The RAF Museum Cosford has unveiled a new exhibition area celebrating the achievements of Britain’s early air services, the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS).

The First World War in the Air is a permanent exhibition that lets visitors discover and explore the unique and often overlooked role of air power during World War I, through the stories of the men and women who served and protected Britain in the first days of military aviation.

The exhibition uses the RAF Museum’s world-class collection of aircraft, documents, film and photographs to reveal how aviation changed the character of war forever.

Set amongst the museum’s collection of warplanes, three iconic WWI aircraft – the Sopwith Pup, Sopwith 1. Strutter and the Bristol M.1c – form the centrepiece of the new display. The Sopwith Pup was used extensively during the war by the RNAS and the RFC and considered the perfect flying machine by its pilots.

Displayed alongside the aircraft are the personal items of Second Lieutenant Kevin Robert Furniss of the RFC, from Wolverhampton, a few miles from Cosford.

Donated to the museum in 2013 by his great niece, Furniss’s belongings included documents ranging from baby photographs and school reports to obituaries and memorials, telling the story of his tragically short life.

Artefacts on display include his RFC flying helmet and wings, a complete wash kit and a letter to his father – all returned to his next of kin after his death.

Karen Whitting, director of public programmes at the Royal Air Force Museum, said: “It is incredibly important for the museum to share these First World War stories and experiences with the local community here at Cosford.