 The AirSpace exhibition hall at Imperial War Museum Duxford (October 2009) | |
  Location within Cambridgeshire | |
| Established | 1977 (1977) |
|---|---|
| Location | Imperial War Museum Duxford Cambridgeshire CB22 4QR United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 52°05′35″N0°07′46″E / 52.09306°N 0.12944°E /52.09306; 0.12944 |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Visitors | 401,287 (2019)[1] |
| Public transit access |  Whittlesford Parkway |
| Website | www |
| Imperial War Museums | |
Imperial War Museum Duxford, also known asIWM Duxford or simplyDuxford, is a branch of theImperial War Museum nearDuxford inCambridgeshire, England. Duxford, Britain's largestaviation museum,[2] houses exhibits, including nearly 200aircraft, military vehicles, artillery and small naval vessels in seven main exhibition buildings.[3] The site also provides storage space for the museum'sother collections of material such as film, photographs, documents, books and artefacts. The site accommodates severalBritish Army regimental museums, including those of theParachute Regiment (namedAirborne Assault) and theRoyal Anglian Regiment.
Based on the historicDuxford Aerodrome, the site was originally operated by theRoyal Flying Corps[4] in theFirst World War. During theSecond World War, Duxford played a prominent role during theBattle of Britain and was used byUnited States Army Air Forces fighter units in support of thedaylight bombing of Germany. Duxford remained an active RAF airfield until 1961. After theMinistry of Defence declared the site surplus to requirements in 1969, the Imperial War Museum received permission to use part of the site for storage. The entirety of the site was transferred to the museum in February 1976.
In keeping with the site's history, many of Duxford's original buildings, such ashangars used during the Battle of Britain, are still in use. Many of these buildings are of particular architectural or historic significance and over thirty havelisted building status,[5] with Duxford reflecting two periods of development in both WW1 and the 1930s.[6] The site also features several purpose-built exhibition buildings, such as theStirling Prize-winning American Air Museum, designed bySir Norman Foster. The site remains an active airfield and is used by civilian flying companies, and hosts regularair shows. The site is operated in partnership withCambridgeshire County Council and the Duxford Aviation Society, a charity formed in 1975 to preservecivil aircraft and promote appreciation of British civil aviation history.
The Imperial War Museum originated during the First World War in 1917 as the National War Museum committee, formed by the British government to record the war effort and sacrifice of Britain andher Empire. The museum opened in 1920, by which point it had been renamed theImperial War Museum.[7] With the outbreak of theSecond World War, the museum's terms of reference were enlarged to include that conflict as well.[8] The museum's terms of reference was broadened again in 1953 to include all modern conflicts in which British orCommonwealth forces were engaged.[9] The effect of these expansions of remit was to cause the museum's collections to expand enormously, to the point that many parts of the collection, especially those of aircraft, vehicles and artillery, could not be effectively stored or exhibited. Although the museum's south London home (a nineteenth-century building inSouthwark which was previously theBethlem Royal Hospital) had been extended in 1966, by the end of the decade the museum was seeking additional space.[10]
RAF Duxford, aRoyal Air Force fighter station had been declared surplus to requirements by theMinistry of Defence in 1969, and the museum duly requested permission to use part of one of the airfield's hangars as temporary storage. Duxford featured three double bay hangars of First World War vintage, which together provided over 9,000 square metres (97,000 sq ft) of space. Within two years, ten of the museum's aircraft had been brought to Duxford, and were being restored by volunteers of the East Anglia Aviation Society. While the museum's own aircraft were not restored to flying condition, by cooperating with private groups the museum was able to mount its first airshow in 1973. Further air shows followed, with a display in June 1976 attracting an audience of 45,000 people. The runway was bought byCambridgeshire County Council in 1977. The success of these shows provided a valuable source of revenue, and complemented the efforts of volunteers, so that the museum applied for the permanent transfer of the entire site to its use. Permission was received in February 1976 and Duxford became the first outstation of the Imperial War Museum. Initially open from March–October, Duxford received 167,000 visitors in the 1977 season, and 340,000 in 1978. Two million visitors had been received by 1982[11] and Duxford welcomed its ten millionth visitor in August 2005.[12]
