Fleet Air Arm Museum
Encyclopedia
The Fleet Air Arm Museum is located 7 miles (11 km) north of Yeovil
, and 40 miles (64 km) south of Bristol
. It has an extensive collection of military and civilian aircraft, as well as models of Royal Navy
ships, especially aircraft carriers. Some of the museum has interactive displays. It is located by RNAS Yeovilton
, and the museum has viewing areas where visitors can watch military aircraft (especially helicopters) take off and land. The museum's aircraft collection numbers 94.
, Interwar
exhibits. During 2008 the hall underwent revision for a new exhibition, "A Celebration of 100 years of Naval Flying". The finished exhibition houses the following aircraft.
aircraft, with parts set aside for a Kamikaze
exhibit. The Kamikaze exhibit contains models of Japanese aircraft, an Ohka
(Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka II (BAPC 58)) and ships. It also contains final letters home from Kamikaze pilots. Also in Hall 2 is a Korean War exhibit, containing video testament by a Korean War
veteran, a Russia
n Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
and a model of Britain's largest ever aircraft carrier (HMS Eagle
). By the entrance to Hall 3, there are many more models of British aircraft carriers with a history of aircraft carrier design.
The planes on exhibition include a Fairey Fulmar
(N1854) the Fulmar prototype (and first production Mk I), the only surviving example out of the 800 built of a Fairey Albacore
(N4389) which was made from parts of two other aircraft (N4389 and N4172). The Albacore was a single-engine carrier-borne
biplane
torpedo bomber
built by Fairey Aviation
between 1939 and 1943 for the Fleet Air Arm
and used during the Second World War
. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance
as well as delivering bombs and torpedoes.
A North American Harvard (T-6 Texan
) (EX976), Grumman Hellcat (KE209), Seafire
F17 (SX137) (a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire
specially adapted for operation from aircraft carrier
s), Hawker
Sea Fury
FB11 (WJ231), Grumann Avenger
(XB446) and a Corsair
KD431 which has been returned to its 1944 condition.
as it would have appeared in the 1970s. The entrance to this hall is by a simulated helicopter ride from Hall 2. The hall itself is made to look like the flight deck of HMS Ark Royal and period aircraft are displayed as if they are on the deck. Two massive screens simulate the landing and take-off of aircraft like Blackburn Buccaneer
s and F4 Phantoms. There is also a tour through a number of rooms made up to mimic the ship's tower. This is complete with video introductions.
The aircraft also include: a Fairey Gannet
AEW3(XL503/070/3), Vickers Supermarine Scimitar
F1 (XD317/112/R), De Havilland
Sea Vixen FAW2 (XS590/131/E), Vickers Supermarine Attacker
F1 (WA473/102/J), and the third prototype De Havilland Sea Vampire.
prototype, although most of the aircraft in the hall are experimental aircraft and other important milestones in the British aerospace industry since World War II. It includes video introductions to the aircraft and the technology.
The Concorde on display was the second prototype to fly. It was powered by four Bristol Siddeley
Olympus
engines. The first flight, piloted by Brian Trubshaw
was on 9 May 1969. Its Certificate of Airworthiness
expired in 1974. It was flown to Yeovilton on March 1976 and opened to the public in July of that year. It has been on display ever since.
