RAF Museum Cosford to tell story of First War in the Air

The exhibition is being made possible after the Royal Air Force Museum received a grant of £898,558 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the creation of the exhibitions at both Cosford and London.

The First World War In The Air exhibition, will allow museum audiences to discover and explore the unique and often overlooked role of air power during the First World War through the incredible stories of the men and women who took part.

The four-year project will mark the Centenary of the First World War, exploring the development of air power as an integral part of modern warfare and end by celebrating the birth of the RAF in 2018.

The exhibition will be enriched by individual stories of pilots such as ‘local hero’ pilot, Lt. Kevin Furniss, who was posted to France in April 1917. Shot down on his second mission he died as a Prisoner of War on 29 April 1917 aged 19. He was born and bought up in Trysull, a village on the outskirts of Wolverhampton and attended Wolverhampton Grammar School. The Museum will be using his story and artefacts to engage with schools, as well as in informal learning activities.

This story and others will complement new First World War themed interactive and educational activities including a linked site activity trail.

The development of an online version of the museum-based exhibition will also include the digitisation and wider public access to historical documents such as the Casualty Cards, Casualty Forms and Muster Roll, that tell the story of the men and women of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force.

Peter Dye, Director General of the Royal Air Force Museum: “We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us the support needed to tell the important story of air power in the First World War.

“As well as being a national story, the project will help the local community to understand how much their neighbourhood changed as a result of aviation and the long-term impact on their lives.”