South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum facts for kids

The South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum (SYAM) is a cool place to visit in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It's run by amazing volunteers who love planes! The museum is built on the old site of RAF Doncaster, which was a Royal Air Force base.

You can explore the last original buildings from the old RAF base here. These include a special type of aircraft hangar called a Bellman hangar. There are also two old wooden huts, known as 'Billet Huts', and other smaller buildings. The museum even added a newer hut to show off its World War Two collection.

The museum is also home to the Yorkshire Helicopter Preservation Group (YHPG). This group moved their helicopters here in July 2002. They show their helicopters alongside other museum planes. They even have a workshop where they keep working to fix up their aircraft!

Awesome Aircraft to See

The South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum has tons of different aircraft on display. You can see planes from the very first days of flying up to super-fast modern military jets. There's also a big collection of planes used by regular people and gliders.

The museum has a special display about the Falklands War. This display honors the brave men and women who fought in that conflict. Some of the aircraft on show were actually flown in the war, or are the same type of plane used then. Many planes at the museum also have a connection to the local area. They might have flown from nearby airfields like RAF Finningley or Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Many of these amazing planes have been carefully fixed up by volunteers. Some cool examples include parts of an Avro Vulcan bomber, a Bristol Sycamore helicopter, and a Gloster Meteor jet.

Planes with Local Connections

These aircraft are important because they flew from airfields right here in the Doncaster area.

• BAE Systems Hawk T.1 XX238: This plane flew from RAF Finningley between 1993 and 1996.
• Blériot XI Replica: This copy was built in 2009. It celebrated 100 years since the first air show in England, held in Doncaster in 1909!
• 2003 Cayley Flyer Replica: This replica was built by BAE Systems. Sir Richard Branson even flew it to celebrate an early flight by Sir George Cayley.
• De Havilland Dove G-ARUM/G-DDCD: This plane was used by the National Coal Board. It often flew into Doncaster Airfield.
• Handley Page Jetstream XX495: This aircraft flew from RAF Finningley. It was given to the museum in 2018.
• Hawker Siddeley HS.125 Dominie T.1 XS735: This plane also flew from RAF Finningley.
• Piper PA-23 Apache G-APMY: This plane belonged to United Steel Transport. It often flew to the Scunthorpe Steelworks.
• Vickers Varsity WJ903 (cockpit section): This part of a plane flew from RAF Finningley.
• Taylorcraft Auster AOP.1 LB314: This plane flew from RAF Firbeck during World War Two. Volunteers brought it from Denmark in 2018!
• Grumman American AA-1B G-BCLW: This plane flew from RAF Finningley. It was first based at Doncaster Airfield, where the museum is now.

Falklands War Aircraft Collection

These aircraft have special links to the Falklands War. You can see them on display at the museum.

• Westland Wessex HU.5 XS481: This helicopter went to the Falkland Islands after the war ended. It helped out in the area right after the fighting stopped.
• Westland Gazelle AH.1 XX411: This helicopter was shot down on the first day of British landings. It was later brought back to the UK.
• Aermacchi MB-339 4-A-116: This was one of three Argentinian planes captured by British forces. It's the only one that came back to the UK.
• Bell Huey UH-1H Iroquois AE-406: This helicopter was flown by the Argentinian Army. British forces captured it during the war.
• Westland Scout AH.1 XV139: This helicopter flew during the Falklands War. A missile missed it by only a short distance!
• Westland Sea King HAS.6 XV677: This helicopter arrived in the Falkland Islands in June 1982. It was the first Sea King helicopter to be preserved in a UK museum.
• FMA IA-58 Pucara A-533: This plane was captured by British forces at the end of the war. Its cockpit section is now preserved for display at the museum. It arrived in September 2024.

See also

• List of aerospace museums

External links

• Official website: http://www.southyorkshireaircraftmuseum.org.uk/
• Charity Commission. South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum, registered charity no. 1149429. https://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/SearchResultHandler.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1149429.