The aircraft in the hall include a Handley Page HP.115
(XP980) a test for the delta wing
shape of Concorde, and a BAC 221 which was also part of the Concorde development. The HP.115 was designed to explore the low speed envelope of slender, delta wing aircraft. It featured a delta wing of very low aspect ratio
swept at 75 degrees and a fixed tricycle undercarriage derived from the main gear of a Percival Prentice
and the nosegear from a Miles Aerovan
. The fuselage was quite slim and narrow except at the nose where it bulged to give space for the cockpit. It was powered by a single Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojet set at the base of the tailplane fin. The single aircraft XP841 flew for first time on 17 August 1961 at the Royal Aircraft Establishment
with J.M. Henderson at the controls. The first Fairey Delta 2
was aircraft WG774 which made its maiden flight on 6 October 1954, flown by Fairey test pilot Peter Twiss
. On 10 March 1956, this aircraft broke the World Air Speed Record
raising it to 1,132 mph (1811 km/h), an increase of some 300 mph (480 km/h) over the record set in August 1955 by an F-100 Super Sabre
, and thus became the first aircraft to exceed 1,000 mph in level flight. It was later rebuilt by British Aircraft Corporation
(BAC), who had absorbed Fairey, in 1960 as the ogee
-ogive
wing form aircraft BAC 221. It featured a new wing, engine inlet configuration, a Rolls-Royce Avon RA.28, modified vertical stabiliser and a lengthened undercarriage to mimic Concorde's attitude on the ground. It flew from 1964 until 1973.
There are also a Sea Harrier FRS1, an experimental Hawker Siddeley P.1127 (a development aircraft that led to the Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the first VSTOL jet fighter-bomber), a Westland Wyvern
TR1 (VR137) with contra-rotating propellers
, a Hawker Hunter
T8M, with a replica Bristol Scout
D (N5419) from World War I suspended above them.
techniques. Since the museum is adjacent to the RNAS air station, visitors can also view some of the operations of the modern-day aircraft from specially placed viewing areas throughout the museum.
located throughout the halls.
.
There is an outside adventure playground for children in the museum's grounds, as well as two cafés.
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
, and 40 miles (64 km) south of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. It has an extensive collection of military and civilian aircraft, as well as models of Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ships, especially aircraft carriers. Some of the museum has interactive displays. It is located by RNAS Yeovilton
RNAS Yeovilton
Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, is an airfield of the Royal Navy, sited in South West England a few miles north of Yeovil in Somerset...
, and the museum has viewing areas where visitors can watch military aircraft (especially helicopters) take off and land. The museum's aircraft collection numbers 94.
Hall 1
Previously contained the World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Interwar
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
exhibits. During 2008 the hall underwent revision for a new exhibition, "A Celebration of 100 years of Naval Flying". The finished exhibition houses the following aircraft.
- Short S27 replica.
- Short 184 which suffered damage during World War II when the Imperial War Museum was bombed.
- Sopwith Pup replica.
- Supermarine WalrusSupermarine WalrusThe Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm . It also served with the Royal Air Force , Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal New...
(L2301), which was one of the aircraft flown by the Irish Air Corps, before being bought back by the Fleet Air ArmFleet Air ArmThe Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
after the war for use as a training aircraft. - Fairey Firefly
- BaE Sea Harrier
- Westland Dragonfly
- Westland Lynx
- Westland Sea King
Hall 2
Contains World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
aircraft, with parts set aside for a Kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
exhibit. The Kamikaze exhibit contains models of Japanese aircraft, an Ohka
Ohka
The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka was a purpose-built, rocket powered human-guided anti-shipping kamikaze attack plane employed by Japan towards the end of World War II...
(Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka II (BAPC 58)) and ships. It also contains final letters home from Kamikaze pilots. Also in Hall 2 is a Korean War exhibit, containing video testament by a Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
veteran, a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where early in the war, it outclassed all straight-winged enemy fighters in...
and a model of Britain's largest ever aircraft carrier (HMS Eagle
HMS Eagle (R05)
HMS Eagle was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy, in service 1951-1972. With her sister ship , she is one of the two largest British aircraft carriers yet built....
). By the entrance to Hall 3, there are many more models of British aircraft carriers with a history of aircraft carrier design.
The planes on exhibition include a Fairey Fulmar
Fairey Fulmar
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
(N1854) the Fulmar prototype (and first production Mk I), the only surviving example out of the 800 built of a Fairey Albacore
Fairey Albacore
The Fairey Albacore was a British single-engine carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber built by Fairey Aviation between 1939 and 1943 for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and used during the Second World War. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance as well as delivering...
