The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Dragonfly HR.5 WG751 (photo, Dan Lord)

Key Facts

A very large site that is fully open to the public, telling the story of the dockyard and naval warfare. The Gannet is owned by 849 Squadron Association, and was previously located at Culdrose. Large naval exhibits include HMS Cavalier, the only surviving British WW2 destroyer, and 1960s submarine HMS Ocelot.

Chatham Historic Dockyard, east of Rochester, north of the A321, in Kent. Well signposted.

Open daily 10.00 am to 6.00 pm (or dusk if earlier), February 10 to October 28; Weekends only 10.00 am to 4.00 pm in November. Closed December and January.

See official website for details.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Cafe, Souvenir shop, Access for the disabled.

Gannet AEW.3 XL500 (photo, Dan Lord)	Another view of the Gannet (photo, Dan Lord)

Gannet AEW.3 XL500 has been bought by Tim Manna of Kennet Aviation for restoration to airworthiness as G-KAEW.

Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, The Old Surgery, The Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4TZ. Tel: 01634 823800, Fax: 01634 823801.
Website: The Historic Dockyard or Historic Dockyard Chatham

‘Waveney class’ RNLI Lifeboat (photo, Dan Lord)	RNLI D-class in-shore life boat ‘Blue Peter III’ (photo, Dan Lord)
HMS Gannet, the last surviving RN sloop (photo, Dan Lord)	HMS Ocelot – open for tours (photo, Dan Lord)
WW2 destroyer HMS Cavalier (photo, Dan Lord)

Shoreham Aircraft Museum

Key Facts

Not to be confused with the West Sussex airfield of the same name, this small museum houses well presented displays of items from various aviation archeology ‘digs’ in the area. A large art gallery featuring a number of original aviation paintings is also here.

West of the A225 north of Sevenoaks. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open Sunday only 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, Easter Sunday to mid October. Parties of 20 or more are welcome at times when the museum is not open.

Admission:

£3 for adults, children free.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Cafe, Souvenir shop, Access for the disabled.

Museum displays (photo, Geoff Kennell)	Ju 88A crash exhibit (photo, Geoff Kennell)

Shoreham Aircraft Museum, 13 High Street, Shoreham Village, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 7TB. Tel: 01959 524416. Website: Shoreham Aircraft Museum, e-mail: mail@shoreham-aircraft-museum.co.uk

Royal Engineers Museum

Heavy Water Plant apparatus
(photo, Dan Lord)

Key Facts

The Royal Engineers Museum of Military Engineering is dedicated to showing the history of the Corps of Royal Engineers up until the present day. The Corps pioneered military aviation in the UK with balloons, man-lifting kites, airships and aeroplanes until the formation of the RFC in 1912. The exhibits include a Harrier GR.3 in Belize Flight colours.

On the B2004, to the north of Chatham, Kent. Signposted. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open Tuesday to Friday 9.00 am – 5.00 pm; Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holiday Mondays 11.30am – 5.00pm. Closed Christmas week amd every Monday except Bank Holiday Mondays.

See official website for details.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Cafe, Souvenir shop, Picnic area, Access for the disabled.

The ‘Heroes of Telemark’ mission (photo, Dan Lord)	UXB – Bomb Disposal Work (photo, Dan Lord)
Harier GR.3 XZ964 (photo, Dan Lord)	Bridging Equipment (photo, Dan Lord)

Royal Engineers Museum, Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME4 4UG. Tel: 01634 822839, Fax: 01634 822371. e-mail: mail@re-museum.org.uk, website: Royal Engineers Museum.

RAF Manston History Museum

Key Facts

The RAF Manston History Society, which runs the museum, portrays in various displays the civil and military history of Manton since it was first opened in 1916. Located next door is the Hurricane and Spitfire Memorial Museum.

In the old RAF Manston MT (Motor Transport) building, beside the A253, west of Ramsgate, Kent. Adjacent to the Hurricane and Spitfire Memorial Building. From London heading towards Ramsgate on the A253, turn left at the Minster roundabout onto the B2048 and then next right onto the B2190. Carry straight on and the Museum will become visible on the right hand side. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

March to October: Open Monday to Saturday 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. November to February: Open Saturday and Sunday 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Closed Christmas and New Year.

