Photo: from Blériot to the Eurofighter, Milestones of Flight celebrates the first 100 years of aviation. Photo: David Prudames. © 24 Hour Museum.

Checking the wind speed and donning his white scarf, David Prudames patrolled up to Hendon to see the landmark aircraft of the last 100 years.

The RAF Museum in Hendon will be celebrating the centenary of powered flight on December 17 with the launch of its major new permanent exhibition, Milestones of Flight.

At a cost of £7.4 million, 20 landmark aircraft from the first 100 years of aviation have been displayed in a brand new silver barrel-vaulted building on the RAF Museum’s north London site.

As Dr Michael Fopp, museum director, explained, the launch of Milestones of Flight is intended to be "the major event for this country to celebrate the first powered and controlled flight."

Photo: nicknamed the 'King of the Air Fighters', the Sopwith Camel was the most important allied fighter of the Great War. Photo: David Prudames. © 24 Hour Museum.

Funded by the Ministry of Defence and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project has been six years in the making and from Blériot to the Eurofighter offers a spectacular tour through aviation history.

Each of the 20 aircraft on display has been selected because of the contribution it made to the advancement of aviation technology.

The idea is to tell the story of powered flight through the aeroplanes that brought us to where we are today.

Open and vast, the new building is perfect for displaying aircraft and its architects have helpfully supplied three levels from which to view its entire area.

Background information is supplied by interactive terminals and a timeline wall, but it’s undoubtedly the planes that are the stars of this intensely visual show.

Photo: the museum has delibrately taken a global view of aviation history with examples of landmark aircraft from Germany, Japan and the USA as well as the UK. Photo: David Prudames. © 24 Hour Museum.

Along the wall at one end of the huge room, there is a display of images from human attempts at flight before the Wright Brothers managed it. It ends with a quote that makes the bold assertion that "flight without feathers is not easy."

Turn round and the view affirms that yes, it’s not easy, but it has been mastered and in such impressive and innovative style.

Of course, the Spitfire is here as is the Sopwith Camel, Mosquito, Harrier and the first helicopter to enter service with the RAF. But the museum hasn't just stuck to British-built aircraft.

There's a gleaming and glamorous Mustang from America, a Japanese Ki as well as the infamous Messerschmitt 109 and the first jet to enter active service, the Me 262, both from Germany.

Photo: the Blériot XI alongside the Eurofighter Typhoon. Photo: David Prudames. © 24 Hour Museum.

Whether at ground level, on the first floor balcony or high up in the Control Tower, the spectacle of a vast room full of planes at all angles, suspended from the ceiling or raised on platforms, is stunning.

Milestones of Flight is a fitting tribute to 100 years of technological endeavour and makes a worthy addition to an already packed and fascinating museum.

Coinciding with the launch, the museum will be opening the restored historic grade II listed Grahame-White Aircraft Factory.

Originally located a short distance away, the factory was one of the first producers of aeroplanes in the UK.

Now dismantled and re-built on the museum site, it contains a collection of early aircraft from Great War fighters to the huge Vickers Vimy Heavy Bomber.

Photo: the new gallery offers spectacular view across a space dotted with large, small, old and new aircraft. Photo: David Prudames. © 24 Hour Museum.

Both new displays will be officially launched by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh on the anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ flight. A satellite link-up will connect Hendon to Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina, USA where a re-creation of the historic flight is taking place.

Unfortunately, this event is for invited guests only, but Milestones of Flight will be open to the public from December 18 and it comes thoroughly recommended.

However, if you're not on the guest list don't worry, there are plenty of museums up and down the country commemorating the Wright Brothers short but world-changing flight.

The Imperial War Museum at Duxford is offering free entry to see its fantastic collection throughout the day on December 17.

Photo: the Finningley Flyer, a replica of the Wright Brothers aircraft, will be on show at Yorkshire Air Museum. © James Kightly.

Just up the road at the Shuttleworth Collection in Bedfordshire, a selection of their early Edwardian aircraft and others will be out for a hop or two, weather permitting.

Although the real Wright Flyer is in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC you can see replicas at the Science Museum in London (home of the original Flyer until 1948) and at the Yorkshire Air Museum.

Nicknamed ‘The Finningley Flyer’, Yorkshire Air Museum's replica has actually flown and proven just how exceptional the Wright’s achievement was. A highly experienced RAF pilot found it a challenge to get airborne at all.

And, as if that wasn't exciting enough, on the day itself the museum is set to be visited by around 70 private aircraft flown by members of the Popular Flying Association.

For more information on what’s going on around the country click on this link to visit the Royal Aeronautical Society website.