5 Random Pages

Recent Changes (All)

Related Pages


Don't Click


Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum

⚠ (:tracetrails:)

Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum, 2008
Dumfries & Galloway Aviation
Museum
© Colin Kinnear

Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum is a small aviation museum on Heathhall Industrial Estate, Dumfries, staffed and maintained by volunteers of the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Group.

Opened in the summer of 1977, the museum began in a hut, formerly the old World War II pilot's flight hut of RAF Dumfries, but by 1979 was able to move to more secure and spacious accommodation in the restored three storey watch (control) tower of the airfield.

The museum continues to expand both in aircraft, aero engines, artefacts, and area surrounding the control tower; there is also a small, but expanding collection of memorabilia honouring airborne forces; it has become a highly respected museum and well worth a visit. Unlike most other collections, the exhibits are generally not fenced or roped off, and being able to inspect aircraft and engines up close, and in some instances sit in the cockpit is much enjoyed by visitors. In 2003 the museum became a registered charity. A new display representing aviation in Scotland and a mock-up of a World War II living room was completed in 2007.

Fighting Fund Appeal

An appeal was launched by the museum in 2007, following a change of landowner, when the opportunity arose to purchase the land on which it is located:

The Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum enters 2007, its 30th year, in crisis. New landowners have raised the rent from £700 to £5000 per year. As a volunteer organisation this will sadly not be sustainable on a long term basis. However, the landowners have indicated that the Museum could buy the existing site for £130,000 with an option to buy an additional small piece of land for expansion, at a total cost of £400,000. The Museum has no option but to enter into a 3 year lease with the new landowners in order to give time to raise the capital through fund-raising and grants, to buy the site, which is a huge mountain to climb.

The directors feel it would be a total disaster if they are unable to raise sufficient cash to buy the site within the 3 years to ensure the safe keeping of the collections for generations to come.

Therefore, if you feel you would like to contribute to the fighting fund and help to give the highly respected Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum a future -

You can make a donation by sending it to:-

Jym Francey
(Treasurer)
2 Woodlands Cottages
Embassy Drive
Newbridge
DUMFRIES
DG2 0HZ

Exhibits

Dumfries & Galloway Aviation Museum, 2006
Dumfries & Galloway Aviation
Museum
© John Holmes

Some of the larger exhibits include:

  • G-AHAT Auster J1/N Alpha (frame)
  • WJ880 BAC Canberra T.4 (nose)
  • Q497 BAC Canberra T.4 (fuselage) [WE191]
  • XP557/72 BAC Jet Provost T.4
  • WA756 Bristol Sycamore 3
  • 318 Dassault Mystere IVA
  • XD547 DH.115 Vampire T.11
  • 'WD386' DHC Chipmunk T.10 (composite)
  • ZF584 English Electric Lightning F.53
  • 68-0060 General Dynamics F-111E (cockpit)
  • WL375 Gloster Meteor T.7(mod)
  • WT746 Hawker Hunter F.4
  • XT280 HS Buccaneer S.2B (nose)
  • G-ARPP HS Trident 1C (cockpit)
  • G-AWZJ HS Trident 3B-101 (fuselage)
  • FT-36 Lockheed T-33A
  • G-MMIX MBA Tiger Cub 440
  • 54-2163 North American F-100D Super Sabre
  • 35075 SAAB J35A Draken
  • XX483 Scottish Aviation Jetstream T.1 (cockpit)
  • P7540 Supermarine Spitfire IIa (full scale restoration on site)

Control Tower Listed

On October 11, 2006, Historic Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, listed the former control tower as a building of special architectural and historic interest. The museum's control tower is believed to be the last of its type built during World War II, similar to RAF Findo Gask]] in that it has three storeys, rather than the more usual two. This would appear to leave only the towers at RNAS Crail and Fearn Airfield with more, as these are four storey structures.

Opening times (2007) CHECK current details before travelling!

1st weekend in April (or Easter if this takes place earlier) until the end of October.
Saturday & Sunday 10.00am - 5.00pm
During July & August additional opening times are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 11.00am - 4.00pm
The Museum is closed for the winter season from 1st November, but admission is possible most Sundays, staff and weather permitting.
Other opening times, Bank holidays etc. please contact the Museum.
Groups, schools and coach parties are always welcome out with normal opening times. See Contacts to arrange.
Refreshments and snacks are available in the shop.
Manual and electric wheelchairs are available on-site.

Spitfire P7540 goes on display in 2017

Recover by divers n 1982, Spitfire P7540 goes on display on 16 July 2017, and is described as the only combat veteran Spitfire in Scotland, having been completed on 25 October 1940 at Castle Bromwich and issued to 66 Squadron West Malling in time for the closing days of the Battle of Britain.

It crashed in the loch in October 1941 while being flown by 26 year old Frantisek Hekl on only his second flight - his starboard wing struck the water. His body was never found, but he is remembered in a memorial at the side of the loch.⚠ [^Spitfire recovered from Loch Doon put on display - The Scotsman Retrieved 19 July 2017.^]

Admission Fees:

  • Adults £3.00
  • Children and Concessions £2.00
  • Family ticket (2 adults & 2 children) £8.00

References

⚠ [^#^]

External links

Related Canmore/RCAHMS and ScotlandsPlaces (SP) entries:-

 

  •  


Aerial views


Map

⚠ (:gma-point lat=55.0910851 lon=-3.5685346 text='Tower and Museum' :) ⚠ (:gma-map zoom=14 :)

⚠ [[!World War II]] ⚠ [[!Airfield]] ⚠ [[!Aviation Museum]] ⚠ (:WPCategoriesList:)

Comments

You may add a comment or offer further details which may be included in the page above.

Commenting has been disabled thanks to the attention of scum known as spam commenters


⚠ (:tracetrails:)