Anything aircraft related to do in Cornwall?

[Richard502]

SWMBO booked a garden/Rosamunde Pilcher tour through Cornwall. Is there anything (sites, museums, bookshops, hobby shops, ...) airplane related to do in Cornwall?

TIA, Richard

[Evalman]

There are a couple of good museums.

Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre at Newquay Airport.

Cornwall at War Museum at Davidstow (there is a smaller museum dedicated to RAF Davidstow Moor next door).   

[Seahawk]

See this thread from 2019:

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235052313-things-to-do-in-cornwall/

 

[on the second page of the Travel section in Chat]

 

Things haven't changed much in the meantime.  Trago's commitment to models seems to be waning yet further: just Revell and a smattering of Tamiya (1/72 Bf 109G, Hien) at the Liskeard branch last time I called in December.  Books are still worth a look but expect many to be Pen & Sword remainders.  Falmouth Trago scarcely worth a visit nowadays: only if you're in desperate need of a fix.

 

On the positive side, the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Museum is getting better established so probably well worth a visit nowadays.

Edited April 17, 2022 by Seahawk

[bootneck]

There's also the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose [HMS Seahawk] at Helston.  It is an active helicopter and fixed wing airbase.

 

Mike

[Seahawk]

45 minutes ago, bootneck said:

There's also the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose [HMS Seahawk] at Helston.  It is an active helicopter and fixed wing airbase.

 

Mike

Yes.  The biggest helicopter base in Europe.  The trouble is that the FAA is so diminished nowadays that one can easily hit a non-flying day or even sit in the viewing enclosure for an hour or two without seeing any movements.  736 Sq and its Hawks used to be quite visible and audible but they have gone the way of all flesh now,  750 Sq is still there with its King Airs Avengers but there are only about 6 to see.  Helston is a long way to go to see nothing happen.  On the other hand if you're visiting the Lizard (and Ann's Pasty Shop), you'll pass it anyway and be able to see whether anything is happening.

[Evalman]

2 hours ago, Seahawk said:

Yes.  The biggest helicopter base in Europe.  The trouble is that the FAA is so diminished nowadays that one can easily hit a non-flying day or even sit in the viewing enclosure for an hour or two without seeing any movements.  736 Sq and its Hawks used to be quite visible and audible but they have gone the way of all flesh now,  750 Sq is still there with its King Airs Avengers but there are only about 6 to see.  Helston is a long way to go to see nothing happen.  On the other hand if you're visiting the Lizard (and Ann's Pasty Shop), you'll pass it anyway and be able to see whether anything is happening.

Only 4 Avengers in total. You'd be lucky to see three on the flighline on any given day. 

Merlin movements  - more than three up would be a busy day and that doesn't happen often. 

Culdrose is a lot quieter than it was just 3 or 4 years ago.  

Edited April 17, 2022 by Evalman

[junglierating]

On 4/17/2022 at 3:04 PM, Seahawk said:

Yes.  The biggest helicopter base in Europe.  The trouble is that the FAA is so diminished nowadays that one can easily hit a non-flying day or even sit in the viewing enclosure for an hour or two without seeing any movements.  736 Sq and its Hawks used to be quite visible and audible but they have gone the way of all flesh now,  750 Sq is still there with its King Airs Avengers but there are only about 6 to see.  Helston is a long way to go to see nothing happen.  On the other hand if you're visiting the Lizard (and Ann's Pasty Shop), you'll pass it anyway and be able to see whether anything is happening.

Id say VL has more Helos than CU has these days ...id add up the number of junglie and small ship flights plus 847 but I cant count being a Junglie ....gone are the days of 7 or 8  pinger squadrons with a full repeat full compliment of aircraft 😑

[wellsprop]

On 17/04/2022 at 16:04, Seahawk said:

Yes.  The biggest helicopter base in Europe.  The trouble is that the FAA is so diminished nowadays that one can easily hit a non-flying day or even sit in the viewing enclosure for an hour or two without seeing any movements.  736 Sq and its Hawks used to be quite visible and audible but they have gone the way of all flesh now,  750 Sq is still there with its King Airs Avengers but there are only about 6 to see.  Helston is a long way to go to see nothing happen.  On the other hand if you're visiting the Lizard (and Ann's Pasty Shop), you'll pass it anyway and be able to see whether anything is happening.

 

3 hours ago, junglierating said:

Id say VL has more Helos than CU has these days ...id add up the number of junglie and small ship flights plus 847 but I cant count being a Junglie ....gone are the days of 7 or 8  pinger squadrons with a full repeat full compliment of aircraft 😑

 

VL definitely has a lot more going on. Wildcats and Merlin Mk4s are flying daily, the Wildcats being particularly busy!