Duxford has been associated with British military aviation since 1917, when a site near the village of Duxford, in southern Cambridgeshire, was selected for a newRoyal Flying Corps training aerodrome. From 1925 Duxford became a fighter airfield, a role it was to retain until the end of its operational life, and in August 1938 the Duxford-basedNo.19 Squadron RAF became the first to operate theSupermarine Spitfire.[13][14][15]With the outbreak of war in September 1939 Duxford was home to three RAF squadrons engaged on coastal patrol duties. From July 1940, Duxford saw considerable action during the Battle of Britain as a sector station ofRAF Fighter Command'sNo. 12 Group. In the middle years of the war Duxford was home to specialist units, such as the tacticians and engineers of theAir Fighting Development Unit.[16] In April 1942 the firstTyphoon Wing was formed at Duxford. Notable among the pilots of the Wing was Group CaptainJohn Grandy who would later rise to beChief of the Air Staff and also served as Chairman of the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum from 1978 to 1989.[17]
In March 1943 theUnited States Army Air Forces'78th Fighter Group started to arrive at Duxford with theirRepublic P-47 Thunderbolts. The Group reequipped withNorth American P-51 Mustangs in December 1944 and until the end of the war in Europe the Group remained at Duxford carrying out bomber escort and fighter sweeps, ground strafing and ground attack missions.[18]Duxford was officially returned to the RAF on 1 December 1945. It remained a fighter station but by 1958 changing defence priorities saw the RAF's fighter force move to more northerly bases. Duxford's last operational flight was made in July 1961. No longer operational, the site gradually became increasingly derelict and overgrown. In 1968 the American film studioUnited Artists obtained permission to use the site for the filming ofBattle of Britain. During the shoot a single bay hangar, which had been built during the First World War, was demolished to simulate an air raid.[19] After theMinistry of Defence announced its intention to dispose of Duxford plans were drawn up for various developments including twoYoung Offenders Institutes but were not implemented.[20]
Duxford is operated in partnership between the Imperial War Museum, Cambridgeshire County Council and the Duxford Aviation Society. The Society is aregistered charity (No. 285809) and states two objectives; to educate the public by collecting and exhibiting historic aircraft, military vehicles and boats, and to support the Imperial War Museum.[21]
The Society was formed in 1975 from a divergence of members of the East Anglian Aviation Society,[22] which formerly operated the now-closed Bassingbourn Tower Museum at the formerRAF Bassingbourn.[23]
Duxford Aviation Society preserves and maintains the Civil Aviation Collection. Especially notable aircraft in the collection include ade Havilland Comet which made the first eastbound jet-powered trans-Atlantic passenger flight on 4 October 1958, andConcorde G-AXDN 101, a pre-production aircraft which achieved the highest speed of any Concorde, making a westwards trans-Atlantic flight in two hours, 56 minutes.[24]
In support of the Museum's goals, the DAS Military Vehicle Wing provides one of the world's leading teams of military vehicle restoration engineers[25] The Wing (or its volunteers) own some of the vehicles located at Duxford, and provide restoration services for vehicles within the museum's collection. The team also operate vehicles for demonstrations during the year. The wing's works have been featured in the Discovery Channel'sTank Overhaul programme,James May's 20th Century,[26] and wide variety of magazines and other media.
Other elements of the society provide or support a range of functions at the Duxford site, including canteen, aircraft conservation, learning and interpretative activities and administrative tasks. An affiliated group, the Duxford Radio Society, collects, preserves, exhibits, and demonstrates historic military electronic equipment. This is housed in Buildings 177 and 178, close to the Gibraltar Gun.[27]
Since January 1999, the Society have operated the Friends of Duxford membership scheme with the Museum.[22][28]
As of 2008, the Duxford Aviation Society had almost 700 volunteer members.[29]
Duxford remains an active airfield (IATA:QFO,ICAO:EGSU) and maintains two parallel runways; an unpaved 880 m (2,890 ft) grass strip, and a concrete runway with a length of 1,503 m (4,931 ft),[30] both oriented at 060/240-degrees.[31] The runway was originally purchased from the Ministry of Defence by the Cambridgeshire County Council in 1977. In October 2008, an agreement was reached between the council and the Imperial War Museum, under which the runways and 146 acres (0.59 km2; 0.228 sq mi) of surrounding grassland would be sold to the museum for approximately £1.6 million.[32]
Since 1973, Duxford has held regular air shows. Duxford is the home of several private aviation companies, such as Classic Wings,[33] The Fighter Collection,[34] the Old Flying Machine Company[35] and The Aircraft Restoration Company.[36] Between them these companies provide pleasure flights, historic aircraft for film or television work, and aircraft restoration services. Perhaps the most notable privately owned and operated aircraft based at Duxford is B-17 Preservation Ltd'sSally B, the only airworthyB-17 Flying Fortress in Europe.[37]
Major air shows held regularly include the Duxford Air Show, and American Air Day, which is held in conjunction with units of theThird Air Force (part of theUnited States Air Forces in Europe), based at nearbyRAF Lakenheath andRAF Mildenhall.[38] TheFlying Legends show (organised by The Fighter Collection), was held annually at Duxford until 2019.
