RAF Museum, Hendon

I was told that this was a great museum to visit, I had to be in North London to drop something off, so I decided to visit. Spent 3 hours there!
I suppose I have a vested interest, as both my parents were in the RAF during WW2 and Hendon is where they met when it was over.
I had not realised that it was a nerve centre of operations.They have a lot of flying machines, from the dawn of flight to more recent.

The first thing you see on entry is a spitfire on the wall, and to the side these roundels, of different eras and branches of the RAF.I plan to crochet a bag or similair based on these, as they look terrific and make a strong graphic statement.

There were some drawings of RAF personel, poignant ones of those killed in the Battle of Britain, and some of survivors, now old men, sketched by pupils of the Prince's Drawing School.

Above the gift shop there was an exhibition of First World War Art and Artefacts, I had not realised that the WRAF dated back that far, but it does, as this poster shows.I realised that my mother, the middle child of a Railwayman and a Mill Worker, had done well to join such an elite group of women in WW2.

I think this is my father's squadron- although I thought it had the White Horse of Kent on it, and the motto was 'Nemo Impune Lacessit'. It means,'No-one insults me with impunity.' I bought a few badges in the gift shop to sew on my canvas bag, and a book of Roald Dahl short stories about flying for my son.

I recently received an album of photographs of WW2 RAF planes which belonged to my Dad, which was among the belongings in my late Uncle's house.

My Dad was an apprentice at Cranwell RAF College in the 1930s before the outbreak of war.

Tucked in the pages of the album were a few sheets of drawing paper. The first turned out to be an entry which my father made for a poster competition.

War started in September of that year. I wonder if they had any idea it was coming?

Also tucked in the album was this drawing signed Chapman, dated 1942. It is not my father- that would have been too lucky! I don't know who it is.

Cushion design inspired by the RAF roundels at the start of this post.I like the idea of mixing chenille with cotton to create something akin to a devore effect.