Sir Peter Jackson, the Oscar-winning director of Hollywood blockbusters such as King Kong, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, has curated a season of World War One films especially for the RAF Museum in London.

Each of the four classic films will be screened against the backdrop of the museum’s Historic Hangars, with members of the public able to explore the venue before each screening.

Lucy Woodbridge, the museum’s events manager, says: “The film screenings are a unique experience for any film lover – can you ever say that you’ve sat underneath a World War Two bomber and watched your favourite film?”

The iconic film director has selected: Beneath Hill 60, the extraordinary true story of Oliver Woodward and his secret platoon of Australian tunnellers fighting to defend a leaking, labyrinthine tunnel system; Lawrence of Arabia, Sir David Lean’s emotive epic starring Peter O’Toole; Paths of Glory, Stanley Kubrick’s portrayal of the futility and irony of war in the trenches; and The Blue Max, starring George Peppard and Ursula Andress, about a German fighter pilot.

For each film, Jackson has written a short critique explaining how it has influenced his own love of film-making and epic storytelling.

  • The film season runs at the RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, Hendon, from Thursday, July 10 to Sunday, July 13, doors open at 6.30pm and films begin at 7.30pm or 8pm. Details: 020 8205 2266, rafmuseum.org.uk