From secret agent equipment to the uniforms of the Womens Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), the museum is now home to an extra array of war-time memorabilia, and the line-up of special guests were first to see them.

"It's wonderful to see so many fine items housed here at the museum, it brings back an awful lot of memories," said Mimi Oddie, who is an ex-WAAF and now in her 80s.

Other men and women who were involved in the second world war, and their families, were invited to see the aviation museum's updated exhibits.

Students from Chichester University were asked to transform the three displays as part of history degree courses.

Judy Carbone worked on developing the new Special Operations Executive (SOE) display which shows the secrets of clever ideas dreamt up during the war, including tiny compasses hidden inside buttons and maps stuck between playing cards.

"I was particularly interested in the role women played within the SOE, looking back at the tricks they used to disguise equipment in the war. It was a wonderful opportunity and the new exhibits look fantastic," said Miss Carbone.

The updated WAAF display includes uniforms, photographs and letters, and was created by the museum to pay tribute to the work done by huge numbers of women during the war.

The final new exhibit houses uniforms and photographs of the United States Air Force.

Peter Allison, marketing manager at the museum, said: "We think the three exhibits add together to give a new and exciting dimension to the museum this year and we hope more people will come to see them."

The museum has installed a new touchscreen interactive tool on the 'Home Front and Air War on Britain 1939-1945'.

Built entirely in-house, the touchscreen's content and software design was developed by the museum's education department.

The hardware was purchased by the IT department and the furniture was built by the museum's workshop staff.




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