Weston Aviation Heritage Hangar and Aviation Exhibition

Included in your Museum admission price is entry to the Weston Aviation Hanger and Weston Aviation Exhibition where visitors can find the story of Weston-super-Mare’s famous aviation past.

Weston Aviation Heritage Hangar

The recently opened Weston Aviation Heritage Hangar celebrates the heritage of over 90 years of aviation here on the site. Here you can see and learn about

  • Bristol Sycamore and Belvedere helicopters that were built here at the Oldmixon factory next to the airfield.
  • G-LYNX which holds the helicopter World Speed Record of 400 km per hour achieved 40 years ago in 1986 on a course over the Somerset Levels just South of Weston. It still holds the record today.
  • A Sedbergh two-seat glider of the type used by Weston's gliding clubs that flew for many years from the airfield. Many young air cadets had their first experience of flying soaring over Weston.
  • A scale model of Weston Airport in the 1930s.

One corner has a seaside theme with Edwardian beach scenes and a Punch and Judy display with a video of Weston's aviation heritage. There are interactive screens about the history of the helicopters, a Helicopter Quiz and a childrens area with toys and play mats.

Weston Aviation Exhibition

The Weston Aviation Exhibition is located opposite the hangar in the restored former pilots block in which there are displays telling the history of the site and flying activities at Weston-Super-Mare.

The site is watched over by our own Bloodhound Mk.2 Missile. Its rocket engines were manufactured by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in their nearby Banwell factory. The missile would clear its launcher at 400mph and reach Mach 2.5 - around 1800mph - 3 seconds after launch.

Learn about

  • The fascinating history of aviation around Weston-super-Mare and watch a video presentation.
  • The pioneer flyers who flew their biplanes and gave displays from the 'Sands' aerodrome on Weston seafront.
  • Weston Airport which was one of the busiest in the country in the 1930's. You could have tea on the terrace and stroll out to the planes for flights across the water to Cardiff, Birmingham, Bournemouth and even on to Paris.
  • The factories by the airfield at Oldmixon and Banwell which made Beaufighter aircraft during WW2
  • The secret Torpedo Development unit based at the airfield which tested torpedoes in the Bristol Channel.
  • The history of RAF Locking which was one of the largest training camps in the country.
  • Bristol Helicopters and Westlands who designed, manufactured and repaired helicopters here at Weston.

View the inside of the former control tower via an interactive camera.

Listen to live Air traffic Information from Bristol airport, practice your Morse code, and see live aircraft data on a radar display.

Kids young and old can dress up, and try the PC based WW2 air combat simulator.