I went to England to pay attention to the celebration of 75 years since the Battle of Britain so of course the highlight of the visit to RAF Museum in Hendon was the “Battle of Britain Hall”.
The Gloster Gladiator was the first enclosed cockpit and last biplane fighter introduced into RAF service. At the outbreak of WWII, two RAF fighter squadrons were sent to France. In just ten days of hard fighting, all the aircraft had been lost. The Gladiator was involved in a number of famous actions abroad during the early war years; operations from a frozen lake in Norway, defence of Malta, and early operations in Greece and North Africa.
This is the last surviving Boulton Paul Defiant. Initially it had some success since Germans mistook it for a Hurricane or Spitfire and attacked into a massive firepower from the rear turret. The Germans learned their lesson and after a period with severe losses the type was withdrawn from daytime duties.
After the fighting in France was over the Bristol Blenheim was used in day and night attacks against German occupied ports and installations in frantic attempts to disrupt their invasion plans. 
Keith Park was a New Zealander put in command of the 11 Group Fighter Command. He has been called “Defender of London 1940”. To his left are the RAF defending units and to the right the German units that took part in the Battle of Britain.
The British radar system played a vital role in the battle.
This is a Spitfire Mk I. The Spitfire was the only British fighter capable of meeting the Messerschmitt Bf109E on equal terms.
This is a Hawker Hurricane Mk I. The Hurricane played a vital role in hectic battles during the summer of 1940. Hurricanes destroyed more enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain than did all the other air and ground defences combined. 
The Heinkel 111 was designed in 1934 and was ageing and inadequate in the Battle of Britain. It was vulnerable to fighter attack, being too slow to take effective avoiding action and too poorly armed to defend itself.
The Messerschmitt Bf109 remained the backbone of the Luftwaffe fighter forces throughout World War Two. The Bf109E was as fast as the Spitfire, faster than the Hurricane but could out-climb both. Its worst handicap, during the Battle of Britain, was however its limited fuel capacity.
The Junkers Ju88 began life as a bomber, became a night fighter and intruder; undertook anti-shipping operations and flew long-range reconnaissance missions. It is one of the truly great multi-role combat aircraft.
The Bf110 was designed as a long range escort fighter but later converted into a night fighter and proved to be one of the most successful put into service during World War Two.
The Junkers Ju87 “Stuka” was used to attack shipping in the Channel and went on to sink more ships than any other aircraft in history. ‘Stuka’ units then turned their attention to coastal airfields and radar stations, but by August 1940 suffered heavy losses from defending fighters.
There are more than aircraft in the Battle of Britain Hall, like pilot uniforms…
…paintings…
…and this operations room.
The huge Short Sunderland served throughout the war. Its design was so good that it remained in front line service for over twenty years and it became the last flying-boat operated by the Royal Air Force.
As a visitor to the museum you can enter the Sunderland to explore it properly.
The RAF Museum in Hendon is fantastic. Visit it next time you are in London!
