Cadets from 1015 (Horsham) Squadron recently visited a STEM event at the Guildhall, City of London, in celebration of the RAF’s 100th anniversary. The event, hosted by the City of London Corporation, included aircraft replicas representing the past 100 years of the RAF’s history as well as STEM exhibits and displays from some of the UK’s top aerospace companies.

The courtyard was filled with aircraft – including Sopwith Camel and SE5a replicas from Brooklands Museum, a spitfire and hurricane from the RAF Museum, Hendon, and a full-scale replica of the Eurofighter Typhoon provided by BAE Systems, which cadets were lucky enough to be able to sit in.

The event was supported by a number of aerospace companies, including Rolls Royce showing off their Merlin engine, used in a number of WWII aircraft, and an EJ2000 engine from a Typhoon. BAE Systems had their STEM trailer in the courtyard, with activities from 3D printing to virtual reality headsets. The RAF Air Cadets STEM Officer was also displaying different STEM initiatives, including the Hour of Code and various microcontroller projects.

This event is just one of a number of initiatives during the RAF’s centenary year to get cadets involved with STEM activities.