RAAF Museum is the official museum of the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
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, the second oldest air force in the world, located at
RAAF Williams
RAAF Williams is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base set across two locations, at Point Cook and Laverton, located approximately south-west of the Melbourne central business district in Victoria, Australia. Both establishm ...
Point Cook
Point Cook is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Wyndham local government area. Point Cook recorded a population of 66,781 at the 2021 census.
Point Cook ...
,
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
which is the oldest continuously operating Military Air Base in the world. The museum displays aircraft of significance to the RAAF from its inception as the Australian Flying Corps to the present. At the direction of Air Marshal Sir George Jones, the RAAF Museum was formed in 1952 and fell under the administration of Headquarters Point Cook until 1988 when it became a separate unit of the RAAF. It is currently overseen by the force's
Air Training Wing.
Entry
Entry to the museum is free. The operating hours are Tuesday to Friday 10am - 3pm, Weekends and Public Holidays 10am - 5pm. The museum is closed on Mondays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday.
RAAF Williams (Point Cook) is a working military facility so adult visitors are required to produce photo identification and sign in to gain entry.
Aircraft on display
Not all of the Museum's collection is permanently exhibited. Among those on display are:
Static display
Some of the aircraft, helicopters and missiles displayed in different exhibitions are:
Replica Aircraft
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Bristol Boxkite
The Boxkite (officially the Bristol Biplane) was the first aircraft produced by the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company (later known as the Bristol Aeroplane Company). A pusher biplane based on the successful Farman III, it was one of the ...
*
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine tractor two-seat biplane designed and developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. Most of the roughly 3,500 built were constructed under contract by private companies, including establish ...
*
Deperdussin 1910 monoplane
The 1910 Deperdussin monoplane was the first aircraft to be built in significant quantities by Aéroplanes Deperdussin. The type was produced in a number of variants which were flown successfully in air races and gained several records during 19 ...
Training Hangar
![De Havilland Tiger Moth (A17-711) at the RAAF Museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/De_Havilland_Tiger_Moth_%28A17-711%29_at_the_RAAF_Museum.jpg)
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Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorn
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Avro 504K
The Avro 504 was a First World War biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the war totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind tha ...
*
de Havilland Tiger Moth
The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. ...
*
de Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter which was developed and manufactured by the de Havilland, de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was the second jet fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force, RAF, after the Gloster Meteor, and ...
T Mk 35
*
CAC Winjeel
The CAC CA-25 Winjeel is an Australian-designed and manufactured three-seat training aircraft. Entering service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1955 as a basic to advanced trainer, it served in this role until 1975. Later, it was u ...
*
Pacific Aerospace Corporation CT/4A
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Aermacchi MB-326H
Technology Hangar
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Supermarine Walrus
The Supermarine Walrus (originally designated the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and manufactured by Supermarine at Woolston, Southampton.
The Walrus f ...
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Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
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Douglas Boston
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II.
Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for a bomber, it was or ...
*
de Havilland Vampire F.30
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UH-1B Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered heli ...
*
Bristol Bloodhound
The Bristol Bloodhound is a British ramjet powered surface-to-air missile developed during the 1950s. It served as the UK's main air defence weapon into the 1990s and was in large-scale service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the forces of f ...
SAM
Hangar 180
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CAC Boomerang
The CAC Boomerang is a fighter aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation between 1942 and 1945. Approved for production shortly following the Empire of Japan's entry into the Second World War, t ...
*
Consolidated Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served wit ...
*
GAF Pika
The GAF Jindivik is a radio-controlled target drone produced by the Australian Government Aircraft Factories (GAF). The name is from an Aboriginal Australian word meaning "the hunted one". Two manually-controlled prototypes, were built as the GAF ...
*
GAF Jindivik
The GAF Jindivik is a radio-controlled target drone produced by the Australian Government Aircraft Factories (GAF). The name is from an Aboriginal Australian word meaning "the hunted one". Two manually-controlled prototypes, were built as the GAF ...
*
Hawker Demon
The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircra ...
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Avro 643 Cadet
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de Havilland DH.84 Dragon
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Bell UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helic ...
*
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
The Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog is a liaison and observation aircraft. It was the first all-metal fixed-wing aircraft ordered for and by the United States Army following the Army Air Forces' separation from it in 1947. The Bird Dog had a lengthy ...