The Duxford Air Show usually exhibits a wide range of aircraft, from vintage warbirds to contemporary jet aircraft, along with aerobatic flying by groups such as theRed Arrows.[39] while the Flying Legends show focuses on historic aircraft, especially those of the Second World War.[40] In 2008 it was reported that these displays generate up to £1.8 million, while the loss of up to £100,000 due to adverse weather is also budgeted for. The policing bill, necessary to manage the resulting road traffic, was reported as some £8,000.[2] Major events have included the Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary airshow, held on 4–5 September 2010, attended by more than 40,000 people,[41] featuring formation displays by fourHawker Hurricanes and sixteenSpitfires.[42]
As an active civil airfield, operations at Duxford are regulated by theCivil Aviation Authority (CAA). In 2002 a privately operatedAero L-39 Albatros suffered a braking failure on landing, overran the runway and came to rest on the M11 motorway, a student pilot being killed after ejecting at ground level. AnAir Accidents Investigation Branch inquiry recommended a review of arrangements for aircraft taking off or landing towards the M11. As a result, the CAA and Duxford agreed to a reduction in the runway's 1,500 m (4,900 ft) declared length, from 1,350 m (4,430 ft) to 1,200 m (3,900 ft), in order to provide a greater margin of error.[43][44]
As a licensed airfield Duxford has its own Fire Service (currently five vehicles, and 16 fire fighters / officers) which operates as part of the Airfield & Security department, the fire service was originally operated by voluntary crews who were part of Duxford Aviation Society, with the training officers coming from Stansted and other local airports, for the last few years it has been a mixed voluntary/full-time operation.
When originally planned in 1917, Duxford aerodrome was to occupy a 238-acre (0.96 km2; 0.372 sq mi) site divided by what is now theA505 road which runs north-east fromRoyston toNewmarket. The area north of the road would be occupied by accommodation and administrative buildings with the airfield, hangars and technical buildings on the south side. Still divided by the A505, the museum's site is now bounded to the east by theM11 motorway, which meets the A505 adjacent to the museum site at Junction 10. The construction of the M11 in 1977 (the year the museum opened) forced the shortening of the runway by 300 metres (980 ft). In its role as a museum, the north side of the site is occupied by the Imperial War Museum's stored collections and is not generally open to the public, while the south side is occupied by various hangars and other historic buildings, purpose-built structures, and by two runways.
The south side visitor entrance, which now houses a shop and visitor facilities, was previously the airfield's armoury.[45] The various buildings are arranged roughly parallel to the A505; AirSpace is furthest east, with Hangars 2, 3, 4 and 5 running westwards, followed by the American Air Museum and the Land Warfare Hall. The museum site is approximately 1,800 m (5,900 ft) from one end to the other, and a visitor bus operates during opening hours.[46][47]
Some aircraft and other exhibits are displayed externally, such as aComet tank and replica Hawker Hurricane asgate guardians at the main entrance. Several commercial airliners belonging to the Duxford Aviation Society stand on therunway apron opposite the hangars. ABloodhound surface-to-air missile stands on the site of the demolished hangar. AUnited States Air ForceF-15 Eagle previously stood near the American Air Museum (now hanging inside). ARoyal Engineers'CenturionAVRE stands outside the Land Warfare Hall and the Gibraltar Gun,[48] a9.2-inch artillery piece previously emplaced on theRock of Gibraltar is nearby.[3]
As a historic site, many of Duxford's buildings are of particular architectural or historic significance. In 2005, following a review of sites relating to British aviation history byEnglish Heritage, some 255 buildings at 31 sites receivedlisted building status.[6] Duxford contains over thirty of these buildings,[5] the largest number at any one site.[49] Listed buildings include three hangars dating back to the First World War and the operations block, which received Grade II* status. This block, open to the public, houses the wartime operations room from which Duxford's aircraft were directed.[45] Another historic building, the 1918 Watch Office, has been converted to accommodate theHistoric Duxford exhibition, depicting the history of the site and the experiences of Duxford's personnel.[50]
In 2000, Duxford announced plans for the redevelopment of Hangar 1, previously known as the 'Superhangar', which was built in the 1980s. The plans would expand the building by 40%, providing more display and conservation space, improve internal conditions, and enable the museum's British and Commonwealth aircraft collection to be brought under cover.[51] Planning permission was received later that year.[52] The project cost £25 million and was supported by theHeritage Lottery Fund, theEast of England Development Agency andBAE Systems, which contributed £6 million. The building, which provides 12,000 square metres (130,000 sq ft) of floor space,[53] consists of an aircraft conservation area, a large exhibition hall, and a mezzanine providing views of the aircraft and interactive educational installations exploringaeronautical engineering and theprinciples of flight.[54][55]
