Archive Services
Welcome to the Army Flying Museum Archive!
The Museum Archive holds a unique collection of published volumes covering all aspects of Army aviation including early aviation, the Royal Flying Corps, the Air Observation Post Squadrons, the Glider Pilot Regiment and the modern Army Air Corps. Our Archive is a rich source of original documents of historical, personal, and technical interest. It contains personal and official papers, flying log books, pilots’ notes, manuals, and a large collection of photographs and slides. As part of our catalogues, we also maintain a personnel database for individuals who served with the Glider Pilot Regiment and the Royal Artillery Air Observation Post Squadrons.
Archive Public Services
As well as cataloguing and caring for our archival collection, we also offer some paid-for public services which you can enquire about below. These services include an enquiry service, research visits, a transcription service, and a digitisation service. We charge for all the services listed below.
The Archives are all kept within the museum building and research enquiries and visits of all types are welcomed. However prior notice of a visit is essential so that a date/time for visiting can be agreed and the required material obtained in advance of arrival. This is best arranged and discussed with the Archivist using the enquiry form found here. Alternatively, you can email archivist@armyflying.com or call 01264 781086 and ask to speak to the Archivist.
The Archive team at the Museum offers an enquiry service for anyone requesting information from the Museum collection. Due to the high volume of requests and the amount of time required to answer queries to the best of our abilities, we are forced to charge a enquiry fee of £30 per enquiry.
Before contacting us with your enquiry, please take a moment to read these enquiry guidelines*.
*Published materials are exempt from these regulations.
If you would like to visit the Archive and view material we hold then you are welcome to enquire about a research visit. Due to the time it takes finding records and the staff time required for the duration of the visit, we charge a research visit fee of £20 per session (half day). This fee is charged for each individual who would like to conduct research.
The Archive is open for a morning session from 09:00 to 12:00.
The Archive is open for an afternoon session from 12:30 to 15:30.
Do you have a document, such as a service record but you cannot make out the handwriting, or do not understand the military acronyms being used? If so, then get in contact with our Archive who will be able to help to the best of their ability in transcribing and deciphering documents. You will receive a typed transcript of the document, with acronyms explained.
A transcription of a service record is charged at £30.
If you would like a different type of record, such as a casualty form, transcribed, charges vary.
Another service offered by the Archive team is the digitisation of your precious documents and photographs. This includes slides, negatives, and maps, although we may not be able to digitise larger maps and documents.
Digitising is an important and useful process, as digital documents can reach a wider audience and a lot of the time it is easier to view digital photographs and slides. Furthermore, making a digital copy can protect the original and if the original were ever lost or destroyed there would still be a copy of it.
Digitising prices vary depending on the amount of items to be digitised and the number of copies requested, as well as what specialist equipment is used. At the AFM Archive, we are able to use an A3 scanner and a photography stand to digitise records. Charges are as follows:
Scanning - £10 admin fee plus:
- £2.50 per image/page for a low resolution (up to 400 dpi) copy, or
- £5 per image/page for a high resolution copy.
Photography stand - £15 set-up fee plus:
- £5 per page/image.
For bulk orders separate tariffs apply.
If the Army Flying Museum (AFM) provides you with a scanned image or photograph, these are not to be reproduced or published without the prior consent from the AFM. If you do wish to reproduce or publish an AFM image, the following charges apply:
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Academic Lecture or Thesis – not for publication - £5 per image
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Not-for-profit publication - £15 per image
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Profit-generating/Commercial publication - £25 per image
Where possible we will aim to complete your enquiry within 20 working days (for reprographic service only). However, for customers who require faster services we charge an additional £10, plus postage if not sent electronically (this is dependent on staff availability).
