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Over the front

Over the front

Australians played a part in aviation’s remarkable advancement during the First World War. In the clear skies over the Western Front in France and in the Middle East, young men fought in flimsy machines of wood, canvas, and wire. This exhibition brings history to life with a range of extraordinary and original aircraft and an exciting visual depiction of military flight.  Five aircraft are featured: three Allied types (SE5a fighter, Airco DH9 bomber, Avro 504K trainer) and two rare German fighter planes (Albatros D.Va. and Pfalz D.XII, both originally brought to Australia in 1919).

Collection items including the left boot of Baron von Richthofen (also known as The Red Baron) are displayed within the space telling the personal stories of some of the pilots that fought in the Great War in the air.

Sound-and-light show screens each hour at quarter past the hour. 

A view of the Over the front: the great war in the air exhibition in Anzac Hall. On the floor on the left is the Avro 504K trainer. The SE5a fighter is in the middle. On the right, closest to the camera, is the Albatros D.Va.

Aircraft 1914 - 1918 blog posts

  • First World War diary record series passes 400,000 images.
    29 June 2009 by Sue Ducker
  • Over the Front: the Great War in the air
    19 August 2008 by Amanda Rebbeck
  • Albatros Upper Mainplane Repairs
    17 April 2008 by Andrew Pearce
  • Albatros Fabric Research
    11 April 2008 by Andrew Pearce
  • Albatros Fuselage: Cleaning and Repair
    3 April 2008 by Andrew Pearce
  • Conservation of the Albatros D.Va
    3 April 2008 by Andrew Pearce
  • Second Lieutenant F. T. D. Gulley, No. 6 (Training) Squadron, AFC
    17 March 2008 by Amanda Rebbeck
  • ‘Naked Birds’ Land at Memorial
    28 February 2008 by Leigh Harris

Read more

  • An overview of the Australian Flying Corps
  • Histories of the Australian Flying Corps Sqaudrons
  • Official History of the Australian Flying Corps during the First World War
  • Opening speech from Peter Isaacson AM DFC AFC DFM

Biographies of key people in the Australian Flying Corps

  • Air Commodore Arthur Henry Cobby, No. 4 Squadron AFC
  • Sir Wilmot Hudson Fysh, No 1 Squadron AFC (part of the Fifty Australians exhibition
  • Air Vice Marshal Frank McNamara VC, No 1 Squadron AFC
  • Sir Ross Machpherson Smith, No 1 Squadron AFC (part of the Fifty Australians exhibition
  • Air Marshal Richard Williams, No 1 Squadron AFC

Last updated: 11 December 2020

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Explore the Collection

Explore the Collection

Our collection contains a wealth of material to help you research and find your connection with the wartime experiences of the brave men and women who served in Australia’s military forces.

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The Australian War Memorial was voted the number one landmark in Australia by travellers in the 2016 Trip Advisor awards. Come and see why.

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Your generous donation will be used to ensure the memory of our Defence Forces and what they have done for us, and what they continue to do for our freedom remains – today and into the future.

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The placesofpride

Places of Pride

Places of Pride, the National Register of War Memorials, is a new initiative designed to record the locations and photographs of every publicly accessible memorial across Australia.

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The Australian War Memorial acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and waters. We pay our respects to elders past and present.
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The Australian War Memorial

Treloar Crescent
Campbell ACT 2612
Australia
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Treloar Crescent

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