(N4389) which was made from parts of two other aircraft (N4389 and N4172). The Albacore was a single-engine carrier-borne
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
torpedo bomber
Torpedo bomber
A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes which could also carry out conventional bombings. Torpedo bombers existed almost exclusively prior to and during World War II when they were an important element in many famous battles, notably the...
built by Fairey Aviation
Fairey Aviation
The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Greater London and Heaton Chapel and RAF Ringway in Greater Manchester...
between 1939 and 1943 for the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
and used during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
as well as delivering bombs and torpedoes.
A North American Harvard (T-6 Texan
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
) (EX976), Grumman Hellcat (KE209), Seafire
Supermarine Seafire
The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
F17 (SX137) (a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
specially adapted for operation from aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s), Hawker
Hawker Aircraft
Hawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history.-History:...
Sea Fury
Hawker Sea Fury
The Hawker Sea Fury was a British fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Navy by Hawker during the Second World War. The last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, it was also one of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built.-Origins:The Hawker Fury was an...
FB11 (WJ231), Grumann Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
(XB446) and a Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
KD431 which has been returned to its 1944 condition.
Hall 3
This is the centrepiece of the museum. Instead of a traditional museum hall, the whole hall has been converted into a mock-up of the British fleet carrier HMS Ark RoyalHMS Ark Royal (R09)
HMS Ark Royal was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navy's last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing aircraft carrier...
as it would have appeared in the 1970s. The entrance to this hall is by a simulated helicopter ride from Hall 2. The hall itself is made to look like the flight deck of HMS Ark Royal and period aircraft are displayed as if they are on the deck. Two massive screens simulate the landing and take-off of aircraft like Blackburn Buccaneer
Blackburn Buccaneer
The Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
s and F4 Phantoms. There is also a tour through a number of rooms made up to mimic the ship's tower. This is complete with video introductions.
The aircraft also include: a Fairey Gannet
Fairey Gannet
The Fairey Gannet was a British carrier-borne anti-submarine warfare and airborne early warning aircraft of the post-Second World War era developed for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm by the Fairey Aviation Company...
AEW3(XL503/070/3), Vickers Supermarine Scimitar
Supermarine Scimitar
-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.* Birtles, Philip. Supermarine Attacker, Swift and Scimitar . London: Ian Allan, 1992. ISBN 0-7110-2034-5.* Buttler, Tony. "Database: Supermarine Scimitar"....
F1 (XD317/112/R), De Havilland
De Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
Sea Vixen FAW2 (XS590/131/E), Vickers Supermarine Attacker
Supermarine Attacker
The Supermarine Attacker was a British single-seat naval jet fighter built by Supermarine for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm . It was the FAA's first jet fighter.-Design and development:...
F1 (WA473/102/J), and the third prototype De Havilland Sea Vampire.
Hall 4
Here, the main attraction is the second ConcordeConcorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
prototype, although most of the aircraft in the hall are experimental aircraft and other important milestones in the British aerospace industry since World War II. It includes video introductions to the aircraft and the technology.
The Concorde on display was the second prototype to fly. It was powered by four Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of the de Havilland Engine Company and the engine division of...
Olympus
Rolls-Royce Olympus
The Rolls-Royce Olympus was one of the world's first two-spool axial-flow turbojet aircraft engines, originally developed and produced by Bristol Aero Engines. First running in 1950, its initial use was as the powerplant of the Avro Vulcan V Bomber...
engines. The first flight, piloted by Brian Trubshaw
Brian Trubshaw
Ernest Brian Trubshaw, CBE, MVO was a notable test pilot, and the first British pilot to fly Concorde, in April 1969....
was on 9 May 1969. Its Certificate of Airworthiness
Standard Airworthiness Certificate
A standard airworthiness certificate is an airworthiness certificate issued for an aircraft by the national aviation authority in the state in which the aircraft is registered. A standard airworthiness certificate is one of the certificates that are mandatory if an aircraft is to be used in...
expired in 1974. It was flown to Yeovilton on March 1976 and opened to the public in July of that year. It has been on display ever since.
