Aerospace Bristol facts for kids
 |
|
.jpg) |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 17 October 2017 |
|---|---|
| Location | Filton, England |
| Type | Aerospace museum |
.jpg)
Aerospace Bristol is an exciting aerospace museum located in Filton, just north of Bristol, England. This amazing place is managed by the Bristol Aero Collection Trust. It's home to a fantastic collection of aircraft and exhibits. The most famous display is Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, which was the very last Concorde ever built and the final one to fly!
Contents
- Discover Aerospace Bristol
- A Journey Through Time: How Aerospace Bristol Began
- What You Can See: Amazing Aircraft and More!
- Era One: First Flights (1903–1910)
- Era Two: First World War & Beyond (c.1914–1920)
- Era Three: The Growth of Flight (1920s–1930s)
- Era Four: World War II (c.1935–1945)
- Era Five: Bigger, Faster, Further (1945–1960)
- Era Six: Ocean Floor to Outer Space (1960–1981)
- Era Seven: Working Across the World (1982-Today)
- The Mighty Concorde Hangar
- See History Being Restored: The Workshop
- See also
Discover Aerospace Bristol
The museum is built on the historic Filton Airfield. The main exhibits are housed inside a special hangar that is a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical structure from the First World War. Another hangar from the same time is used for fixing up old aircraft. The star of the show, Concorde, has its own brand-new hangar!
The museum takes you on a journey through over 100 years of flight history. You can explore how aircraft were used in two World Wars. You'll also learn about the exciting race to space and see how aviation has changed up to today.
A Journey Through Time: How Aerospace Bristol Began
The idea for the museum started with the Concorde Trust in 2007. They wanted to create a new museum to give a home to one of the amazing Concorde aircraft.
Concorde Arrives (2003)
Concorde Alpha Foxtrot (G-BOAF) made its final flight to Filton in November 2003. For 14 years, it stayed outside in the open air. Then, a special building was finally ready to protect it.
Building the Dream (2012-2014)
In December 2012, the Bristol Post newspaper shared some exciting news. BAE Systems, who owned Filton Airfield, gave the land and £2.4 million to help build the new museum. They also included the historic hangars. Other companies and the Heritage Lottery Fund also helped with money.
In 2014, the Heritage Lottery Fund gave the trust a big grant of £4.7 million. Plans began for a visitor centre, which was later named Aerospace Bristol. Everyone hoped it would open in the summer of 2017.
Construction and Royal Support (2016)
On May 26, 2016, Aerospace Bristol held a special ceremony. This marked the start of building the new hangar for Concorde. Later that year, on September 15, Princess Anne became a special supporter (patron) of Aerospace Bristol. She even visited the site on October 13 to celebrate a big step in the building work.
Opening Day! (2017)
February 7, 2017, was a huge day! Concorde Alpha Foxtrot was carefully moved into its new, custom-built hangar. A month later, on March 8, a Sea Harrier jet arrived at the museum. An RAF Chinook helicopter airlifted it there!
On August 16, the famous Red Arrows flew over in a special Concorde formation. Below, people on the ground formed the shape of Concorde. Finally, on October 17, Aerospace Bristol opened its doors to the public!
Helping the Museum Grow (2023)
In 2023, South Gloucestershire Council provided some help to the Bristol Aerospace Collection Trust. They helped with a loan and gave a grant to bring more school visits back to the museum. This support came after the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What You Can See: Amazing Aircraft and More!
The museum has over 8,000 items in its collection! You can see many aircraft built in Bristol, some are original and some are modern copies. These include Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, a Bristol Scout, and a Bristol Fighter. There's also a Bristol Bolingbroke, which is a Canadian version of the Bristol Blenheim bomber, currently being restored. You can even find examples of Bristol motor vehicles and many small models. Plus, there are lots of Bristol aircraft engines, from old piston engines to powerful jet engines.
The exhibition is divided into seven exciting periods of aviation history. There's also a special hangar just for Concorde!
Era One: First Flights (1903–1910)
This section explores the very first days of flight. You'll find interactive displays and touch screens with old photos and information. A highlight here is a flying copy of a Bristol Boxkite. This replica was built for the movie Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.
Era Two: First World War & Beyond (c.1914–1920)
Learn about how World War I affected Filton and aircraft design. This area features a Fighter and a Scout bi-plane from that time.
Era Three: The Growth of Flight (1920s–1930s)
This period shows how aircraft design changed a lot. You can see a replica of a Bristol Babe aircraft.
Era Four: World War II (c.1935–1945)
Discover the big impact World War II had on Filton and aviation.
Era Five: Bigger, Faster, Further (1945–1960)
This section shows the growth of passenger planes. You can see parts of the huge Brabazon airliner, like its wheels. There's also a part of the Britannia fuselage. These show how important passenger aircraft became.
Era Six: Ocean Floor to Outer Space (1960–1981)
This era is all about Bristol's journey into the space age. You'll see a satellite, a missile, and a model of a supersonic aircraft. These items show the big changes during this time.
Era Seven: Working Across the World (1982-Today)
This exhibit features a section of an A320 wing. It gives visitors a look into how today's aviation industry works.
The Mighty Concorde Hangar
This is where you'll find Concorde Alpha Foxtrot. This amazing aircraft was designed in Bristol and Toulouse, and built right here in Bristol. It was the last Concorde ever made and the last one to fly. Next to the aircraft, you can see a powerful Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 jet engine.
See History Being Restored: The Workshop
Located in another historic First World War hangar, you can visit this workshop. Here, you can watch experts carefully restoring future exhibits.
See also
In Spanish: Aerospace Bristol para niños
- List of aerospace museums