AirSpace officially opened to the public on 12 July 2007.[56] Over 30 aircraft are on display, dating back to the First World War; early aircraft include rare examples of anAirco DH.9 and aRoyal Aircraft Factory R.E.8. The former is one of only six surviving DH9s and the only example on display in the UK,[57] and the latter is the only complete and original R.E.8 in existence.[58] More recent notable aircraft include aHawker Siddeley Harrier which served during theFalklands War withNo. 1 Squadron RAF, and aPanavia Tornado, which flew the highest number of bomber sorties of any Tornado in the 1991Gulf War.[59] Also on display is aBritish Aircraft CorporationTSR-2 strike aircraft, one of only two survivors from the cancellation of the project in 1965.[60] Recent additions includeEurofighter Typhoon DA4, one of seven Typhoon development aircraft, which was donated to the museum by the Ministry of Defence in 2008 and went on display in June 2009.[61] Civil aircraft include the Duxford Aviation Society's Concorde and Comet described above.[3]
AirSpace also housesAirborne Assault, the museum of the British Army'sParachute Regiment and airborne forces. Previously located at Browning Barracks nearAldershot, the museum opened at Duxford on 8 December 2008. The opening ceremony was led by the thenPrince Charles, the Parachute Regiment'sColonel-in-Chief. The museum chronicles the history of British airborne forces from the Second World War tocurrent operations inAfghanistan and cost £3 million.[62]
Hangar 2 is a double Type T2 hangar, erected in the 1970s. It occupies the site of a T2 hangar erected in the 1950s. It accommodates the flyable aircraft of Duxford's private aviation companies, such asThe Fighter Collection, and allows visitors to see aircraft undergoing maintenance or restoration.[45]
Hangar 3, an originalBelfast truss hangar, houses Duxford's maritime exhibition. The collection includes notable vessels and naval aircraft. Boats on display includeCoastal Motor Boat 4, built byThornycroft in 1916. She saw action during theBaltic campaign of 1918–19, and her commander LieutenantAugustus Agar won theVictoria Cross[63] for sinking the Russian cruiserOleg on 17 June 1919. Other vessels include the Vospermotor torpedo boat MTB-71, acquired from the British Military Powerboat Trust in 2005,[64] an example of anX-Craftmidget submarine, and a wartimeRoyal National Lifeboat Institution boat, theJesse Lumb which was stationed atBembridge on theIsle of Wight. A variety of naval aircraft are on display, including ade Havilland Sea Vixen,Sea Venom, andSea Vampire, and aWestland Wasp helicopter which was embarked on the frigateHMSApollo during the Falklands War.[3][65]
Hangar 4 is one of Duxford's historic hangars, and now houses an exhibition exploring Duxford's history as an operational RAF airfield from the First World War to theCold War. The early period is represented by aBristol F.2 Fighter, a type operated by Duxford's No.2 Flying Training School from 1920. The latter period is represented by aHawker Hunter which flew at Duxford withNo. 65 Squadron RAF, aGloster Javelin, the type which made the last operational flight at Duxford in 1961 during the site's operation as an air base, and by aHungarian Air ForceMiG-21, a commonWarsaw Pact jet fighter. Britain's air defence during the Second World War is particularly emphasised, with exhibits representing the Battle of Britain,the Blitz and theV-1 flying bomb offensive from 1944. Notable aircraft include aMesserschmitt Bf 109E which was flown during the Battle of Britain until forced to perform abelly landing in aSussex field due to engine failure. It is displayed as part of a tableau showing the crashed aircraft under guard. One unusual aircraft on display is theCiervaC.30Aautogyro, which was used by 74 (Signals) Wing, based at Duxford, to test the calibration of coastal radar units.[16][66][67]
Hangar 5, the westernmost original hangar, houses Duxford's aircraft conservation workshops.[68] Open to the public, the hangar allows visitors to see museum staff and volunteers at work on a variety of conservation tasks. Notable projects include a MitsubishiA6M Zero fighter acquired from an American owner in 'jungle recovery' condition,[69] and aRoyal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 now on display in AirSpace.[58] Duxford is a partner with the British Aviation Preservation Council in the National Aviation Heritage Skills Initiative, which has been funded since 2005 by the Heritage Lottery Fund and aims to provide training to volunteers supporting aviation heritage projects.[70] Recent projects include the conservation of aHandley Page Victor (XH669) and aVickers Valiant (XD826).
