Wargaming.net Funds £75,000 Exhibit for Dornier 17 at RAF Museum

In June, the world witnessed one of the most successful projects to raise the only known German Dornier Do17 bomber, from the waters of the Goodwin Sands, three miles off the coast of England.

Starting October 16^th, the general public will be able to experience a dynamic new exhibition at its Cosford site which will explore the background of this legendary aircraft and its recovery. The creation of the ‘Wargaming.net Interpretation Zone’ has been funded by Wargaming.net, an award winning global game publisher and developer.

The grant of £75,000($120,472.50) has allowed the Museum to work with redLoop design and innovation centre, to develop new and existing approaches to the display and interpretation of the Dornier as it is conserved. A number of interventions will tell the story of the Dornier, its recovery and conservation – in both the Museum’s physical and digital spaces.

At both sites the public will also be able to see an augmented reality Dornier flying above the Museum, showing the aircraft as it would have been seen in 1940. Visitors will be able to view this through their smart phones and through specially created viewing equipment at the Museum. Additionally exhibits at both sites will display multi-media content – from footage of the Dornier in action in 1940, to film of the recovery operation and the chance to witness the Dornier in action in the Wargaming release World of Warplanes.

The Museum has also tied in with organizations across the globe including the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, plus the Pima Air & Space Museum/Arizona Aerospace Foundation to celebrate the launch of the exhibition. Visitors to those Museums will also be able to see the augmented reality Dorniers through their smart phones, hovering in situ.

The exhibition will allow the Museum to develop new education offers focusing on the STEM subjects as well as creating a space where community groups and adult education partners can take part in the Dornier experience.

A new dedicated website will also be launched which will the story of the Dornier and its recovery and conservation. The website will showcase the social history behind the Dornier, the forensic science behind its discovery and recovery, archive footage from the Museum as well as user generated content. The website will develop with the Dornier project and function as an innovative hyper textual documentary for the project.

“I am delighted that Wargaming.net are supporting Museum’s Dornier project by funding the Interpretation Zone. This is an innovative project and the support of Wargaming.net will allow us to tell the story of the aircrafts’ recovery and conservation in an innovative way” said Royal Air Force Museum Director General, Peter Dye. “Augmented reality, mobile applications and the use user generate content are new developments for the Museum and we are very excited about exploring their possibilities. “