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The Helicopter Museum (Weston)
Encyclopedia
The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare
, North Somerset
, England, is a museum featuring a collection of more than 80 helicopter
s and autogyro
s from around the world, both civilian and military. It is based on the south-eastern corner of the now-disused RAF Weston-super-Mare
airfield.
Mk.3.
In 1974, Ap Rees purchased a Bristol Belvedere
and formed a volunteer group to restore it. In December 1976, an ex Royal Navy
Westland Whirlwind HAS Mk.7 was acquired and added to the collection.
In 1977 and 1978, more aircraft were added, including an ex Royal Air Force
Bristol Sycamore
HC Mk.14 and several rare prototypes: the Fairey Ultra-Light tip-jet driven helicopter, the Thruxton Gadfly HDW.1 two-seat autogyro
and the Campbell Cougar autogyro.
In 1978, the museum acquired a small area and some buildings on Weston-super-Mare airfield, including a Second World War armoury building and air-raid shelter
. The buildings required extensive repair work, but by the summer of 1978 the collection was opened to the public, with nine aircraft and a range of other artefacts on display.
Throughout the 1980s, remains from rare helicopters were added to the collection, often preventing them from being scrapped, including the only remaining major parts of the Fairey Rotodyne
.
Other aircraft acquired in the 1980s included two more variants of the Westland Whirlwind, a Westland Scout
AH Mk.1 and a Westland Wessex
.
On 3 November 1989, the Museum was officially opened by HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York
, who arrived in a Wessex HC.4 of the Queen's Flight. The museum continues to restore and display many types of helicopters from various countries and purposes.
The museum's collection of helicopters now exceeds 80 complete rotorcraft with many more in restoration or only partly complete. The museum features many foreign helicopters, particularly Soviet-era and Eastern European craft, for example the Kamov Ka-26 Hoodlum and the Mi-24 Hind
, and more modern ones such as the EH-101.
In 2008, several parts of the XCH-62
, prototype of the largest helicopter ever built in the western countries, were sent to the Helicopter Museum to be exhibited there. The XCH-62 was scrapped in 2005 at the United States Army Aviation Museum
, where it was previously displayed.
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
, North Somerset
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
, England, is a museum featuring a collection of more than 80 helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s and autogyro
Autogyro
An autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...
s from around the world, both civilian and military. It is based on the south-eastern corner of the now-disused RAF Weston-super-Mare
RAF Weston-super-Mare
RAF Weston-super-Mare was a Royal Air Force station on a civilian airfield in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England.It was set up as a municipal civilian airport in the 1930s before being taken over by the RAF in World War II for training and technical services. It was also the site of an aircraft...
airfield.
History
The museum originated in 1958 when its founder, aviation writer and historian Elfan ap Rees, began to build up a private collection of rotorcraft documentation and artefacts. Over the next ten years his collection grew and in 1969 he acquired his first complete helicopter, a Bristol SycamoreBristol Sycamore
-See also:-External links:* on the Bristol Sycamore* on the Bristol Sycamore*...
Mk.3.
In 1974, Ap Rees purchased a Bristol Belvedere
Bristol Belvedere
The Bristol Type 192 Belvedere is a British twin-engine, tandem rotor military helicopter built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was designed for a variety of transport roles including troop transport, supply dropping and casualty evacuation...
and formed a volunteer group to restore it. In December 1976, an ex 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...
Westland Whirlwind HAS Mk.7 was acquired and added to the collection.
In 1977 and 1978, more aircraft were added, including an ex Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Bristol Sycamore
Bristol Sycamore
-See also:-External links:* on the Bristol Sycamore* on the Bristol Sycamore*...
HC Mk.14 and several rare prototypes: the Fairey Ultra-Light tip-jet driven helicopter, the Thruxton Gadfly HDW.1 two-seat autogyro
Autogyro
An autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...
and the Campbell Cougar autogyro.
In 1978, the museum acquired a small area and some buildings on Weston-super-Mare airfield, including a Second World War armoury building and air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelters, also known as bomb shelters, are structures for the protection of the civil population as well as military personnel against enemy attacks from the air...
. The buildings required extensive repair work, but by the summer of 1978 the collection was opened to the public, with nine aircraft and a range of other artefacts on display.
Throughout the 1980s, remains from rare helicopters were added to the collection, often preventing them from being scrapped, including the only remaining major parts of the Fairey Rotodyne
Fairey Rotodyne
The Fairey Rotodyne was a 1950s British compound gyroplane designed and built by Fairey Aviation and intended for commercial and military applications...
.
Other aircraft acquired in the 1980s included two more variants of the Westland Whirlwind, a Westland Scout
Westland Scout
The Westland Scout was a general purpose military light helicopter developed by Westland Helicopters. It was closely related to the Westland Wasp naval helicopter.-Design and development:...
AH Mk.1 and a Westland Wessex
Westland Wessex
The Westland Wessex is a British turbine-powered version of the Sikorsky S-58 "Choctaw", developed under license by Westland Aircraft , initially for the Royal Navy, and later for the Royal Air Force...
.
On 3 November 1989, the Museum was officially opened by HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, who arrived in a Wessex HC.4 of the Queen's Flight. The museum continues to restore and display many types of helicopters from various countries and purposes.
Museum collection
Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...
, and more modern ones such as the EH-101.
In 2008, several parts of the XCH-62
Boeing Vertol XCH-62
|-See also:-References:* Wilson, Michael. "". Flight International, 13 July 1972, pp. 44c–47.-External links:* * * at Friends of The Helicopter Museum...
, prototype of the largest helicopter ever built in the western countries, were sent to the Helicopter Museum to be exhibited there. The XCH-62 was scrapped in 2005 at the United States Army Aviation Museum
United States Army Aviation Museum
The United States Army Aviation Museum is an aviation museum located on Fort Rucker near Ozark, Alabama. It has the largest collection of helicopters held by a museum in the world. The museum features some 50 aircraft on public display with aviation artifacts ranging from a replica of the Wright...
, where it was previously displayed.