Welcome to the Museum of RAF Fire fighting, Britain’s only museum focusing on military fire fighting. The Museum once occupied two sites; one in Kent at the former RAF station, Manston and the main collection at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire (also the current home of the Red Arrows).  In 2014 the collection was merged into one, all housed at RAF Scampton.  The museum tells the story of fire fighting from the earliest days to modern times through an ever growing collection of vehicles and artefacts.

This website gives a taste of what the museum has to offer so we hope you’ll enjoy exploring it and that it will encourage you to pay a visit to a rapidly developing museum!

W.O. Steve Shirley MBE, museum founder

Steve Shirley
The Museum can trace its origins back to the time when Steve received his first fire engine model, a gift from his wife Kim on the day he graduated from the Fire School at RAF Catterick in 1983.  Since then the collection has grown at an alarming rate with a growing band of volunteers, a large collection of over 42 specialist crash tenders and fire appliances as well as thousands of other fire-fighting artefacts, there is something for everyone to explore and bring out the kid from within.  With the ability to literally reach out and touch most of our exhibits you are able to imagine what it was like to be a fire-fighter in the past as well as how modern Fire-fighting equipment compares

The Museum tells the story of military firefighting with a particular emphasis on the Royal Air Force Fire and Rescue Service. Although the RAF was formed on the 1st April 1918, it wasn’t until 1922 when the first RAF Fire School was formed at RAF Cranwell and the trade of Aircraft Handler/Firefighter was first established. It is widely accepted that the RAF Fire Service was formed on the 31st December 1943.

On the 2nd December 1953, a unit crest was approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Latin motto “E FLAMMIS ATQUE RUINIS SALUS” loosely translated means “Safety from flame and ruins”.

No military aircraft can operate without adequate Fire Cover being in place both in times of conflict and peace. Wherever the Royal Air Force operates, the RAF Fire and Rescue Service is on hand to Save Life, Prevent damage to property and equipment & to make safe any Special Risks.

Over the past 75 years, the RAF Fire Services have had to deal with every type of incident from aircraft crashes and minor emergencies to huge fires in storage areas and technical buildings. They have participated in WW2, the Cold War, the Falklands Conflict, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan as well as numerous operations both in the UK and overseas. They have also provided assistance to humanitarian operations, terrorist incidents and national emergencies.

In the Royal Navy everybody has to be trained on how to fight fires. You cannot call the Fire Service if your ship catches fire at sea! The Royal Navy does have the trade of Firefighter/Aircraft Handler. These dual tradesmen and women are responsible for the protection of aircraft and their crews on operations both at sea and on the RN airfields.

The Army Fire Service was established 1864 and saw service during two world wars. The Army Fire Service was disbanded on the 1st April 1918 when firefighting was rationalised into the Defence Fire Service. In 2005, the Defence Fire Risk Management Organisation was established to oversee all aspects of fire protection in the military.

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