50th Anniversary Gala & Aeroboot / Aerojumble

This two-day event is being hosted at the museum, to mark fifty years since the museum was officially opened to the public, on 14th April 1973. The original opening ceremony was led by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane KBE, the former Officer Commanding 5 Group Bomber Command at the time of the famous Dambusters Raid; he was introduced to the gathered enthusiasts by the museum’s then President, Air Cdr David Bonham-Carter.

Since those humble beginnings, with just eight aircraft on display the museum has developed into one of the UK’s largest volunteer managed aviation collections, which now displays around one hundred aircraft and cockpit sections from across the history of aviation. Several of the current exhibits are unique to UK aviation museums and they always attract particular interest and attention.

Various displays will illustrate how the museum has developed across those fifty years, and members of the museum’s open cockpit team will be on hand to give visitors the opportunity to look inside our aircraft; (a small additional charge will be made for aircraft access).

An outdoor Aeroboot/Aerojumble event will run alongside the Anniversary Gala, with sellers from across the UK expected to attend.

{Normal admission rates apply}