Gatwick Aviation Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gatwick Aviation Museum

View plus logo of Hangar at Gatwick Aviation Museum
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Established	1987 (1987), re-opened in 2016 (2016)
Location	Vallance By-Ways, Lowfield Heath Road, Charlwood, Surrey, RH6 0BT
Founder	Peter Vallance

The Gatwick Aviation Museum is a super cool place to learn about planes! It's located in a village called Charlwood in Surrey, United Kingdom. You can find it right next to Gatwick Airport.

Discovering the Museum's Story

This museum started in 1987. A local businessman named Peter Vallance began it as his own private collection. He loved planes! In 1999, it became a charity. This meant its main goal was to teach people about local aviation history. It also wanted to be a learning center for everyone, especially students and schoolchildren.

The museum works closely with Central Sussex College. Students taking aerospace courses use the museum's facilities. They get hands-on training there. Peter Vallance passed away in 2013. Since then, a special trust he set up has been running the museum.

The museum has a huge collection of aircraft. It also has many aircraft engines. You can see over 500 aircraft models too! There are also displays and items about the history of flying in the area. This includes lots of information about Gatwick Airport. Some of the planes you can see are the Avro Shackleton MR3 and the Blackburn Buccaneer S1.

A brand new museum building opened in 2016. Many aircraft that used to be outside are now kept safely indoors. Inside the building, you'll find a shop. There's also a place to get refreshments. You can even try a flight simulator! The museum is open to visitors every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Amazing Aircraft You Can See

The museum has many different types of aircraft. Some are outside, and some are inside the main building.

Planes Outside the Hangar

The Buccaneer S.1 outside the Gatwick Aviation Museum

The Sea Vixen, Hunter T.7, Harrier GR3 and Lightning F.53.

Accessible Canberra Nose Section

Planes Inside the Building

Cool Cockpits and Nose Sections

You can even get up close to some parts of planes!

Powerful Engines on Display

Planes need powerful engines to fly! The museum has a great collection of different aircraft engines.

The General Electric CF6 turbo-fan gas turbine outside the museum.

Some of the engines on display.

See also

• List of aerospace museums