Fleet Air Arm Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Fleet Air Arm Museum

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Established	May 1964 (1964-05)
Location	RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, England
Type	Aviation museum

The Fleet Air Arm Museum is a cool place that tells the story of British naval aviation. This means it's all about planes and helicopters used by the Royal Navy at sea!

You can see a huge collection of aircraft, engines, and models of planes and Royal Navy ships here. They even have paintings and drawings about naval aviation. The museum is right next to the RNAS Yeovilton airfield. This is great because you can watch real military aircraft, especially helicopters, taking off and landing!

Right at the museum's entrance, you'll see giant anchors. These came from two famous aircraft carriers, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Eagle, which served the Royal Navy until the 1970s. The museum is about 7 miles (11 km) north of Yeovil and 40 miles (64 km) south of Bristol.

What Can You See at the Museum?

The museum has lots of amazing things to explore! As of summer 2023, there are two special exhibits you can check out.

Special Exhibitions: Past and Present

One special exhibit is called "Flight of the Red Dragon." It's all about King Charles's time when he was part of the Fleet Air Arm.

There's also a "Falklands Exhibition." This exhibit brings together five aircraft that were used during the 1982 Falklands War. It's a chance to see these important planes up close!

The museum's main displays are split into four big areas, called halls.

Hall 1: The Start of Naval Aviation

Hall 1 being updated in 2008

This hall shows how naval aviation grew from its very first days. You'll see early airships and planes made of wood and fabric, like biplanes. Then you'll move on to modern jet aircraft and helicopters.

One cool display is the front part of a Short 184 plane, number 8359. This plane was built nearby and even flew in the Battle of Jutland in 1916! It was later damaged during the Second World War when its museum was hit by a bomb. You can see it just as it was after the damage.

Here are some of the aircraft you can see in Hall 1 in 2023:

Hall 2: World War II and Beyond

This hall mainly focuses on the Second World War. There's a special room about Kamikaze pilots. These were Japanese pilots who purposely crashed their planes into enemy ships during the war. This exhibit includes a Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka II aircraft and models of Japanese planes. You can also read final letters from Kamikaze pilots.

You'll also see two aircraft from the Korean War here. Near the entrance to Hall 3, there's a collection of models showing how British aircraft carriers have changed over time.

Here are some of the aircraft on display in Hall 2:

Hall 3: Step Aboard an Aircraft Carrier

A pretend flight deck of HMS Ark Royal

This hall is super cool because it's not a normal museum room! It's set up to look just like the flight deck of the famous aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal from the 1970s.

You enter this hall through a special vibrating Wessex helicopter, which makes you feel like you're taking off! Once inside, you're on a pretend section of the carrier's flight deck. A big screen shows videos about life on an aircraft carrier. You can also explore rooms that look like the carrier's "island" (the control tower) and even take a pretend lift ride to the top!

Here are some of the aircraft you'll see on the mock carrier deck:

Hall 4: Modern Aircraft and Concorde

Hall 4, showing Concorde 002 and other aircraft

This hall features some very interesting and modern aircraft, including a famous supersonic jet!

Here are the aircraft on display in Hall 4:

Other Cool Things to See

Besides the main halls, the museum has several smaller, interesting displays:

• "Barracuda Live - The Big Rebuild": You can watch as they actively restore a Fairey Barracuda plane!
• Battle of Taranto: This display tells the story of a famous Fleet Air Arm attack in World War II. You can also see a Fairey Swordfish plane from here.
• "Merlin Experience": Learn how modern helicopters find and track submarines underwater.
• "Operation Skua": See how they recovered a Blackburn Skua plane from a crash site.
• "Pioneers to Professionals: Women of the Royal Navy": This exhibit celebrates the important roles women have played.
• "Saved! 100 years of Search and Rescue": Learn about search and rescue missions, featuring three helicopters and a fun play area for younger kids.
• "Welcome Gallery": The first area you see when you enter the museum.

Planes Not on Display (Reserve Collection)

The museum has even more aircraft that aren't currently in the main display areas. These planes are being restored in a special building called Cobham Hall, which keeps them safe. You can usually visit this area at least once a year.

Here are some of the aircraft in the reserve collection:

Aircraft Engines on Display

A Clerget 9B rotary engine

The museum also has many different types of aero engines (plane engines) throughout its halls. You can see how these powerful machines work!

• Alvis Leonides
• Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah
• Bristol Centaurus
• Bristol Mercury
• Bristol Siddeley BS.100
• Clerget 9B
• Bristol Siddeley Pegasus
• de Havilland Gipsy Major
• de Havilland Gipsy Queen
• Rolls-Royce Avon
• Rolls-Royce Nene
• Rolls-Royce Merlin
• Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593
• Sunbeam Gurkha
• Wright R-1820 Cyclone

Other Fun Things to Do

Aircraft Restoration Work

The museum also works on restoring old aircraft to make them look new again! In 2006, they finished restoring a Corsair KD 431, making it look just like it did in 1944. In 2023, they are working on a Fairey Barracuda and a Gloster Sea Gladiator. You can peek into their restoration workshop between Hall 3 and Hall 4 to see the work in progress!

Museum Archives

The Fleet Air Arm Museum also keeps a huge collection of old documents, photos, and other materials about naval aviation. This is like a giant library for history buffs!

Visitor Facilities

The children's playground at the museum

The museum has a shop where you can find lots of cool naval-themed items, including books and documentaries. There's also an outdoor adventure playground for kids in the museum grounds, perfect for burning off some energy! If you get hungry, there are two cafés where you can grab a snack or a meal.

Related Museums and Topics

Naval Aviation Museums Around the World

• Australia - Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia), in Nowra, New South Wales
• Canada - Shearwater Aviation Museum, in Sheerwater, Nova Scotia
• Germany - Aeronauticum, in Nordholz
• India - Naval Aviation Museum (India), in Goa, India
• USA - National Naval Aviation Museum, in Pensacola, Florida
• USA - Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, in Lexington Park, Maryland

British Military Aviation Museums

• Army Flying Museum
• Imperial War Museum:
  • Imperial War Museum Duxford and Imperial War Museum North
• REME Museum
• Royal Air Force Museum Cosford and Royal Air Force Museum London

Other Interesting Lists

• List of aviation museums
• List of museums in Somerset

Images for kids

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  Hall 1 undergoing refurbishment during 2008

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  Simulation of the flight deck of HMS Ark Royal

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  Hall 4 showing Concorde 002, Bristol Scout, BAC 221 and Hawker Hunter T8M

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  Clerget 9B rotary engine on display

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  Children's playground at the Fleet Air Arm Museum