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Handley Page Hastings T5 TG517 at the Newark Air Museum.

Coordinates: 53°05′46″N 0°45′27″W / 53.09600°N 0.75741°W / 53.09600; -0.75741

Newark Air Museum is an air museum located on a former Royal Air Force station at Winthorpe, near Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire, England. The museum contains a variety of aircraft. Its address is 45 Lincoln Road (the former A46).

History

The airfield was known as RAF Winthorpe during the Second World War, opening in September 1940. From 1942-4, it housed No. 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit, training Lancaster crews, in No.5 Group with around thirty planes. In 1944 it joined No.7 Group. In 1945 it transferred to Transport Command. In 1964, 200 acres of the former airfield were purchased by the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society, who have since held the Newark and Nottinghamshire County Show. A limited company called Newark (Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire) Air Museum was formed in 1968. The museum officially opened on April 14 1973.

Aircraft display

The museum has over 60 aircraft on display, including:

• Avro Shackleton
• Avro Vulcan
• Avro Dove
• Avro Heron
• de Havilland Sea Vixen
• de Havilland Tiger Moth
• English Electric Canberra
• Gloster Meteor
• Handley Page Hastings
• Saab Draken
• Saab Viggen
• Supermarine Swift

The Air Museum has, for the past few years, hosted the annual Cockpitfest. This popular event calls on enthusiasts and 'cockpitters' alike to bring their memorabilia for others to see and, in the case of cockpits, get inside. The Cockpitfest celebrated its 10th anniversary in June 2009.

See also

• RAF Wigsley - nearby former air base.

External links

• Newark Air Museum website
• Nottinghamshire and the jump jet
• Museum gallery at BBC Nottingham
• History of RAF Winthorpe
• Neighbouring showground