Biggin Hill War Memorial Museum in London has opened its doors to the public, with spitfire aircraft and previously unpublished photos of World War 2 pilots and Winston Churchill being available for at the public display. The museum aims to creating an environment where people can learn about the Battle of Britain and those who lost their lives in the conflict.

“The museum offers a new way of telling for what some people would be a familiar story,” said director of the Biggin Hill War Memorial Museum, Jemma Davey.

Other artefacts on display include objects that reflect the lives of those who worked at RAF Biggin Hill and those that reflect the personal stories of service men and women that operated at the airfield.

“The history of Biggin Hill goes so much further back than the Battle of Britain. It is one of Britain’s oldest aerodromes and was instrumental to the development of wireless communication technologies,” added Jemma.

Called by Winston Churchill his “strongest link” during the Battle of Britain, RAF Biggin Hill is an airfield in South London. Pilots from the airfield took down 1,400 Luftwaffe aircraft during World War 2.

Construction work on the £5.3 million (US$6.9m, €6m) museum started in Q4 2017 and the project received funding from the UK Government, the National Lottery, the local Bromley Council and private donors.

The historic airfield site is also home to St George’s RAF Chapel of Remembrance, where those who died working from Biggin Hill sector are commemorated.