See official website for details.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Cafe, Souvenir shop, Access for the disabled.

Wessex HU.5 XS482. (photo, Derek Hatch)	Whirlwind HAR.10 XJ727. (photo, Derek Hatch)

* For use in rebuild of XJ727.

Notes: Beagle Pup 150 cockpit HB-NAV has moved to an ATC unit in Dover, Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 nose XN928 has moved to an unknown location.

RAF Manston History Museum, Manston Road, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 5DF. Tel: 01843 825224. Website: RAF Manston History Museum.

Medway Aircraft Preservation Society

Key Facts

MAPS specialises in restoring aircraft to ‘better than new’ condition for the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon. They recently finished work on Spitfire I K9942 and handed it over to Hendon. The workshops are open to visitors at certain times of the week. Due to the nature of MAPS work, the aircraft that can be seen here varies considerably over time.

Rochester Aerodrome, on the A299 south of Rochester, Kent. Airport rules must be observed, the threshold of Runway 34 needs negotiating to reach the workshops. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open Sunday, Monday and Wednesday 9.00 am to 1.00 pm. (Prior appointment is required to see Harvard G-CTKL).

No information.

Amenities:

No information.

Lewis Deal, Medway Aircraft Preservation Society, AFIS Unit, Rochester Airport, Maidstone Road, Chatham, Kent, ME5 9SD. Tel: 01634 204492.

Lashenden Air Warfare Museum

Key Facts

The modern-day Headcorn airfield has grown from the former wartime Lashenden Advanced Landing Ground. The museum presents wartime Lashenden and aviation in Kent, including parts from a large number of aircraft wrecks.

At Headcorn Aerodrome, nine miles south of Maidstone on the A274 in Kent. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open Sundays and Bank Holidays 10.30 am to 6.00 pm, Easter to October 31st; Sundays 10.30 am to 3.30 pm, November to Easter.

Free but donations to RAF charities welcomed.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Cafe, Souvenir shop, picnic area.

View of the museum building and F-100F (photo, Keith Mason)

* pod WZ450 has moved to a site in the local area for restoration with a set of wings and tail. It will be put back on display soon.
## moved to Germany for restoration – will return in 2009.

Notes: Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 XN380 has now moved to RAF Manston, Vampire T.11 WZ589 has moved to Rochester, Kent. North American F-100F Super Sabre 63938 has been scrapped after being hit by a taxying aircraft and seriously damaged. Dassault Mystere IVA 84 has been returned to the National Museum of the USAF.

Lashenden Air Warfare Museum, Headcorn Aerodrome, Ashford, Kent, TN27 9HX. Tel: 01622 890226, Tel/Fax: 01622 631799, e-mail: lashendenairwar@aol.com, website: Lashenden Air Warfare Museum.

F-100F 63938 (photo, Keith Mason)	Mystere IVA 84 (photo, Keith Mason)

Kent Battle of Britain Museum

Key Facts

Sited on what remains of the historic fighter airfield at Hawkinge, the museum seeks to keep the memory of the Battle of Britain alive. The museum opened in 1981, initially using the old control tower, but has now expanded to occupy five buildings. A large collection of full-scale replica aircraft are on display, several being constructed for the ‘Battle of Britain’ film. Components from up to 600 crashed aircraft are also on show.

Signposted off the A260, north of Folkestone, Kent. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, Easter Good Friday to September 30th; closed on Mondays, except for Bank Holidays. Last admission 3.00 pm. Closed 1 October to the following Easter.

See official website for details.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Cafe, Souvenir shop, Access for the disabled.

The Dowding Memorial Hangar (photo, Kent Battle of Britain Museum)	V-1 Display (photo, Kent Battle of Britain Museum)

FSM = Full Scale Model.

Kent Battle of Britain Museum Trust Ltd, Aerodrome Road, Hawkinge, nr Folkestone, Kent, CT18 7AG. Tel: 01303 893140. Official Website

The Armoury (photo, Kent Battle of Britain Museum)	The Stuart-Buttle Hangar (photo, Kent Battle of Britain Museum)
Outside display (photo, Kent Battle of Britain Museum)	The Operations Block (photo, Kent Battle of Britain Museum)

Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum

Key Facts

Two immaculately restored classic fighters in a superb purpose-built memorial building, (formerly known as the Hurricane and Spitfire Memorial Building). Around the aircraft are comprehensive displays telling the story of the air combat over Kent and during World War Two. The cafe gives good views of the activity at the airport. Located next door is the RAF Manston History Museum.

