Gatwick Aviation Museum

51°9′10.32″N 0°13′3.74″W / 51.1528667°N 0.2177056°W / 51.1528667; -0.2177056FounderPeter VallanceWebsitewww.gamc.org.uk

The Gatwick Aviation Museum is located in the village of Charlwood, in Surrey, United Kingdom on the boundary of Gatwick Airport.

History

Originally started in 1987 as a private collection by local businessman Peter Vallance, the museum became a registered charity in 1999^[1] with the objective of providing awareness of local aviation history and as an educational centre for the general public, particularly for local students and schoolchildren. A close relationship exists between the museum and the Central Sussex College which uses the museum's facilities to provide practical training for the students taking aerospace courses.^[2] On 14 January 2013, Vallance died during heart surgery and, since then, the museum has been run by a charitable trust set up by Vallance to cover this eventuality.^[3]

The museum has a varied collection of aircraft, aircraft engines and over 500 aircraft models. The museum also has displays and artefacts related to local aviation history particularly Gatwick Airport. Aircraft on display include the Avro Shackleton MR3, Blackburn Buccaneer S1, English Electric Lightning F.53 and Percival Sea Prince.^[4]

In 2016, the new museum building first opened to the public.^[5][6] It houses many aircraft formerly kept outdoors although others in the collection, including some noteworthy examples, were disposed of by the trust in 2013.^[7] A shop, refreshment area, flight simulator and information on the history of Gatwick Airport can also be found in the building. The museum is open to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.^[8][9]

Vallance By-Ways airstrip

Vallance By‐Ways was a grass air strip in the grounds of the Gatwick Aviation Museum. The 465 m-long strip was c. 600 m north of and roughly parallel to the main runway at Gatwick Airport.^[10]

Aircraft on Display

Outside

Engines on Display

See also

• List of aerospace museums

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

England

north	Avro Heritage Museum Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre Science and Industry Museum (Manchester) North East Land, Sea and Air Museums Real Aeroplane Company Solway Aviation Museum South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum Yorkshire Air Museum
east	City of Norwich Aviation Museum de Havilland Aircraft Museum Imperial War Museum Duxford list Kent Battle of Britain Museum Lashenden Air Warfare Museum Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum Royal Air Force Museum London list Science Museum, London Shuttleworth Collection Shoreham Aircraft Museum The 453rd Bombardment Group Museum
south	Army Flying Museum Boscombe Down Aviation Collection Bournemouth Aviation Museum Brooklands Museum Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Gatwick Aviation Museum Gliding Heritage Centre Jet Age Museum Museum of Berkshire Aviation RAF Manston History Museum Solent Sky Tangmere Military Aviation Museum The Helicopter Museum Wings Museum
west	Aerospace Bristol Flambards Theme Park Fleet Air Arm Museum Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Bristol
central	East Midlands Aeropark Midland Air Museum Newark Air Museum Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Derby and Hucknall Royal Air Force Museum Midlands list Sywell Aviation Museum Wellesbourne Wartime Museum

ScotlandNorthern IrelandIsle of ManWales