A Hampden 1 bearing the prewar codes of No 66 Sqn at RAF Waddington.

Hampden TB Mk 1 in service with RNZAF-manned No 489 Sqn, in 1942. The code letters XA appear to have been overpainted.

An early production Meteor F Mk 1, EE227, in the hands of No 616 Sqn, first in the RAF to fly jet fighters.

Meteor III EE360/G fitted with Derwent V engines to serve as the prototype F Mk IV, flown two weeks after V-E Day.

Meteor IIIs of No 124 Sqn, which began flying this mark in July 1945.

The first F.9/40 - prototype for the Meteor - to fly, DG206/G was fitted with Halford H.1 engines. A wide centre section gave this F.9/40 alone a span of 44 ft 3 in (13.49 m). It first flew on March 5, 1943.

The first Gloster E.28/39, W4041 (Ex Aero 137) in flight

The sole prototype of the Hafner Rotabuggy in flight (on tow) at Sherburn-in-Elmet. Identified as Experimental Aeroplane 207 in A.P.1480X, this may have been the vehicle for which the serial number RD123 was intended.

A pair of Heyford IIIs serving with No 166 Sqn before the war; nearest the camera is K6889 ‘R’ which went on to fly with No 4 Air Observers School until mid-1940.

A pre-war photograph of the Hafner A.R.III G-ADMV, which was at REA Farnborough until mid-1940.

The Handley Page H.P.42E G-AAUC after impressment as AS981, in service with No 271 Sqn at Doncaster in 1940.

The first of the Hafner Rotachutes on tow (behind a car) showing the original configuration of the ‘inflatable’ fuselage fairing.

The final form of Rotachute, the Mk IV, showing the lengthened, rigid, afterbody and added endplate fins.