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Overview of collections

The collections include photographs dating from World War I to the present, together with uniforms, models of aircraft, weapons, cameras and telecommunications equipment, RAF Regiment memorabilia, surgical instruments, medals, WAAF uniforms & photographs, a number of paintings and framed prints, a library containing over two thousand books, magazines, handbooks and instruction manuals and articles as well as 16mm film and video tapes, still photographs and diapositives relating to all aspects of aviation. Aircraft include the Gloucester Meteor and Hawker Hunter each of which gained the World Airspeed Record for Great Britain, a Supermarine Swift, a Westland Whirlwind HAS7 helicopter, full-size replicas of aircraft and working engines.

Overview of how collections are displayed

Exhibits depict 70 years of military aviation in Sussex, with special emphasis on the RAF at Tangmere and the air war over southern England from 1939 to 1945. The museum houses several aircraft, including two World Speed Record holders on loan from the RAF and also full size replicas of a Hurricane and a Spitfire. There are displays illustrating the history of Tangmere from 1917 to 1970, including the Lysander pilots who flew secret agents to and from occupied Europe, the Royal Flying Corps and the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. The story of the Battle of Britain is also told, together with a display telling the story of Flt.Lt. Nicolson, the only fighter pilot to be awarded the Victoria Cross in WWII.