Kent Battle of Britain Museum
Volunteer-run museum on the former RAF Hawkinge airfield, showing relics from over 700 crashed aircraft and the stories of the airmen of 1940.
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Over het museum
The Kent Battle of Britain Museum stands on the former RAF Hawkinge, the fighter airfield nearest to occupied France during the summer of 1940. It describes itself as the largest museum in the world dedicated mainly to the Battle of Britain and the air fighting over France in 1940, and it is run by a trust and volunteers. The museum focuses on people rather than aircraft: the pilots, aircrew, ground crew and civilians, on both the Allied and German sides.
Much of the collection comes from the museum's own recovery team, which excavated the remains of crashed aircraft from the late 1960s to the 1980s. Items from more than 700 aircraft are displayed together with the stories of the men who flew them. Several buildings are original to the airfield: the Armoury dates from 1926, and the Operations Block, built in 1927, once controlled flying operations at Hawkinge. The Watch Office is displayed as a 1940 RAF airfield building.
Two hangars hold replica Hurricanes, Spitfires and Messerschmitt Bf 109s, trainers, engines and Home Front displays. The grounds include the Spirit of the Few Monument, a bronze group of seven pilots of No. 32 Squadron, three gate guardian Hurricanes, a Heinkel He 111, a Junkers Ju 52, a Bristol Blenheim and the Last of the Few memorial. The museum asks visitors not to take cameras or mobile phones into the buildings, out of respect for the families who lent personal items.
Hoogtepunten
- Relics from more than 700 Battle of Britain aircraft in the Operations Block
- Armoury with Allied and German uniforms and Lord Dowding's uniform
- Spirit of the Few Monument with seven bronze pilots of No. 32 Squadron
- Heinkel He 111, Junkers Ju 52 and Bristol Blenheim in the grounds
- Original 1927 Operations Block and 1940-style Watch Office
- Two hangars with replica fighters, engines and Home Front displays
Vaste collectie
- Operations Block – The 1927 building that once controlled flying at RAF Hawkinge now shows relics from over 700 Battle of Britain aircraft with the stories of their crews.
- Armoury – The original 1926 armoury displays Allied and German uniforms, flying kit and personal items, including Lord Dowding's uniform and the Luftwaffe Gallery.
- Lord Dowding Memorial Hangar – Replica Messerschmitt Bf 109s, a Fieseler Storch, a Grunau Baby glider, Luftwaffe engines, air-raid shelters and a Home Front collection.
- Opgericht
- 1971
- Beheerder
- Kent Battle of Britain Museum Trust
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | £ 12 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | £ 11Senior citizens aged 60 and over |
| Kinderen & jongeren | £ 5Child ticket for ages 5 to 15. |
| Senioren | £ 11Aged 60 and over. |
| Groepen | –Coach parties are welcome by prior arrangement, with discounts for large groups. |
Prices for the 2026 season. The museum accepts cash and cards, but the shop is run separately and has its own card terms.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift: geen informatie
- Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
The museum describes itself as friendly to wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Only assistance dogs, wearing a collar and harness, may enter the museum or the cafe; there is a free, shaded dog pen for other dogs.
Kinderen & gezin
Children aged 5 to 15 pay a reduced price. Picnics are welcome on the grass in the grounds.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met de auto
Parkeerplaats aanwezig
There is an on-site car park. At busy times, drivers of camper vans may be asked to park on the public road; callers can check size limits by phone.
The museum is on Aerodrome Road in Hawkinge, on the former RAF Hawkinge airfield.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Museumwinkel
- Garderobe
- Kluisjes
The 25 Squadron Mess and Tea Room is a family-run cafe in the style of a wartime mess, with seating inside, outside under cover and on the grass; hot food is not served after 15:00. The Hawkinge Aviation Shop is run separately and sells books, models, clothing and gifts. Cameras, mobile phones and large bags are not allowed in the museum and can be left at reception or in lockers; helmets, coats and bags of motorcyclists and cyclists can be left at reception.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
A meeting room for group and club gatherings is available all year in the expanded cafe building, with refreshments.
Aanvragen & detailsJe bezoek plannen
| Fotograferen | Cameras and mobile phones are not allowed inside the museum buildings, out of respect for the families of airmen who donated items and for security reasons. Photography is allowed in the museum grounds, and staff will bring phones and cameras back from the lockers after the tour. At a few events the rule is relaxed in the two hangars and the grounds, but not in the Armoury, Operations Block or V1 and V2 building. |
|---|---|
| Goed om te weten | Paper notebooks and sketchbooks are welcome. After the visit, volunteers can show visitors over the ropes in the grounds to photograph the aircraft from close up. |
