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UK aviation museum suggestions


ChrisL

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Over the past few years I've managed to visit the following aviation museums:

  • National Museum of Flight, East Fortune
  • Yorkshire Air Museum
  • RAF Museum Cosford
  • Midland Air Museum (Coventry)
  • IWM Duxford
  • RAF Museum Hendon
  • Jet Age Museum (Gloucester)
  • Fleet Air Arm Museum (Yeolvilton)
  • Tangmere Military Aviation Museum

What other museums would you suggest to me? Primarily I'm interested in military aviation. I live in Edinburgh, so if a museum is far away it'll probably need a big draw in order to get me interested in making the journey to visit it (unless I can find other reasons to be in the area).

Edit: I forgot the FAA museum!

Edited by ChrisL
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Mosquito Museum, London Colney,

Helicopter Museum - Weston Super Mare,

Bruntingthorpe, open Sundays, or on a Cold War Jets day to double up static + live fast taxis,

East Midlands Aeropark.

These are all quite far from Scotland though sadly.

Edited by Radleigh
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Aeroventure at Doncaster is small but has a great collection of military helicopters and the second largest collection of Falkland veteran machines in the UK. It has a really good model shop as well. You could combine it with a trip to the Museum at Newark another 40 miles down the A1 that also has a great model shop.

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Yeovilton is the obvious one missing. Yes, it is a long way but you can fit in the Weston museum and the Froome model shop. Plus of course stuff like Stonehenge and Avebury, in your spare time.

I realised I'd forgotten to include Yeolvilton just before I read your post! And I did indeed visit it as part of a trip that included visits to Stonehenge and Avebury - also Bovington and the Air Tattoo too. :)

I will add Bruntingthorpe, Newark, Doncaster, et al to the list of potentials. There's also the Highland Aviation Museum, up near Inverness. My parents went there last year. It's not big but it allows access to most of the cockpits of their display aircraft (weather permitting). Mind you, getting from Edinburgh to Inverness is hardly a short trip either!

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Hello Chris,

If you are ever in Wiltshire, try the Boscombe Down Aircraft Collection at Old Sarum Aerodrome (Mostly nose sections and developmental exhibits); And whilst you take this one in, also go to the Army Aviation Museum at Middle Wallop (about 30 minutes away). I recommend you do both in one visit, and I also advise you'll be pleasantly surprised. Hope this helps.

Nobby

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Having a day with Lancaster "Just Jane" is worth the trip that far South

The briefing, tour inside, taxi run and look around the museum is a fabulous day out

Also if overnighting stay local in the Petwood hotel that's the old 617 Sqn Mess. It has a preserved bar and a ton of memorabilia

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Which of these would be close to IWM Duxford? I am under the impression that the Shuttleworth Collection isn't too far away. For my 40th birthday some friends bought me a flight in a Dragon Rapide in close formation with a Spitfire at Duxford, so I'll be visiting it again in the not too distant future. Making a bigger trip out of it would be good. The Norfolk & Suffolk Air Museum looks like one candidate.

Edited by ChrisL
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Which of these would be close to IWM Duxford? I am under the impression that the Shuttleworth Collection isn't too far away. For my 40th birthday some friends bought me a flight in a Dragon Rapide in close formation with a Spitfire at Duxford, so I'll be visiting it again in the not too distant future. Making a bigger trip out of it would be good. The Norfolk & Suffolk Air Museum looks like one candidate.

From Duxford, A505 to Baldock then A1 northbound. About 30-40 minutes at a rough guesstimate.

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Aero Adventure Doncaster worth a visit, then shimmy down the A1 to Newark Air Museum, from there take the A17 to the Cranwell Aviation Heritage Center, stop for dinner then off the A17 to Thorpe camp, Woodhall Spa and East Kirkby, maybe Conningsby, then home for tea. On your way home you could call in on the Sunderland Aviation museum( not sure of its name).

Just kidding on the time scale but if you are travelling so far it maybe worth spending a few days here.

Hope it helps.

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Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, I'll keep this thread in mind when planning trips! I was however at the Science Museum (including the top floor) last year, it seems that my mind chose not to categorise that as an aviation museum, though. :)

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Aeroventure at Doncaster is small but has a great collection of military helicopters and the second largest collection of Falkland veteran machines in the UK. It has a really good model shop as well. You could combine it with a trip to the Museum at Newark another 40 miles down the A1 that also has a great model shop.

Thank you for the recommendation!

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North east Aircraft Museum. Loads of airframes and interesting displays, and it's barely a couple of hours drive from you!

Nearer 3 hours, according to Google (or just over 3 hours if I take the more interesting road) but that's still a lot closer than most other options - thanks!

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