25-719: The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands , located in Cosford in Shropshire , is a free museum dedicated to the history of aviation and the Royal Air Force in particular. The museum is part of the Royal Air Force Museum , a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and also a registered charity . The museum is spread over two sites in England; the other site is at
50-511: A marshal of the Royal Air Force depicts five white stars (marshal of the Royal Air Force is equivalent to a five-star rank) on an air force blue background. The rank insignia and flag exists in some other air forces for equivalent ranks. The rank title differs slightly, often being a variation on marshal of the air force , usually with the name of the relevant air force in place of the words 'Royal Air Force'. A notable example of this practice
75-405: A slightly wider black band) above a light blue band on a broad black band. This insignia is derived from the sleeve lace of an admiral of the fleet and is worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the service working dress uniform. Marshals of the Royal Air Force wear shoulder boards with their service dress at ceremonial events. These shoulder boards show
100-505: A variety of media, the key tensions of the Cold War period. The Cosford museum houses a large collection of aero engines ; the majority are located in Hangar 1, and a small side room of this hangar contains a display of rocket engines. The museum holds a large collection of missiles and rocket-powered weapons, including several rare German World War II types. The majority are located in
125-643: Is split into two by the A41 road which runs from London to Birkenhead . The A41 has a junction with the M54 motorway just 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Cosford. Marshal of the Royal Air Force Marshal of the Royal Air Force ( MRAF ) is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force (RAF). In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and to retired Chiefs of
150-591: Is the local name as it remains Ruckley Brook and upon reaching Cosford Bridge on the A464 it becomes the River Worfe . The village is dominated by RAF Cosford, which is home to the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford , a major visitor attraction and heritage centre. The base itself is built on former farmland, with the outdoor athletics arena being on the site of Sydnal Farm's buildings. The village (and RAF Base)
175-531: The Royal Air Force Museum London at Colindale (near Hendon ) in north London. The London museum was officially opened at the Colindale (then part of Hendon ) London site on 15 November 1972 by Queen Elizabeth II . The hangars housed just 36 aircraft at opening. Over the years, the collection increased and aircraft were stored at RAF stations around the country when they were not on display to
200-474: The Royal Family and certain very senior RAF air officers in peacetime at the discretion of the monarch; all such promotions in peacetime are only honorary, however. In 2012, the then Prince of Wales was promoted to the rank in recognition of his support for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II , in her capacity as head of the armed forces (commander-in-chief), while in 2014 Lord Stirrup , who had served as Chief of
225-592: The air officer 's eagle surrounded by a wreath, two crossed marshal 's batons and, since the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II , the St Edward's Crown representing royal authority. Prior to 1953, the Tudor Crown (sometimes called the King's Crown) was used. The command flag of a marshal of the Royal Air Force has a broad red horizontal band in the centre with a thinner red band on each side of it. The vehicle star plate for
250-586: The Air Staff (CAS), who were promoted to it on their last day of service. While surviving Marshals of the RAF retain the rank for life, the highest rank to which officers on active service are promoted is now air chief marshal . Although general promotions to Marshal of the Royal Air Force have been discontinued since the British defence cuts of the 1990s, further promotions to the rank may still be made in wartime, for members of
275-512: The Air Staff and Chief of the Defence Staff for over seven years, was also promoted. Marshal of the Royal Air Force is a five-star rank and unlike the air marshal ranks, can properly be considered a marshal rank. MRAF has a NATO ranking code of OF-10, equivalent to an admiral of the fleet in the Royal Navy or a field marshal in the British Army . The rank was instituted in 1919 and
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#1732845210777300-698: The National Cold War Exhibition, with the German collection on display in Hangar 1. Also on the museum site is the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre. The centre restores aircraft and artefacts for display at both Midlands and London. It is named in honour of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael James Beetham , GCB , CBE , DFC , AFC , DL and it
325-563: The Royal Air Force. Questioned in the House of Commons , Secretary of State for Air Sir Samuel Hoare stated that the reason for the change in title was that marshal of the air was "somewhat indefinite in character" and the new title was deemed more appropriate. It has also been reported that King George V was not happy with the title of marshal of the air, feeling it might imply attributes which should properly be reserved for God . The rank insignia consists of four narrow light blue bands (each on
