Battle of Britain at Night

It's not often that you get the chance to dance among our aircraft at the RAF Museum, so join us for an evening of swing music, dancing, cocktails, open cockpits and general hoopla!

Londoners looked to the skies during the summer of 1940 and witnessed the Battle for Britain fought above their homes, but their spirits weren't beaten by falling bombs. They kept calm and carried on!

Come journey back to 1940 and party the evening away listening to the sounds of a remarkable generation.

The Tricity Vogue All Girl Swing Band will be filling the dance floor with much loved, and wonderfully quirky, vintage tunes from the 30s and 40s. You might even hear a few of Tricity’s irresistibly catchy original tunes, and several modern pop favourites mischievously retroed up to sound like they come straight from the olden days! This all-female group takes their inspiration from Ivy Benson, whose Swing Band became the BBC Resident Dance Band in 1943 and the first band to play in the liberated Berlin after World War Two.

Swing Patrol will be in residence for the evening to get your feet tapping. Join them in one of our swing classes and learn a few moves to take back onto the dance floor. There will also be chance to see the professionals in action! You can enjoy the music and dancing with a vintage beverage in hand or perhaps treat yourself to a cocktail!

The story of the Battle of Britain wouldn't be complete without the aircraft and the tales of those who flew them. Get up close to our iconic aircraft, such as the Spitfire and Hurricane, peer inside and hear all about the Few who flew them over London in the summer of 1940. There will be a chance to tour behind the scenes to see some of our aircraft being reconstructed ready for our new Battle of Britain display. Our archive and library curators will also be giving you the chance to see some amazing Battle of Britain objects.

Last, but not least, we would love to see you dressed in the classic garb of the era, whether that’s in uniform or not. So get those frocks, brogues and side partings ready to party at the RAF Museum!