Explore the National Cold War Exhibition

The use of the atomic bomb on Japan at the end of the Second World War demonstrated that mankind had the ability to obliterate itself completely. Winston Churchill noted as the war drew to a close, that 'an iron curtain was descending across Europe'. After more than 5 years of conflict in Europe, the Middle and Far East during what was then termed a 'hot war' there followed over 40 years in which East and West stood either side of ideological divide, separated by the awsome prospect of nuclear holocaust. This was 'The Cold War'.

In the initial years of the Cold War the Royal Air Force held the UK's nuclear deterrent through its 'V Force' and from 1969 that deterrent was carried by the Royal Navy's submarines.

The story of the Cold War is therefore much larger than one of aviation in isolation. Here, we use the part played by the Royal Air Force to illuminate and describe that period of world history in which our country was no more than 4 minutes away from annihilation.

• Cold War Timeline
• Aircraft on Display
• Other Aircraft
• Biographies
• Countries
• Missiles
• Ships
• Squadrons
• Submarines
• Vehicles