The exhibits displayed in the Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum range from entire replica aircrafts to small artificats that have been recovered from aircraft wreckages. Each exhibit holds its own personal story, detailing events in local aviation history.
Our collections include cold war jets like the English Electric T5 Trainer, the Jet Provost trainer and parts of an Avro Shackleton Maritime Patrol Aircraft amongst others. We also have a replica Mk 9 Spitfire and a Mk1/2 replica Hawker Hurricane – both undergoing refurbishment.
This historic Avro 696 Shackleton MR3/3 was built in 1956 and retained by Avro for development work. It was delivered to the RAF in 1960 and served with 120 and 201 squadrons.
This Jet Provost was built in October 1959 and has been in the Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum's collections since 1995.
MARK AND TYPE: T3/TRAINER
WEIGHT EMPTY: 4,347lbs
SERVICE CEILING: 33,000 ft
WEIGHT LOADED: 7200lbs
WINGSPAN: 37ft 5in
MAX SPEED: 326 MPH at 25,000ft
LENGTH: 32ft 5in
HEIGHT: 10ft 2ins
Initial flight was in December 1965. Issued to 226 OCU in March 1966.
In 1969 it was transferred to 111 Squadron. In the course of its flight time it was badly damaged in 1981 during a landing accident at RAF Binbrook - the undercarriage collapsed on touch down damaging the Ventral Tank. After a full and varied career, XS459 was eventually transported to the Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum in May 1994.
MARK AND TYPE: T5 TRAINER
SERVICE CEILING: 60,000+ FT
MAX SPEED: MACH 2 +
WINGSPAN: 34 FT 10 INS
LENGTH: 55 FT 3 INS
TOTAL FLYING HOURS: 2306 HRS +
WEIGHT: 26,354 LBS
This aircraft was delivered to the Fenland Aviation Museum in 1989.
Maximum speed 538 mph at sea level
Wing Span : 38ft
Height 6ft 2 inches
Service Ceiling 40,000ft (520mph at 40,000 ft)
Legnth 34 ft 5 inches
Weight Loaded 11,680 lbs
The aircraft engine collection in the museum consists of Jet engines, Piston engines and Radial engines. Most of the Piston engines are as a result of archaeological digs carried out by members of the museum from crashed aircraft during WW2.
Rolls-Royce Avon 200 Series
Rolls-Royce Gnome H1200 Series
Rolls Royce Merlin Engines (various types and in different conditions)
Bristol Siddeley (Rolls-Royce) Palouste Mk10
Rolls-Royce Pegasus
Armstrong Siddeley Viper
Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah X
Staffed entirely by volunteers, our museum exists to promote awareness of Military Aviation History to educate present and future generations in aviation by exhibiting the history of aircraft and the personnel involved. We also aim to show the sacrifices made by airman and airwomen from both the UK and other countries, in the service of this country. Many of our exhibits are from aircraft that crashed in East Anglia during WW2. Along with the exhibits are the moving stories associated with them including the mission the aircrew were on, the names of the aircrew, their destination and how they often came to a tragic end!
Hawker Hurricane N2529 (Crashed on the 21st of
March 1941)
Sgt. R.W.Read took Hurricane N2529 aloft to carry out a cloud flying exercise, flying from RAF Sutton Bridge with 56 Operational Training Unit, when he had to abandon the aircraft at 17:43hrs. Lukily he survived the landing.
De Havilland Mosquito NS998 (Crashed on the 20th of March 1945)
Ellis and Reidy were flying in a Mosquito FBV1, NS998 VY-W, with Squadron 85 frm RAF Swannington, Norfolk. Whilst taking part in a gunnery exercise their aircraft was seen to spin into the sands of the Wash carrying the crew with it.
Junkers Jumo 211 (Crashed on the 17th of April 1941)
The engine you see displayed before you was recovered from an aircraft that was seen to dive into the grounf at Gothic House Farm, Nr Thorney. Nobody knew which aircraft it was, but established it was German. It was 45 years before it was positively identified after the site was excavated.
The museum also displays aircraft, photographs, uniforms, engines and anything related to both military and civil aircraft, over the last century. We also have gift shop which includes models, books, mugs, pens, broaches, prints and much more – great for the aviation enthusiast!
Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum, Lynn Road, West Walton. Cambridgeshire, PE14 7DA
T: 01945 461771