The aircraft in the hall include a Handley Page HP.115
Handley Page HP.115
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Barfield, Norman. "Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde." Aircraft in Profile, Volume 14. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications, 1974. ISBN 0-85383-023-1....
(XP980) a test for the delta wing
Delta wing
The delta wing is a wing planform in the form of a triangle. It is named for its similarity in shape to the Greek uppercase letter delta .-Delta-shaped stabilizers:...
shape of Concorde, and a BAC 221 which was also part of the Concorde development. The HP.115 was designed to explore the low speed envelope of slender, delta wing aircraft. It featured a delta wing of very low aspect ratio
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,...
swept at 75 degrees and a fixed tricycle undercarriage derived from the main gear of a Percival Prentice
Percival Prentice
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Ellison, Norman H. Percivals Aircraft . Chalford, Stroud, UK: Chalford Publishing Company, 1997. ISBN 0-7524-0774-0....
and the nosegear from a Miles Aerovan
Miles Aerovan
-See also:-Bibliography:* Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0....
. The fuselage was quite slim and narrow except at the nose where it bulged to give space for the cockpit. It was powered by a single Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojet set at the base of the tailplane fin. The single aircraft XP841 flew for first time on 17 August 1961 at the Royal Aircraft Establishment
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
with J.M. Henderson at the controls. The first Fairey Delta 2
Fairey Delta 2
The Fairey Delta 2 or FD2 was a British supersonic research aircraft produced by the Fairey Aviation Company in response to a specification from the Ministry of Supply for investigation into flight and control at transonic and supersonic speeds.The aircraft was the first to exceed 1000mph, and...
was aircraft WG774 which made its maiden flight on 6 October 1954, flown by Fairey test pilot Peter Twiss
Peter Twiss
Lionel Peter Twiss, OBE, DSC and Bar was a British test pilot who held the World Air Speed Record as the first man to fly at a speed greater than 1,000 mph.-Early life:...
. On 10 March 1956, this aircraft broke the World Air Speed Record
Air speed record
An air speed record is the highest airspeed attained by an aircraft of a particular class. The rules for all official aviation records are defined by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale , which also ratifies any claims. Speed records are divided into multiple classes with sub-divisions...
raising it to 1,132 mph (1811 km/h), an increase of some 300 mph (480 km/h) over the record set in August 1955 by an F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, and thus became the first aircraft to exceed 1,000 mph in level flight. It was later rebuilt by British Aircraft Corporation
British Aircraft Corporation
The British Aircraft Corporation was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs , the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with...
(BAC), who had absorbed Fairey, in 1960 as the ogee
Ogee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
-ogive
Ogive
An ogive is the roundly tapered end of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object.-Applied physical science and engineering:In ballistics or aerodynamics, an ogive is a pointed, curved surface mainly used to form the approximately streamlined nose of a bullet or other projectile.The traditional...
wing form aircraft BAC 221. It featured a new wing, engine inlet configuration, a Rolls-Royce Avon RA.28, modified vertical stabiliser and a lengthened undercarriage to mimic Concorde's attitude on the ground. It flew from 1964 until 1973.
There are also a Sea Harrier FRS1, an experimental Hawker Siddeley P.1127 (a development aircraft that led to the Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the first VSTOL jet fighter-bomber), a Westland Wyvern
Westland Wyvern
The Westland Wyvern was a British single-seat carrier-based multi-role strike aircraft built by Westland Aircraft that served in the 1950s, seeing active service in the 1956 Suez Crisis...
TR1 (VR137) with contra-rotating propellers
Contra-rotating propellers
Aircraft equipped with contra-rotating propellers, also referred to as coaxial contra-rotating propellers, apply the maximum power of usually a single piston or turboprop engine to drive two propellers in contra-rotation...
