Our Aircraft and Cockpit Displays
All our aircraft we are currently displaying:
English Electric Lightning F.6 XR770
English Electric Lightning F.6, XR770, first flew on 16th December 1965 and was delivered to 74 Squadron on 26th September 1966. During its RAF service life it also flew with 56, 29, 2 and 11 Squadrons before being struck off charge in 1988. XR770 arrived at Manston from Waddington in March 2015 and is in the colours of the CO of 5 Squadron, Wg. Cdr. D A Williams. (To know more about the aircraft click the links above)
SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3 XZ106
First flew on 23rd February, 1976 as was allocated to II(AC) Squadron in Laarbruch, Germany. In 1990 the aircraft was painted’ Desert Pink’ and took part in ‘Operation Granby’, the first Gulf War where it flew 35 missions. And the museum acquired the airframe and it was delivered on 21st November 2008. (To know more about the aircraft click the links above)
Westland Wessex HU.5 XS482
With its first flight on the 18th December 1963, this Royal Navy helicopter served with 700 and 848 Naval Air Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm. The museum acquired the airframe in 1999 and it was re-painted to represent a Wessex HC.2 of 22 Squadron, a unit that carried out Search and Rescue at Manston between June 1976 and August 1988. (To know more about the aircraft click the links above)
Canadair CT-133 Silver Star MK3 G-BYOY / 117415
First flew in 1954 and had many owners over the years, but was permanently grounded due to a compromised fuselage and expired certificate sometime in the 2000’s.
Taylorcraft Auster V RT486/G-AJGJ
It was built in batch in 1944, by 1947 it was sold to civilian ownership, grounded in 2018 and on the 9th of January it was acquired by US and out onto display.
De Havilland Chipmunk WP772
Our chipmunk came to our possession in March on 1999 and had an accident 10 years prior in 1989 or 1990.
Gloster Meteor WD646
Our Meteor is painted to look like NF.11 WD615 of the 85th squadron
It was build sometime around 1951 and by November 1997 it arrived at the museum.
Handley Page H.P.80 Victor K.2 XL190 (Cockpit)
She first was delivered to the RAF in 1962 and by 1974/75 she was converted into a tanker.
During the gulf war in 1991 she done 20 refuelling missions, and just 2 years later on the 18th October 1993 it had its last flight and by February 1999 it arrived at the museum and in 2001 it was moved to it’s current resting position.
Blackburn Buccaneer s.2B XB352 (Cockpit)
Delivered to the RAF on 30th April 1968, it then had an accident in 1976, flew 10 missions during the Gulf War sadly scrapped and cut up in 1994 and has been in private ownership ever since.
Hawker Hunter F.Mk.6A XG226 (Cockpit)
She first flew on the 28th September 1956 and flew for many years before last flying in 1980 and 23 years later we acquired it on 23rd January 2003.
English Electric Canberra WT205 (Cockpit)
On the 31st October 1955 she was build and ready for collection by the RAF.
By the 31st of August 1972 she was struck from service and in the same year on the 28th of September scrapped and by the 14th of October 2000.
PTS-11 ISKRA G-BXVZ
Jet Provost T4 XR658
Hawker Siddeley/Blackburn Buccaneer S.2b XV864
Panavia Tornado (Cockpit)
Hawker Siddeley Nimrod XV229 (Cockpit)
Newport 17b replica
Sopworth 1 1/2 replica
Slingsby T31 Cadet EX3 XA312
German Zeppelin
Pitts Model 12s Python SE-XZS ‘Thor’
V-1 Flying Bomb
Huntair Pathfinder 2