soar over head in Trailblazers © RAF Museum
The museum is home to a world-class collection of more than 80 aircraft spread between six hangars, each with a unique focus on an aspect of aviation. It’s an environment where the old can meet the new and they work together in perfect harmony. The collection’s oldest aircraft are to be found in the last remaining part of the UK’s first aircraft factory, built by aviation pioneer Claude Grahame-White, and include the Bristol F.2b Fighter from the early days of the First World War.
The Hangar 1 exhibition presents a comprehensive history of the Royal Air Force. Here, visitors are guided through the first one hundred years of the service’s history and introduced to key personnel, including Sir Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine, Sir Hugh Trenchard, the founder of the RAF, and modern-day pilots such as DFC Ayla Holdom, who served with the Prince of Wales on Search and Rescue helicopters as well as in battle in Afghanistan.
The Museum is constantly organising new exhibitions as part of its commitment to innovatively presenting the history of the RAF to uncover fascinating stories. In the past 12 months, it has opened two new permanent exhibitions:
Strike Hard, Strike Sure: Bomber Command 1939–1945
Located in Hangar 5, you will find the mighty Lancaster Bomber ‘S’ for Sugar which flew 137 sorties during the war. As part of Strike Hard, Strike Sure visitors can use augmented reality to explore the interior of ‘S’ for Sugar. People’s stories are at the heart of this exhibition’s storytelling. Men and women from across the world, on the ground and in the air, played a part. Throughout the exhibition, silhouettes depict the stories of individuals who played crucial roles, such as engineer Barnes Wallis or the head of Bomber Command, Arthur Harris.
Higher, Faster, Further – The RAF 1919-1939
Higher, Faster, Further – The RAF 1919-1939, meanwhile, charts the development of the RAF between the First and Second World Wars, which was a time of extreme social, political and technological change. Look at how the endeavours of early pioneers, such as Sir Alan Cobham and Alex Henshaw, aided the development of civil aviation and helped the aviation industry to takk off in the run-up to the Second World War.
What else can you expect?
Younger visitors will love exploring the free aviation-themed playground (open daily from 10am) or sitting in replica aircraft which are dotted around the site and located next to their larger originals. Visitors can also fly with the Red Arrows in the 4D Theatre, sit in a real Spitfire while enjoying a cockpit tour with an expert guide, or fly throughout the Cumbrian countryside in a Typhoon Jet courtesy of a simulator. (Charges apply).
While you’re here, take advantage of the wide-open spaces to enjoy a family picnic. Alternatively, older visitors may prefer to enjoy a chilled glass of wine or an invigorating coffee while catching up with friends in the Airfield Kitchen, or watching their children as they explore our outdoor playground.
Don’t forget to visit the gift shop to pick up a memento of your visit or a memorable gift for the aviation enthusiast in your life. Located in Hangar 1, you will find a range of items suitable for all budgets, from pocket-money-priced gifts for youngsters to exclusive gins and whiskeys exclusively distilled for the Museum, and flying jackets for the slightly older aviation buff in your life.
Essential information
Admission: Free, though charges may apply for some special events and activities.
Address: The Royal Air Force Museum London, Grahame Park Way, Colindale, NW9 5LL.
Nearest station: Please note: Colindale Tube station is now closed until December. We advise traveling to Mill Hill Broadway and taking the 303 bus to Kingsbury Circus. Alternatively, go to Hendon Central and take the 186 bus to Colindale Library.
Visit tfl.gov.uk to plan your journey.
Opening times: Daily from 10am
Accessibility: There is a range of family-friendly facilities including extra wide aisles for chairs and buggies, a free buggy park, baby changing facilities in all of its galleries and a changing places toilet for those visitors with restricted mobility.
For further details, please visit www.rafmuseum.org/london or call the Museum’s Customer Care Team on 020 8205 2266, and get ready to get your summer off to a flying start.
