Handley Page HP 67 Hastings T5 UK air force WT517. M. van Leeuwen
Introduction
The Newark Air Museum preserves a diverse and expanding collection of historic aircraft, aviation artifacts, and cockpit sections. Situated on a former Second World War Royal Air Force airfield in Nottinghamshire, the independent museum provides comprehensive indoor and outdoor displays celebrating British and international aerospace heritage.
General Information about the Museum
Full Name of the Museum: Newark Air Museum Ltd.
Address Information: The Airfield, Winthorpe, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2NY, United Kingdom
The Newark Air Museum officially opened to the public on 14 April 1973, built upon the grounds of the former RAF Winthorpe station which opened in September 1940 and served as a heavy conversion unit base for Avro Lancaster bomber crews during the Second World War. Over subsequent decades, the collection grew significantly through private preservation efforts, donations, and formal loans. In 1990, the museum opened its first major indoor exhibition hall, followed by the acquisition of the adjacent Southfield Site and the construction of a second display hall in 2004. Operating as a registered charitable trust, the organization continues to expand its preservation capabilities across the historic airfield.
Indoor and Outdoor Collections
Current: The active site features two large undercover exhibition hangars, extensive outdoor concrete display pans, and specialized display buildings housing complete aircraft airframes, aero-engines, and cockpit sections.
Former: Initial preservation efforts relied on limited outdoor aircraft placements across the airfield before the establishment of permanent hangars and the expansion onto the Southfield grounds.
Specifications
Important Aircraft in the Collection:Avro Vulcan B.2 (XM594), English Electric Lightning T.5 (XS422), Gloster Meteor NF.14, De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2, Blackburn Buccaneer S.1, Hunting Jet Provost T.3, Saab J 35F Draken, Dassault Mystère IV A, Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1, and Westland Whirlwind HAR.10.
Museum Dimensions and Layout: The museum occupies an extensive footprint covering approximately 14 hectares across the former RAF Winthorpe operational grounds, incorporating multi-acre outdoor display areas and large clear-span exhibition buildings.
Collection Quality: Rated as one of the most comprehensive independent aviation collections in the United Kingdom, featuring numerous rare and unique historical airframes recognized as National Benchmark artifacts.
Staffing: Operated and managed primarily by a dedicated team of volunteers, preservation specialists, and trustees, supported by administrative staff.
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