, a Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
T8M, with a replica Bristol Scout
Bristol Scout
The Bristol Scout was a simple, single seat, rotary-engined biplane originally intended as a civilian racing aircraft. Like other similar fast, light aircraft of the period - it was acquired by the RNAS and the RFC as a "scout", or fast reconnaissance type...
D (N5419) from World War I suspended above them.
Other Halls
Aside from the four main halls, there are smaller exhibits containing interactive displays and pictures. One of these is the Merlin Experience, which explains advanced anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
techniques. Since the museum is adjacent to the RNAS air station, visitors can also view some of the operations of the modern-day aircraft from specially placed viewing areas throughout the museum.
Engines on display
The museum possesses a number of aero enginesAircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
located throughout the halls.
- Alvis LeonidesAlvis Leonides-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
- Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah
- Bristol CentaurusBristol Centaurus|-See also:-Bibliography:*Bridgman, L, Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7*Gunston, Bill. Development of Piston Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 2006. ISBN 0-7509-4478-1...
- Bristol MercuryBristol Mercury|-See also:-Bibliography:* Bridgman, L, Jane's fighting aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
- Bristol Siddeley BS100
- Clerget 9BClergetClerget was the name given to a series of early rotary aircraft engine types of the World War I era that were designed by Pierre Clerget. Manufactured in both France by Clerget-Blin and Great Britain by Gwynne Limited, they were used on such aircraft as the Sopwith Camel and Vickers Gunbus.In the...
- Bristol Siddeley PegasusRolls-Royce PegasusThe Rolls-Royce Pegasus is a turbofan engine originally designed by Bristol Siddeley, and now manufactured by Rolls-Royce plc. This engine is able to direct thrust downwards which can then be swivelled to power a jet aircraft forward. Lightly loaded, it can also manoeuvre like a helicopter,...
- de Havilland Gipsy Major
- de Havilland Gipsy QueenDe Havilland Gipsy Queen|-Survivors:Of the 11 Gipsy Queen-powered de Havilland Doves on the British register, only two remain airworthy .-Engines on display:Preserved de Havilland Gipsy Queen engines are on public display at the following museums:*de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre...
- Rolls-Royce AvonRolls-Royce Avon|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:**** a 1955 Flight article on the development of the Avon...
- Rolls-Royce NeneRolls-Royce Nene|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgman, L, Jane's fighting aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7-External links:* *...
- Rolls-Royce MerlinRolls-Royce MerlinThe Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled, V-12, piston aero engine, of 27-litre capacity. Rolls-Royce Limited designed and built the engine which was initially known as the PV-12: the PV-12 became known as the Merlin following the company convention of naming its piston aero engines after...
- Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593The Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 was a reheated turbojet which powered the supersonic airliner Concorde. Initially a joint project between Bristol Siddeley and Snecma based on Bristol's Olympus engine, Rolls-Royce Limited acquired Bristol making it a division of Rolls-Royce.Until Concorde's...
- Sunbeam Gurkha
- Wright R-1820Wright R-1820|-See also:-References:* Bridgman, L, Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. Crescent. ISBN 0-517-67964-7* Eden, Paul & Soph Moeng, The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152...
Restoration
The museum also carries out various restoration projects, the last project was a Corsair KD 431 which in the summer of 2006 was unveiled as it would have appeared in 1944. Visitors can see (but not enter) the restoration hangar between Hall 3 and Hall 4. Restoration is currently taking place on a Grumman Wildcat, or Martlet as it was known to the British.Archives
The Fleet Air Arm Museum is the home to an extensive collection of military records. The museum catalogues and restores these documents.Visitor facilities
The museum's shop is one has the most extensive selections of naval merchandise in the area. The selection includes various themed books and documentaries such as SailorSailor (TV series)
Sailor was a major BBC television documentary series, first shown in the late 1970s, about life on board the fourth HMS Ark Royal, a British aircraft carrier. It followed the ship on a five and a half month deployment to North America in 1976....
.
There is an outside adventure playground for children in the museum's grounds, as well as two cafés.