PRESENTATION OF THE MUSEUM

-After the opening in 1986 of rhe Memorial recalling the activity of the VRAUX airfield in a locality called "La Maison Rouge" (the Red House"), an association borrowing the same name was created in 1993.

-In order to perpetuate the memory of this airfield, one of the aims of the Association Maison Rouge was the creation of an Aviation Museum to tell the history of the airfield and of the air opérations performed in our region during Word War II.

-The official opening of the Museum took place on July 16th 1994, in the presence of the Commanding Officer of Air Base 112 and numerous Royal Air Force veterans posted in VRAUX in 1939/1940. It is specific and not well known period of the "Bataille de France" which is the focus of the Museum, presented to the public in 3 rooms visited by 950 poeple for this first season.

-In 1995, 1000 visitors came to the Museum, while an extra 960 sqft room was being prepared.

-To the 1300 visitors who came that year, this room, ready in 1996, displayed the period between 1940 and 1945,recalling the air battles in our region until the liberation.

-In 1997, 1500 visitors where welcomed in the Museum. It was completed bye a reconstruction of a worshop of pouplar aviation. Also displayed in the Museum was the Max Holste MH 1621 "Broussard", airplane designed and built in Reims, of which more than 400 were made, a reminder of the aeronautical activity in our region.

-Displaying over 2600 sqft of documents, airplane parts and engines, one airplane, dummies of airmen, with the reconstruction of a room and barracks for British airmen in 1939/1940, as well as a 1936 workshop of popular aviation,yhe Museum also has a slide show. The whole history of the VRAUX airfield is presented in the context of the World War II air operations, focusing on the regional history, with its stories, tales, real adventures, discoveries and atmosphere.