We have encountered a few minor issues with visitors turning up at the museum to see a particular aircraft, only to find that it is being worked on by the museum members/volunteers. We recognise that this can be disappointing so we have decided to add this page to our website to give an up to date situation report on the wide range of active restoration and repainting projects that are underway at the museum.
As we carry out a significant part of this work outside, we are at the mercy of the UK weather and this can mean that some projects can take quite a while to complete. So we are sorry if a particular aircraft that you want to see is on the list, but we hope that you will understand that we do have to undertake this work as and when conditions allow.
The nature of some of this work can also mean that steps and access platforms can be located alongside the aircraft, which can disrupt photography opportunities. At other times cleaning work may also be taking place on an exhibit, but our volunteers will normally move away to allow you to get that photograph.
Of course you could also help us to speed up this process by considering the possibility of becoming a museum member and helping with these important projects; details about how to do this can be found by clicking on the Museum Membership tab on the About Us page of the website.
Major Restoration Projects Currently Underway
Aerospatiale Puma HC Mk 1 – XW208 (refurbishment of cabin & acquisition of missing parts)
Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.14 - WS739 (repaint) Auster AOP.9 (awaiting fuselage fabric)
Avro Ashton (fuselage) – WB491 (full de-corrosion & repaint)
Avro Shackleton MR.3 – WR977 (awaiting undercarriage repairs)
Avro Vulcan B.2 – XM594 (scaffolding in situ wing repainting underway)
Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B (cockpit) – XX899 (reassemble & repaint)
BV Chinook HC.1 helicopter – ZA717 (refurbishment of cabin & acquisition of missing parts)
Clutton FRED – G-BJAD (refurbish apply fabric & repaint)
David Brown tractor (full rebuild & repaint)
English Electric Canberra PR.9 test-rig (cockpit) – BAPC No.518 (full de-corrosion & repaint)
Fairey Gannet – XP226 (full de-corrosion & repaint)
Hawker Hunter T.7 – XX467 (reassembly & repaint) MiG-27 (refurbishment & repaint)
Mooney M20.A – G-APVV (complete rebuild, not on general view)
North American Harvard – 42-12417 (complete rebuild, not on general view)
Westland Lynx HC.28 – QP-31 (reassembly, acquisition of missing parts & repaint)
Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 – XM685 (engine de-corrosion & airframe survey)
Aircraft Cleaning Planned For
EE Canberra B(I)8 – WV787
Avro Anson C19 – VL348