On the A253, west of Ramsgate, Kent. Adjacent to the RAF Manston History Museum. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open daily 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, April to September; daily 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, October to March. Closed December 25-27 and January 1.

Free but donations appreciated.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Cafe, Souvenir shop, Access for the disabled.

Spitfire XVI TB752 (photo, Dan Lord)	Spitfire cockpit (photo, Dan Lord)

RAF Manston Spitfire & Hurricane Trust, The Memorial Museum, The Airfield, Manston Road, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 5DF. Tel: 01843 821940. Website: http://www.spifirememorial.org.uk/ [Note typo in URL].

Right side of Hurricane ‘BN230′ (photo, Dan Lord)	Front view of the Hurricane (photo, Dan Lord)
Restored Rolls-Royce Merlin engine (photo, Dan Lord)	An original Merlin engine (photo, Dan Lord)
The Hurricane is cannon-armed (photo, Dan Lord)	Weapons display under the Hurricane wing (photo, Dan Lord)

Brenzett Aeronautical Museum

Key Facts

Housed in buildings used by the Women’s Land Army (WLA) during the Second World War, the museum features a large collection of WW2 equipment and memorabilia. The buildings overlook the Brenzett (or Ivychurch) Advanced Landing Ground, which was used to support the D-Day landings. The museum contains displays on Brenzett, aviation in Kent and life in the WLA.

On the A2070, north-west of New Romney and 10 miles south of Ashford, Kent. The museum is on an unclassified road to Ivychurch. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 11.00 am to 5.30 pm, Easter to the end of October; and Fridays 11.00 am to 5.30 pm, during school summer holidays.

See official site for details.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Souvenir shop.

Canberra B.2 WH657. (photo, Jeremy Day)	Vampire T.11 XK625. (photo, Jeremy Day)

List of Aircraft Exhibits

BAMT, Ivychurch Road, Romney Marsh, Kent, TN29 0EE. Tel: 01797 344747 or 01797 320077. website: Brenzett Aeronautical Museum
Museum secretary: A. J. Moor, 190 Hythe Road, Ashford, Kent. Tel: 01233 627911

? Autogyro (photo, Jeremy Day)

National Battle of Britain Memorial

Key Facts

Not strictly a museum, more an evocative memorial to the Allied aircrews of the Battle of Britain. Officially opened in July 1993, the memorial is in the shape of a giant three-bladed propeller carved into the ground, with the statue of a lone airman sitting on the propeller-boss looking out to sea. Carved on the boss are the Squadron badges of the RAF units which took part in the battle. The surrounding grassy area features a series of raised banks which give the impression of pilot’s leather flying helmet and earphones. A visitors centre sells a range of souvenirs and refreshments. Close-by are two circular concrete areas. On one sits the Full Scale Model (FSM) of a Hawker Hurricane in the markings of 56 Sqn. On the other is a Supermarine Spitfire FSM in the markings of 72 Sqn. These ‘models’ are of very high quality and considerably enhance the experience of visiting the site.

At Capel-le-Ferne, between Folkestone and Dover. Access is from the A20 from Dover, or the M20 from Folkestone, then via the A2011. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

The car park and visitors centre are open daily 11.00 am to 5.00 pm (last admission 4.30 pm), 1 April to 11 November. The site may be accessed on foot outside of these times.

Free, donations appreciated.

Amenities:

Toilets, Parking, Visitors Centre, access for the disabled.

Memorial wall, flagpole and cafeteria (photo, Mitch Peeke)	Hurricane ‘Little Willie’ of 56 Sqn (photo, Mitch Peeke)

FSM = Full Scale Model.

National Battle of Britain Memorial, New Dover Road, Capel-le-Ferne, Folkestone, Kent. Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne

Pilot memorial viewed from the entrance (photo, Mitch Peeke)	Pilot looking out to the sea (photo, Mitch Peeke)
RAF Sqn badges cover the memorial base (photo, Mitch Peeke)	Pilot memorial from the west side (photo, Mitch Peeke)