*
Sikorsky S-51
The Sikorsky H-5 (initially designated R-5 and also known as S-48, S-51 and by company designation VS-327Fitzsimons, Bernard, (general editor). ''Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare'' (London: Phoebus, 1978), Volume 20, ...
Dragonfly
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CAC Sabre
The CAC Sabre, sometimes known as the Avon Sabre or CA-27, is an Australian variant of the North American Aviation F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft. The F-86F was redesigned and built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). Equipping five ...
Outdoors
![Lockheed C-130A Hercules (A97-214) at the RAAF Museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Lockheed_C-130A_Hercules_%28A97-214%29_at_the_RAAF_Museum.jpg)
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Lockheed C-130E Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally design ...
*
Lockheed C-130H Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally design ...
*
Hawker Siddeley HS 748
The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed and initially produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Avro. It was the last aircraft to be developed by Avro prior to its absorption by Hawker Siddeley.
...
*
Bristol Freighter
The Bristol Type 170 Freighter is a British twin-engine aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company as both a freighter and airliner. Its best known use was as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively s ...
*
Lockheed P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. missile (and launcher)
*
de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou
Strike Aircraft Hangar
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McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom
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General Dynamics F-111G
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GAF Canberra
Aircraft in storage
![CAC Winjeel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/CAC_Winjeel.jpg)
Currently non-displayed aircraft include:
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Avro 707A WD280
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CAC Wirraway
The CAC Wirraway (an Aboriginal word meaning "challenge") was a training and general purpose military aircraft manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) between 1939 and 1946. It was an Australian development of ...
*
Douglas C-47 Dakota
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in ...
A65-78
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Gloster Meteor T.7
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies of World War II, Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turb ...
* Gloster Meteor F.8
*
CAC Winjeel
The CAC CA-25 Winjeel is an Australian-designed and manufactured three-seat training aircraft. Entering service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1955 as a basic to advanced trainer, it served in this role until 1975. Later, it was u ...
*
Lockheed Neptune
The Lockheed P-2 Neptune (designated P2V by the United States Navy prior to September 1962) is a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. It was developed for the US Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and P ...
*
North American Harvard
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and other air forces ...
*
Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura is a twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber of World War II.
The Ventura first entered combat in Europe as a bomber with the RAF in late 1942. Designated PV-1 by the United States Navy (US Navy), it entered combat in 1 ...
*
de Havilland Vampire T.35
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General Dynamics F-111C (A8-125)
Flying display
The museum conducts an interactive flying display at 1pm (1300) every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday for visitors.
Interactive Flying Displays
/ref> Aircraft include the museum's own CA-18 Mustang, North American Harvard, CAC Winjeel, CT4A Trainer, DH Tiger Moth, Replica Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 and Replica Sopwith Pup. Also visiting aircraft from other museums and operators participate in these displays, once the flying display is completed the pilots land and then hold an interactive discussion with the spectators answering any questions they may have.
The RAAF Roulettes
The Roulettes are the Royal Australian Air Force's formation aerobatic display team.
They provide about 150 flying displays a year, in Australia and in friendly countries around the Southeast Asian region. The Roulettes form part of the RA ...
aerobatic display team perform at least twice annually replacing the normal Sunday interactive display, performance dates are shared via Social media.
See also
* Aviation Heritage Museum (Western Australia)
* Fighter World
Fighter World is an Australian not-for-profit aviation heritage centre at RAAF Base Williamtown, north of Newcastle, New South Wales. It is part of RAAF Aviation and Heritage and is operated with the purpose of preserving the history of fighter ...
*RAAF Wagga Heritage Centre
RAAF Wagga Heritage Centre ''(Originally known as the Wagga Wagga RAAF Museum but was officially, RAAF Museum – Wagga Annex)'' is a heritage centre located at the Wagga Wagga RAAF Base at Forest Hill located approximately east of Wagga Wagg ...
*List of aerospace museums
This is a list of aviation museums and museums that contain significant aerospace-related exhibits throughout the world. The aviation museums are listed alphabetically by country and their article name.
Afghanistan
* OMAR Mine Museum, Kabul - inc ...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Raaf Museum
History of the Royal Australian Air Force
Aerospace museums in Australia
Air force museums
Museums in Melbourne
Museums established in 1952
Military and war museums in Australia
1952 establishments in Australia
Military history of Victoria (Australia)
Buildings and structures in the City of Wyndham