350-527: The first officer to be promoted to MRAF was Sir Hugh Trenchard in 1927. Since that time, including Trenchard, there have been 27 men who have held the rank. Of those, 22 have been professional RAF officers and five have been senior members of the British Royal Family . King George V did not formally hold the rank of marshal of the RAF; rather he assumed the title of Chief of the Royal Air Force. In this capacity from time to time he wore RAF uniform with
375-527: The highest RAF rank. This new rank title was opposed by the then Chief of the Imperial General Staff , Sir Henry Wilson , who considered that the title was "ridiculous". However, the Chief of the Air Staff , Sir Hugh Trenchard was unmoved and the title was adopted. Though never held by a Royal Air Force officer, the rank title of marshal of the air lasted until April 1925, when it was changed to marshal of
400-562: The name originates from the Old English of Cost , which means Excellent (Ford). It lies between the town of Shifnal and the large village of Albrighton , in the parish of Donington . It has a railway station on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line . At the 2011 Census , Cosford was listed as part of a Shifnal ward. Cosford Grange and Cosford Mill, the sites of which were both located on Albrighton Brook, are now quite remote from
425-577: The neighbouring Cosford railway station on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line . In 1980, the Cosford site agreed to house the British Airways Museum collection. In 2006 British Airways withdrew funding from the collection, after which the RAF Museum did not take on the costs of maintaining the aircraft. Several of the jet airliners were subsequently broken up, including the only Boeing 707 that
450-505: The only Boulton Paul Defiant in the world and one of only two surviving Vickers Wellingtons left in the world. The first director of the museum was Dr John Tanner who retired in 1987. In 1988 Dr Michael A Fopp (who had previously directed the London Transport Museum ) was appointed and was Director General of all three sites covered by the museum until his retirement in 2010. The site can be reached by public transport via
475-643: The public. On 1 May 1979, the Cosford site was opened at RAF Cosford , one of the RAF stations which had been used to store the museum's collection of aircraft. On opening, the museum initially exhibited airframes which had been used for technical training at RAF Cosford. In the following years additional aircraft were added to the collection, and in 1980 it was agreed that the British Airways Collection be displayed at Cosford. On 21 June 1998 four additional galleries were opened, housing art, temporary exhibitions and other aviation subjects. 13 May 2002 saw
500-572: The rank insignia of a marshal of the RAF. He first publicly wore such uniform in 1935, the year before his death. Excluding monarchs and other members of the Royal Family, the only two RAF officers ever to have held the rank without serving as Chief of the Air Staff were Lord Douglas of Kirtleside and Sir Arthur Harris . Both held high command during the Second World War . Harris was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Bomber Command and Douglas
525-678: The relocation of the RAF Museum Conservation Centre from Cardington, Bedfordshire to Cosford. The centre, costing £2.4 million, was opened by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham . The Cosford site includes several developmental aircraft such as those that led to the English Electric Lightning and the second prototype of the BAC TSR-2 . A lot of the aircraft are very rare, such as
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#1732845210777550-659: The village of Cosford in terms of access because the expansion of the airfield required land from the formation of Worcester Road (which used to connect the A41 and the A464 in a north–south direction). Also on the A464, is Cosford Pool, created to help power the mill and Cosford Pumping Station, built by the Wolverhampton Corporation in 1857. The listed buildings of the pumping station are still there and operated by Severn Trent Water . Cosford Brook runs from where Ruckley and Neachley Brooks meet just west of RAF Cosford. This
575-410: Was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Fighter Command , Middle East Command and Coastal Command . Prior to the creation of the RAF's officer rank titles in 1919, it was proposed that by analogy with field marshal , the highest rank title should be air marshal . It was later decided to use the rank of air marshal as an equivalent rank to lieutenant general and "marshal of the air" was put forward as
600-526: Was opened by him on 13 May 2002. Aircraft currently in storage or long-term restoration include: Cosford, Shropshire Cosford is a village in Shropshire , England. It is located on the A41 road , which is itself just south of junction 3 on the M54 motorway . The village is very small and is mostly made up of dwellings that house Royal Air Force personnel who work at the adjacent RAF Cosford . Brewer's Dictionary of Britain & Ireland suggests that
625-525: Was preserved in the UK, a Vickers VC10 and a Hawker Siddeley Trident . The National Cold War Exhibition opened at Cosford in February 2007. The exhibition houses the museum's V bombers and other Cold War aircraft in a newly constructed 8,000m exhibition building designed by architects Fielden Clegg Bradley . The exhibition concept and design was developed by Neal Potter and includes 'silo theatres' which depict, in
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