Crowds flock to RAF Museum's Battle of Britain festivities (From Harrow Times)

Crowds flock to RAF Museum's Battle of Britain festivities

12:19pm Friday 17th September 2010

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MORE than 6,000 visitors winged their way to the Royal Air Force Museum at the weekend to be enthralled by the Battle of Britain events.

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A series of live action displays, re-enactments and film shows captivated the crowds of children, parents and veterans.

Vintage buses also rolled on to site along with performances by a marching band and a collection of farm animals, which formed part of the land girls' display.

The highlight of the weekend was a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire which circled above the museum on Sunday afternoon.

Ajay Srivastava, spokesman for the museum, said: “The display left the thousands of gathered visitors breathless and emotional.”

The museum's director general, Peter Dye, said the 6,630 visitors demonstrated the end of summer theme weekends have taken their place as “an eagerly anticipated annual event for the community”.

He said: “The museum is committed to working for and within the local community and the Battle of Britain weekend is our way of strengthening this relationship.

“We are proud to share the success of the weekend with all our visitors.”

Councillor Lisa Rutter, deputy mayor of Barnet, toured the museum on Sunday and helped judge the children's Forties fancy dress competition.

She said: “I believe the RAF Museum is a great asset in the borough of Barnet and this is something which should be maintained and treasured as it provides the stimulus for young people to understand the history of the Battle of Britain.”

The Battle of Britain anniversary continues at the museum with a special concert by the Hendon Chapter of the Salvation Army Band, at 2.40pm on Saturday.