The Solway Aviation Museum is situated next to Carlisle Airport, formerly the World War II RAF Crosby, which was used to train Coastal Command and then Transport Command pilots. I have passed it several times, but always when it was closed, typically on my way home. It is another fine local museum, run by volunteers, that we should support.
The museum has over 20 aircraft and several rooms full of exhibits. Pride of place is an Avro Vulcan B.2 (XJ823), in excellent condition. The best I have seen other than at the Avro Museum at Woodford, where they were built. It is a huge aircraft, but the cockpit is tiny. Many thanks to the volunteer who gave the talk inside. This Vulcan ended its career in maritime reconnaissance, having previously been stationed in Cyprus, just a few years after the Turkish intervention in 1974.
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| Meteor NF14 night fighter |
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| Jaguar T4 |
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| Lightning F53 that served in the Saudi Air Force |
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| Phantom FGR2, looking terrific in 111 Squadron colours |
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| Hawker Hunter F. 51 that served in the Danish Air Force |
And not just fighters. There is a Canberra bomber and a Fairey Gannet.
Also, a Percival Sea Prince, which I don't recall having seen before. It was used as a flying classroom for the Royal Navy.
They don't have a hangar, but have squeezed some smaller aircraft into one of the old RAF buildings, including the first aircraft I ever flew in, the Chipmunk.
The indoor exhibit rooms feature equipment, uniforms, and numerous aircraft models.
Full credit to the volunteers who have kept the aircraft in excellent condition. Not an easy task in our weather. The current project is renovating a Blackburn Beverley. Well worth a visit if you are coming to the Lake District.
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