Fleet air Arm Museum

I have been to the FAA museum a couple of times in the past. The first time was in the mid eighties and the second must have been 15 years or so ago so a return was overdue. Making the most of being on my own as the wingman visited family I set off earlyish this morning for what proved to be a 3 hour drive to the museum. I bought a ticket in advance just as a precaution but it really wasn't necessary.

The museum is situated on the edge of RNAS Yeovilton, split in to 4 display areas with around 40 airframes on display. Apparently the FAA reserve collection is home to around 60 airframes and there are tentative plans afoot for an open day so the public get to see them. That could be interesting but the meantime here is some of what I saw today.

Jet Provost

Picked up in a well known supermarket with a bargain aisle this set me back all of a fiver and is my latest completed model. An Airfix offering it's quite a nice little kit of the British jet trainer that served the RAF from 1955 until 1993.

Today's spotting

A little activity over the garden today. In the blue corner we have a Jet Ranger

In the red corner a Robinson R44

A Coastguard Navajo

and a Piper PA32

Flying Heritage and Combat Armour Museum

This museum, which was my very first port of call when we visited America in 2019, belonged to the late Paul Allen. Paul Allen was co-founder of Microsoft and passed away the year before my visit leaving the future of the museum and collections a little uncertain. I was pleased to see recently that the complete aircraft collection has now been sold to the Wartime Heritage Museum and will remain at Paine Field in Everett, Washington State. The plan is to re-open the museum within the next year and here are a few of the exhibits that will be on show.

Coming soon

 Tickets booked for the Just Jane Fireworks Night next month. Not been for several years. Must wrap up well, it was icy cold last time!

Bottisham Airfield/Museum

Realising that the Bottisham Airfield Museum was only a small detour on my way home yesterday was an opportunity too good to miss especially as it only opens on Sundays!

Bottisham Airfield was opened in 1940 and after some initial use by Tiger Moths it was home to Army Co-opeartion Command Lysanders, Tomahawks and MkI Mustangs until 1942. A number of RAF squadrons then used the field until it was handed to the USAAF in November 1943 under the auspices of the 8th Air Force 361st Fighter Group.

Initially equipped with the P-47 Thunderbolt the group converted to the P-51 Mustang in May 1944 but only had a short service life. The first combat mission was flown in January 1944 and at the end of September the 361st moved to Little Walden, mainly as there were better facilities and concrete runways - Bottisham only ever being grass with PSP.

Back in RAF hands the airfield had little further use and closed for good in January 1946.

A line of trees today marks the PSP runway and the last surviving original buildings have been turned in to a small museum dedicated to the history of Bottisham Airfield and the Home Front as it affected the local area. Parked outside of the museum is a replica P-51 Mustang which was put on display this summer. I understand that it came from Duxford and I assume therefore that this is the former Big Beautiful Doll that used to hang in the American Air Museum there.

The museum is still being developed with some further areas that could come in to use but it is still worthy of an hour to look around.

Duxford Amble

Passing up the M11 today with a little free time was a good excuse to pop in to Duxford for a little wander around.