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Harry Raffal

Harry Raffal

@rafhistory.bsky.social

560 followers 380 following 110 posts

RAF History; Air Power; Digital History; Head of Collections and Research at RAF Museum; Author: Air Power and the Evacuation of Dunkirk (Bloomsbury 2021; Co-Ed Close Air Support (Helion 2024). Committee member of RAFHS and BCMH.

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Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · 3d

Interesting lecture by AVM Beck, Director Capabilities and Programmes, on the future of British Combat Air Power

AVM Beck at RUSI

Reposted by Harry Raffal

Royal Air Force Museum @rafmuseum.bsky.social · 6d

✈️ Discover the daring story of Elsie Mackay, who set out to be the first woman to fly the Atlantic! 🌊

Join Dr Midge Gillies for our Atlantic Furies lecture, Tues 21 Oct, 12pm, live from
@RAFMuseum
Midlands. 🎟️ Free in-person or online via Crowdcast.

bit.ly/3KMNm7H

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · 9d

Good to be able to join the @rafhistorical.bsky.social seminar on the RAF and Oman. Chaired by Sit Glenn Torpy, the first paper, from Graham Pitchfork, is providing context to the relationship by exploring the early history

Graham Pitchfork, speaking at the RAF Museum as part of the RAFHS Seminar

Sir Glenn Torpy, speaking at the RAF Museum

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · 10d

Possible you might find some details in combat reports submitted, have you looked at those RAFM hold? These are different to the TNA Air50s. Simiarly, worth asking AHB if they hold anything.

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · 10d

Not one I have really looked at.
It is not impossible to find copies of detachment reports in sqdn and Grp ORBs but sounds like youve trawled all these.

Reposted by Harry Raffal

Freeman Air and Space Institute @fasikcl.bsky.social · 21d

🌟 3 weeks left to nominate for the 2025 RAF Museum Academic Awards!

Designed to inspire and reward high-quality research by up and coming scholars, the awards welcome entries that consider a variety of topics.

Find out more here👇
rafmuseum.org.uk/news/raf-mus...

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 23

A lovely tribute to John Cruickshank.
www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/flight-...
Always very modest, John did not want a great fanfare made of him on his death. An extraordinary VC, but he is a man worth emulating for how he lived his life after that one moment

John Cruickshank in RAF uniform

John Cruickshank later in life

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 23

Yes, a replica funded by the family originally for milestones of flight IIRC.

Before my time but think it being a replica factored into the discussion on displaying in an elevated posistion where many wont get full exp.

Some interesting Curatorial aspects involved in its use here in any case

Reposted by Harry Raffal

David Fedman @dfeds.bsky.social · Sep 17

Great research topic for anyone looking for one:

Japan's swelling wartime population of "ghost eaters" -- ie, folks who used false names/addresses to commit ration ticket fraud.

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

The final paper of the @rafmuseum.bsky.social 2025 conference is underway with Andy Renwick speaking on 'Offence versus defence'. You can catch up on all of the fantastic programme organised by @drmeganekelleher.bsky.social using our Crowdcast channel www.crowdcast.io/c/rafm-confe...

Andy Renwick speaking at the RAF Museum conference

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

Sam Alberti and Holger Nehring speaking on their AHRC funded research into Materialising the Cold War including a museological view of Vulcan XM607

Sam Alberti and Holger Nehring giving the keynote lecture to the 2025 RAF Museum conference

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

Lovely to see the 2024 Academic Award winners receive their prizes. Our 2025 Awards are now open with prizes of £3000, £350, and £250.

A wide range of topics are eligible for BA, MA and PhDs find out more on our website www.rafmuseum.org.uk/news/raf-mus...

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

Gary Willis offering a new perspective on the Dam Busters by discussing it as the subject of environmental history

Gary Willis speaking at the RAF Museum

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

Interesting paper by Witali Gerber on the institutionalisation of child conscription in the Flakhelfer programme during the SWW
www.crowdcast.io/c/rafm-confe...

Witali Gerber at the RAF Museum

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

This is excellent!

A 1989 photo of a farm in Wales from one of Mark Russell's slides

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

And it is already fascinating! With examples from Max Immelman's letters

Damien Accoulon presenting at the RAF Museum

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

Day 2 of the @rafmuseum.bsky.social conference. We're underway with Damien Accoulon discussing Airmen and the myth of the Knight of the Air in France and Germany. You can join us live and participate online via www.crowdcast.io/c/rafm-confe...

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 4

I am very happy to say its all Megan's hard work and I have been free of any of the associated stress - which you'll remember all too well!
Really great panels so far, suspect you'll enjoy Sophy Higgin's paper in panel 3.

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 4

Ewen Cameron is now analysing the operations of 57 Squadron from Scampton during the time period 617 Sqdn were formed, undertook the Dam Buster raids and then moved to Conigsby in 1943 www.crowdcast.io/c/rafm-confe...

Ewen Cameron speaking at the RAF Museum

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 4

Looking forward to hearing Tom Withington discuss the use of Napalm by Bomber Command www.crowdcast.io/c/rafm-confe...

RAF Museum Conference 2025: New Perspectives in Military Aviation Research

Register now for RAF Museum Conference 2025: New Perspectives in Military Aviation Research on crowdcast, scheduled to go live on September 4, 2025, 09:20 AM GMT+1.

www.crowdcast.io

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 4

We are underway and at the moment @ac1shaw.bsky.social is discuss Slessor, and Air Power and Armies in history, theory and practice. You can watch live now www.crowdcast.io/c/rafm-confe...

John Alexander at the RAF Museum discussing John Slessor Air Power and Armies

Harry Raffal @rafhistory.bsky.social · Sep 4

Final countdown to the 2025 @rafmuseum.bsky.social conference. A fantastic 2 day programme exploring NEW PERSPECTIVES IN MILITARY AVIATION organised by @drmeganekelleher.bsky.social
You can still join us online, without charge, from 10AM by using our livestream www.crowdcast.io/c/rafm-confe...

An F35 in flight through clouds

Reposted by Harry Raffal

Aviation Cultures Conference @avculturesconf.bsky.social · Aug 29

Call for Papers is closing soon! We're keen to hear from you with ideas for Aviation Cultures Spotlight 'Logbooks & AvDocs' in November, but the Call for Papers closes Sunday 31 August 2025.

And see you at the free, online event - put the date in your diary now! aviationcultures.org/spotlights/l...

Poster for 'Logbooks & Avdocs' with 'Aviation Cultures Spotlight' 8 November 2025, Online on Zoom' text.

Reposted by Harry Raffal

Linus Hagström @linushagstrom.bsky.social · Aug 2

Swedish Defence University advertises two postdoc positions focused on narrative geopolitics, or how emotional and widely circulated narratives shape international security, great power relations & geostrategic rivalry.

fhs.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

fhs.varbi.com/en/what:job/...

Deadline: 31 Aug

Reposted by Harry Raffal

Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 @reshetz.bsky.social · Aug 23

Chat so im in the production team for Ukraine’s official Burning Man installation this year, essentially it’s a black cloud in the middle of the festival, with very clear messages about ru warcrimes coming soon

Grateful to anyone who helps promote it, been working and crashing out for very long