From the late 1970s onward, the museum acquired several important American aircraft; examples include aB-17G Flying Fortress in 1978, aB-29 Superfortress namedIt's Hawg Wild in 1980, and aB-52 Stratofortress in 1983. With Duxford's association with theUS Army Air Forces (USAAF), in the mid-1980s plans developed for a commemoration of the role of American air power in theSecond World War. A group of American supporters was formed, and the architectNorman Foster was commissioned to design a new building. Fundraising for the project began in 1987, support and funds being sought in the United States; the Founding Member was GeneralJimmy Doolittle in 1989. Fundraising events were held across the US in Houston (1989),Washington, D.C., (1991) and Los Angeles (1992). The project was widely supported in the United States by some 50,000 individual subscribers.[71] A further $1 million of funding was secured fromSaudi Arabia, and £6.5 million from theHeritage Lottery Fund. On 8 September 1995 thegroundbreaking for the new building was performed by wartime 78th Fighter Group veteran, Major James E Stokes.[72]
The American Air Museum was designed by Norman Foster andChris Wise atArup. The museum's specification called for a landmark building that would provide a neutral backdrop for the aircraft collection and provide appropriate climatic controls while being cost efficient to operate. The building is shaped as a section of atorus,[73] formed from a curvedconcrete roof 90 m (300 ft) wide, 18.5 m (61 ft) high and 100 m (330 ft) deep. The dimensions of the building were dictated by the need to accommodate the museum's B-52 Stratofortress bomber with its 61 m (200 ft) wingspan and a tail 16 m (52 ft) high.[74] The roof was constructed as a double-layered concreteshell, built in 924 precastreinforced concrete sections. Inverted T-shaped sections provided the inner layer with further flat panels forming the outer layer.[75]
The roof weighs 6,000 tonnes (5,900 long tons; 6,600 short tons) and is able to support suspended aircraft weighing up to 10 tonnes (9.8 long tons; 11 short tons).[76] A glass wall, demountable to permit aircraft to be rearranged, allows in daylight, thereby reducing lighting costs and enabling the aircraft to be seen from outside the building. It also allows visitors inside the museum to watch aircraft landing or taking off.[77] From a visitor's perspective, the pedestrian entrance leads to a mezzanine floor level with the cockpit of the museum's B-52, while the lack of supporting columns allows aircraft to hang from the ceiling. Heavier aircraft stand on the floor of the building, which covers 6,500 m2 (70,000 sq ft).[76][78] Construction began with the building ofabutments in October 1995 and the roof was completed in September 1996.[79] The building won the 1998Stirling Prize forFoster and Partners and was described by the judges as "a great big, clear span hangar of a building...dramatic, awe-inspiring, an object of beauty...simple yet replete with imagery."[80]
The American Air Museum was opened byQueen Elizabeth II on 1 August 1997. The total cost of the project had been £13.5 million.[72] The museum was re-dedicated on 27 September 2002, in a ceremony attended by the thenPrince Charles & formerPresidentGeorge H. W. Bush. Since being opened, the museum has had its glass front temporarily removed to permit access for anSR-71 Blackbird[81] andConsolidated B-24 Liberator.[82] The SR-71, serial number 61-7962, is the only example of its type on display outside the United States, and set aflight altitude record of 85,069 feet (25,929m) in July 1976. Besides the Blackbird, nineteen other American aircraft are on display. Notable examples include aC-47 Skytrain which flew with the316th Troop Carrier Group and participated in three major Second World War airborne operations; the June 1944Normandy landings,Operation Market Garden andOperation Varsity, the airborne crossing of theRiver Rhine in March 1945.[83] The museum's B-29 flew during theKorean War as part of the7th Bomb Wing;[84] it is the only example in Europe and one of only two preserved in museums outside the United States. The B-52 flew 200 sorties during theVietnam War as part of the28th Bomb Wing.[85] TheGeneral Dynamics F-111 on display flew 19 missions during the 1991 Gulf War as part of the77th Fighter Squadron.[3][86]
On 17 January 2014 the museum announced an award of £980,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The museum planned to use the money to build a website based on the photographic collection of aviation historianRoger Freeman, to update the museum's interpretation, and to conserve aircraft and other exhibits.[87] The museum launchedamericanairmuseum.com in October 2014. The website seeks tocrowdsource photographs and information from the public about the men and women of the US Army Air Forces who served from the UK in the Second World War and the British people who befriended them.[88]
