An RAF museum – celebratings its 15th anniversary this year – is holding an open day today (Saturday) showcasing the earliest British aviation communication technology right through to the present day.

The RAF Signals Museum at Henlow documents the history of communications in the air force from basic two-way radios used during World War I to modern day systems.

The museum, which will be open to visitors on Saturday, was established in 1999 to house a small collection of radio and electronic memorabilia in what was formerly an empty Roman Catholic church.

Volunteer Roy Walker said: “We are run by volunteers and rely entirely on donations from the public to keep us going. We have got a lot of different pieces of equipment here stretching back to the First World War, some of which have been restored to their former working selves.

“Whenever we take a piece of equipment in we try to do as much as we can to get it back working or, if that’s not possible, to get it back looking to its former self.”

Mr Walker, like the majority of the museum’s volunteers, spent many years in the RAF, joining as a 16-year-old boy and remaining connected with the air force for the following 30 years.

He added: “It’s a great place to visit because it tracks the history of communication technology right from its birth up to the modern systems. We hold an open day on the first Saturday of the month and invite anyone who’s interested to come down and take a look.”

The open day runs from 10am to 7pm and entrance is free, although visitors must bring photo identification with them as the museum is situated on a working RAF base.

The museum is also open every Tuesday but booking must be made in advance. For more information call 01462 851515 or visit www.rafsignalsmuseum.org.uk