Fleet Air Arm Museum, 100 Years of Naval Aviation - pics

[Manonthefence]

A few shots from my recent visit to the FAA Museum at Yeovilton. It’s a wonderful museum which does much to engage the visitor. The RAF Museum at Hendon could learn a lot from this place, especially “The Carrier”.

It costs £11 to get in, and if you are a UK Tax payer and agree to Gift Aid your entrance fee, they turn it into a years membership allowing you to visit at any time (apart from certain special events).

The lighting can be a bit difficult in the hangar but it’s by no means as bad as Hendon or the Science Museum but its worth while taking a tripod. Having used mine I can understand why they can be seen as a trip hazard but with a bit of common sense its not really an issue using one.

On with the pictures, starting with the Concorde Hall

Wyvern TF.1


It’s a shame none of the Mark 2s survive.

Sea Harrier from an unflattering angle


Onto the new 100 years of Naval Aviation Hall. Starting with the later FA.2 Sea Jet



Less than 100 years earlier they were flying around in the Shorts 184



In honour of The Beatles, (I am a) Walrus

Pup


Firefly


Into the main hall, starting with the Fulmar. I would have loved to see this fly.




Next up the Albacore. It always surprises me that the Swordfish isn’t given more prominence. Instead it appears hidden away above the Fulmar and not easy to get to.


The famous Corsair in all its unrestored preserved glory





(could do with a coat of paint if you ask me)

The Hellcat and the Avenger, because of their folding wings aren’t the easiest to get good photos of. It would be nice to see these moved around a bit to give them a good airing. I assume the Hellcat is next up for preservation after the Martlet (see later). What you do get is a sense of the size of these aircraft.




Seafire


The Firefly Mk1.


Old foes together. I am always surprised at how small the Mig is.


Onto The Carrier. It is quite simply a superb exhibit! One is “flown” onto the deck using a couple of Wessii (if you go you’ll understand) and then left to wander about the deck. A Tannoy announces when aircraft are landing and taking off, its really well thought out and put together. The light level is dark but changes to highlight what is happening next. You can also use your flash to “paint” the aircraft.
Buccaneer S1




Bucc S2, the landing demo also uses this aircraft.




Bucc with a bucket of sunshine in front of it


A time lapse of the landing demo film. It actually works quite well.


Supermarine Attacker




Sea Hawk


Sea Vixen


Gannet


Scimitar


At the other end of the deck, there is a Phantom set up for launch. Clever use of lighting and mannequins gives the visitor quite a good feel for what its like on the deck during a launch. The one thing you do notice is the noise.
Time lapse from different angles






Finally, in the workshops the Martlet is going through the same process as the Corsair (shot through glass)


All in all a great day out.

[ZRX61]

75 years ago they flew the Swordfish with a cruising speed of 100knots, a crew of 3 & 1 torpedo

Today, they fly a helicopter that cruises at 100 knots, has a crew of 4 & carries one torpedo...

In 75 years the only advance they have made is to add one crew member....

[retroaviation]

Since I'm clearly too lazy to look it up for myself, can anyone share more info on that Supermarine Attacker? Kind of a neat lookin' little jet. I'm kind of embarassed to say that this is the first time I believe I've seen or even heard of it.

Gary

[Manonthefence]

Gary

As much as I distrust Wiki, have a look here

[retroaviation]

Thanks. And thanks for taking the time to post all of those photos as well. Looks like a neat museum.

Gary

[sgt hawk]

A lot of us Americans need to be reminded that most of the inovations in operating an aircraft carrier came from the Brits. Thanks for the pic's, I sure would enjoy a visit to that one! Neat planes!

[sgt hawk]

Whoops! Hiccup!

[TimAPNY]

Great pictures!

I'll have to add that museum to my wish list of world stops.

Tim

[krlang]

Thanks "AGAIN" Nick,
We will have to come over and meet you one of these days.

K.L.

[RMAllnutt]

Fantastic photos in a very difficult lighting situation... excellent as always Nick. Thanks for posting.

Cheers,
Richard

[Manonthefence]

Thanks chaps

I am surprised JDK hasnt made a gratuitous Walrus comment

KL anytime mate just let me know when you are coming and I'll show you around.

One serious omission from the 100 Years exhibit is a Swordfish, in fact the museum has one its just not in an easy place to get at. I am always surprised by that.

Thats not to take anything away from the place, its one of the worlds great aviation Museums. the RAF Museum at Hendon could learn a lot from how it treats its guests and displays its aircraft.

[Garth]

Sea Harrier from an unflattering angle

Thanks for the pics!

FYI, that's not really a Sea Harrier. It's an FRS.1 nose grafted onto a RAF GR.3 fuselage/wings.

When TPTB decided that they wanted an FRS.1 for the museum, they discovered that there were none left: all had either been destroyed, or converted to FA.2s. There was a nose section left, and it was used in conjunction with the surprlus GR fuselage to create a hybrid/look-a-like.

[gregv]

great pics, thanks for taking the time to post and comment them; I'd love to get there for a visit.

So if someday a set of Attacker wings showed up, say in a dump somewhere in Pakistan, could a Spiteful be built around them? Or are there enough differences to make that a bit silly?

The forward visibility on the Shorts 184 looks terrible.....and wasn't there an airworthy restoration of a Walrus going on somewhere?

thanks again

greg v.

[Manonthefence]

FYI, that's not really a Sea Harrier. It's an FRS.1 nose grafted onto a RAF GR.3 fuselage/wings.

Which, apart from a few detail differences, is basically what an FRS1 was!

[Second Air Force]

Great photos all.

I have always been fascinated with the Wyvern in all its forms, so I really enjoyed that picture. I wish there was a Mk.2 extant, also.

Scott