RAF Millom Museum
Encyclopedia
The RAF Millom Aviation & Military Museum was a museum
of the British
Royal Air Force
bombing and gunnery school, located in Millom
, Cumbria
.
Opened in January 1941 as No.2 bombing and gunnery
school and in summer became No. 2 air observer School. In 1942 it became No. 2 Observer Advanced Flying Unit until 1945 and in 1946 it was put under care and maintenance until 1953 when it was reopened for a 12 month period as No.1 Officer Cadet Training Unit. It was then again put under care and maintenance until the 1960’s when various army regiments passed through. HM Prison Service took it over in 1967. The museum project originated in a very small way in 1992, however due to a great deal of hard work by volunteers and ex-servicemen and women of the old RAF
Millom our collection has all but outgrown the present buildings and the yard we occupy.
In July 2005, Time Team
from UK's Channel 4
TV, along with members of RAF Millom Museum, took part in a major project to excavate the crash sites of two A-26 Invader
aircraft which had collided shortly after take-off over marshes close to the then USAAF BAD 2 airbase at Warton in Lancashire
on the 29th November 1944. The planes, A-26B-10-DT 43-22298 (pilot: 2nd Lt. Kenneth E. Hubbard accompanied by Pvt. John F. Guy) and A-26B-15-DT 43-22336 (2nd Lt. Norman Zuber unaccompanied), had been en route to Brétigny, Oise
in northern France to take up service with the 641st Squadron of the 409th Bombardment Group.
The permanent closure was confirmed on the 1st September, 2010 with outstanding debts being the driving force. Much of the museum's exhibits were on-loan and will be returned to owners. Millom Heritage Museum And Visitor Centre
has shown an interest in some of the exhibits relating to the very local area but is limited for space.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
of the British
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
bombing and gunnery school, located in Millom
Millom
Millom is a town and civil parish on the estuary of the River Duddon in the southwest of Cumbria, England. The name is Cumbrian dialect for "At the mills". The town is accessible both by rail and an A class road...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
.
Opened in January 1941 as No.2 bombing and gunnery
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
school and in summer became No. 2 air observer School. In 1942 it became No. 2 Observer Advanced Flying Unit until 1945 and in 1946 it was put under care and maintenance until 1953 when it was reopened for a 12 month period as No.1 Officer Cadet Training Unit. It was then again put under care and maintenance until the 1960’s when various army regiments passed through. HM Prison Service took it over in 1967. The museum project originated in a very small way in 1992, however due to a great deal of hard work by volunteers and ex-servicemen and women of the old RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Millom our collection has all but outgrown the present buildings and the yard we occupy.
In July 2005, Time Team
Time Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
from UK's Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
TV, along with members of RAF Millom Museum, took part in a major project to excavate the crash sites of two A-26 Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
aircraft which had collided shortly after take-off over marshes close to the then USAAF BAD 2 airbase at Warton in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
on the 29th November 1944. The planes, A-26B-10-DT 43-22298 (pilot: 2nd Lt. Kenneth E. Hubbard accompanied by Pvt. John F. Guy) and A-26B-15-DT 43-22336 (2nd Lt. Norman Zuber unaccompanied), had been en route to Brétigny, Oise
Brétigny, Oise
Brétigny is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
in northern France to take up service with the 641st Squadron of the 409th Bombardment Group.
Museum Closure
The museum was in financial difficulties during the summer of 2010 and was asked to vacate its current main site by the Ministry of Justice - owners of the buildings the museum occupies which is part of the original airfield now occupied by Her Majesty's Prison Haverigg. Negotiations failed regarding a new lease agreement.The permanent closure was confirmed on the 1st September, 2010 with outstanding debts being the driving force. Much of the museum's exhibits were on-loan and will be returned to owners. Millom Heritage Museum And Visitor Centre
Millom Folk Museum
Millom Heritage Museum And Visitor Centre is in Millom, Cumbria, England. The museum has a full scale drift mine exhibit and also houses information about the local poet Norman Nicholson, the Hodbarrow iron ore mines and ironworks...
has shown an interest in some of the exhibits relating to the very local area but is limited for space.