 

On 17/04/2022 at 09:39, Richard502 said:

SWMBO booked a garden/Rosamunde Pilcher tour through Cornwall. Is there anything (sites, museums, bookshops, hobby shops, ...) airplane related to do in Cornwall?

TIA, Richard

 

Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (I think its called) is a rather cracking little museum, I haven't been in about 7 years (wow is it really that long ago!) and whilst there wasn't an awful amount there then, they had a VC10 which was open and was a superb trip for that alone!

 

Trago (Falmouth) doesn't have a huge amount of model kits, but it had a surprisingly good selection of revell tools, glues and paints etc at a very good price. Sadly I haven't found any dedicated model shops the last couple times I've been down to Cornwall...

 

There's also a superb book shop in Falmouth (aptly names Falmouth Bookseller), very good selection of history books.

[Seahawk]

56 minutes ago, wellsprop said:

Trago (Falmouth) doesn't have a huge amount of model kits, but it had a surprisingly good selection of revell tools, glues and paints etc at a very good price. 

 

Yes, if Trago do happen to have something you want, it'll usually be at 30% below RRP: I got my Revell Shackleton MR.3 there at a very good price.  Their remaindered books usually undercut other similar discount outlets as well.

 

59 minutes ago, wellsprop said:

Sadly I haven't found any dedicated model shops the last couple times I've been down to Cornwall...

 

That's because there aren't any.  @Truro Model Builder's T7 Models in Truro was the last.  

 

[spruecutter96]

Not actually in Cornwall but not a million miles away, either.... The Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton is very well-worth a visit. On occasion, they open up their "reserve collection" hangar but these events are only once or twice a year, IIRC. I would allow most of a day to have a look around the museum.  

 

Cheers.

 

Chris.  

[wellsprop]

17 hours ago, Seahawk said:

That's because there aren't any.  @Truro Model Builder's T7 Models in Truro was the last.  

 

 

Such a shame Cornwall doesn't have its own shop. And, indeed, T7 was a superb shop (it was called T7 and had a Hunter as a logo - what's not to like) and I used to go in there and spend what little spare (student budget) cash I had when I visited my other half at uni!

 

12 hours ago, spruecutter96 said:

Not actually in Cornwall but not a million miles away, either.... The Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton is very well-worth a visit. On occasion, they open up their "reserve collection" hangar but these events are only once or twice a year, IIRC. I would allow most of a day to have a look around the museum.  

 

Cheers.

 

Chris.  

 

I can't recommend the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton enough - not only becuase it's 10 mins from my house. But it has a really fantastic collection of FAA aircraft, including EVERY front-line FAA jet, all the cat and trap jets are in a single hall *gets overly excited*.

 

The WWII Hall includes many of the major types and a complete collection of British Pacific Fleet aircraft (admittedly the Seafire is actually a later XVII, not a III). 

 

It needs at least a few hours to take everything in, just off the A303 at Ilchester.

[detail is everything]

On 4/19/2022 at 2:44 PM, wellsprop said:

The WWII Hall includes many of the major types and a complete collection of British Pacific Fleet aircraft (admittedly the Seafire is actually a later XVII, not a III). 

And the Avenger is a post war TBM-3E ECM.6, Used for ECM training crews in ECM warfare pending introduction of Gannet ECM.4s, not a TBF/TBM-1 as painted up to look like.  

 

I would suggest the ECM.6 is a very rare bird and should be proudly displayed as it was in service in the post war section.

[pigsty]

On 4/18/2022 at 9:01 PM, Seahawk said:

That's because there aren't any.  @Truro Model Builder's T7 Models in Truro was the last

True, but Mallett's on Victoria Square in Truro has a surprisingly good selection - ground floor, at the back.  (That other thread calls it Miller's.  An understandable confusion - they were the cycle, toy and model shop round the corner on Calenick Street, but are now a different bike shop and someone selling flooring.)

[Seahawk]

42 minutes ago, pigsty said:

True, but Mallett's on Victoria Square in Truro has a surprisingly good selection - ground floor, at the back.  (That other thread calls it Miller's.  An understandable confusion - they were the cycle, toy and model shop round the corner on Calenick Street, but are now a different bike shop and someone selling flooring.)

 

You are of course right about my confusing Mallett's with the very late and lamented Miller's.  I'm glad Mallett's still keep a few kits in: I haven't felt the need to brave the traffic hell that is Truro since T7 Models closed.

[pigsty]

13 minutes ago, Seahawk said:

I haven't felt the need to brave the traffic hell that is Truro

Well yes, and the strange things being done to Boscawen Street don't help.  But for the OP's benefit, the park and ride's pretty good - just pick your time for turning up.  And it stops almost literally on Mallett's doorstep.