The Land Warfare Hall was opened on 28 September 1992[89] byField MarshalLord Bramall on behalf of Prime MinisterJohn Major. The building provides accommodation for the Imperial War Museum's collection of armoured vehicles, artillery and military vehicles. Also included are vehicles belonging to the Duxford Aviation Society Military Vehicle Section.[3][90] The hall comprises a viewing balcony that runs for most of the length of the hall, providing views over a range of tableaux of vehicles, tanks and artillery that run chronologically from the First World War to the present day. Notable among the First World War exhibits is a battle-damagedartillery limber used byL Battery Royal Horse Artillery during an action atNéry in September 1914 where threeVictoria Crosses were won. The Second World War in particular is illustrated with tableaux of theNorth African Campaign, theEastern Front and theinvasion of Normandy.[91] Outside the building is a Whale floating roadway bridge span from Mulberry B harbour at Arromanches.
Significant vehicles in the collection include three command vehicles used by Field Marshal Montgomery, commander of21st Army Group during the north-west Europe campaign. Also on display are extracts from Montgomery's personal papers, which are held by the Imperial War Museum'sDepartment of Documents.[92] Other tableaux depict scenes from post-1945 conflicts such as theKorean War, theNorthern IrelandTroubles, theFalklands War, Britishpeacekeeping contributions in Bosnia and theGulf War. As many of the vehicles in the Land Warfare Hall are maintained in running condition, the site featuresgarages and a running area behind the building.
Variousdiorama are exhibited, including of theBattle of the Tennis Court.[93]
The Land Warfare Hall also houses the Forgotten War exhibition, which opened on 25 March 1999 and was a joint project between the Imperial War Museum and theBurma Star Association. The Association represents veterans of theBurma campaign who often consider themselves to have fought in a "Forgotten Army" compared to those who fought in Europe. The exhibition explores aspects of the Second World Warin the Far East and features artifacts, archival film and photographs, andtableaux depicting scenes such as troops moving throughjungle and aBurmese village. The exhibition was supported financially by the Burma Star Association and by £126,000 from theNational Heritage Memorial Fund.[94][95]
The Land Warfare Hall also accommodates the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum. TheRoyal Anglian Regiment was formed in 1964 by the amalgamation of the three regiments of theEast Anglian Brigade and theRoyal Leicestershire Regiment. The museum was opened in June 1996 by noted war correspondentMartin Bell, who had previously served as asergeant in theSuffolk Regiment while anational serviceman.[96] The museum covers the history of the Regiment and its predecessors, which date back to the seventeenth century, up to recent operations inIraq,Afghanistan andSierra Leone.[97] Alongside the museum is theCambridgeshire Regiment Exhibition, which displays items from the Cambridgeshire Regiment collection. Exhibits include the Singapore Drums, lost at thefall of Singapore in 1942 and recovered after the war.[98]
On 12 September 2010 a Royal Anglian Regiment memorial was dedicated at Duxford. A fundraising campaign, which raised more than £340,000, was launched following thedeaths in action of nine soldiers of 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment during the unit's 2007operational tour in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The memorial is inscribed with the names of 78 soldiers killed since 1958 (when the first of the three East Anglian regiments was formed) in conflicts including Afghanistan, Iraq, Northern Ireland andAden. The dedication was attended by more than 5,000 people.[99]
In addition to the exhibition buildings, Duxford's 'North Side', the area of the site north of the A505 road, provides storage for the Imperial War Museum'scollecting departments. The stored collections include the film collection, which includes reels existing onnitrate film stock, which is highly flammable and subject to decomposition, kept in purpose-built vaults at nearbyIckleton. Other collections stored at Duxford's north side include books, maps, ephemera, photographs, documents and collections of uniforms and equipment.[100]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link). Retrieved 25 August 2009
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