Duxford is an aviation nerds dream. 100s of planes spread across multiple hangers, as well as regular flights of historic aircraft make Duxford the perfect place to visit for a enthusiast of flying, particularly military aircraft.
Located next to the city of Cambridge, Imperial War Museum Duxford was an RAF airfield during WW2, making it the perfect location for a museum on the history of flight.
AirSpace
A visit to Duxford typically starts with the massive AirSpace hangar, where the most interesting planes that don’t fit in with the themes of the other hangars are kept. The absolute highligght here is the ability to board a Concord, and see what the inside would have looked like when the world’s first (and only) supersonic passenger jet was being tested.
There’s a number of other interesting planes you can go or look inside of, where you can learn about the history of British Airways, or the Berlin Airlift. There’s planes and helicopters in this hangar from all eras, ranging from WW1 trainer planes, to a modern Harrier jet.
Finally, you can also learn about how flying works on the top floor, including how planes have developed and changed over the years. There is also a small section dedicated the the British Paratroopers regiment.
Land Warfare
I’m more of a tank nerd than a plane nerd, and so this was my favourite part of the museum. Military vehicles from various nations from many eras line the walls. There are field guns, trucks, armoured transports, and of course, tanks. Most of the major British tanks from WW2 all the way through to the modern era are present, as well as some Cold War era Russian vehicles, and WW2 German tanks.
American Air Museum
A hangar dedicated solely to American aviation, and has some of the best exhibits in the entirety of Duxford. The most prominent are the huge B-52 Stratofortress (whose wingspan covers the entire hangar), and the sleek Blackbird spy plane.
Battle of Britain
It’s natural to find a display dedicated to the Battle of Britain in an airfield that was used during it. Here you can find the legendary British warplanes that were used at this time, as well as some downed German aircraft, including a nearly intact Messerschmidt Bf109.
Air and Sea
This is where the hangars start to get a little bitty. This one has a mix of naval aircraft, such as helicopters and jets modified to fit on an aircraft carrier. There’s also a tiny one man submarine from WW2, which is quite cool.
Flying Aircraft
This is where the still working aircraft are stored and displayed. Many of these planes can be found in other parts of the museum, but only here can theyu be found in still working order. Probably the best part of this hangar is an accurate replica of the Red Baron famous triplane.
We May Roam 