The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England, is one of the largest collections of helicopters in the world. It is dedicated to preserving the history of rotary-wing aviation and offers visitors a chance to explore a diverse collection of helicopters, both military and civilian, along with a range of aviation-related artifacts.
The Helicopter Museum
Locking Moor Road
Weston-super-Mare
Somerset BS24 8PP
https://www.helimuseum.com/index.html
+44 1934 635227
April – October
- Wednesday – Sunday 10:00 – 17:30
November – March
- Wednesday – Sunday 10:00 – 16:30
Closed Christmas, Boxing and New Years day
Admission fee
Gift shop
Located 3 miles from Weston-super-Mare sea front and well sign posted from all roads into and out of the town.
Aircraft collection
| G-TIGE
MM81205/GdiF-128 XT190 MM80927/CC-49 G-BVWL G-BWCW OO-SHW G-WLLY G-NORM G-REVS 66-16579 – – G-BIGP – D-HMQV G-ATFG G-OAPR G-ALSX XL829 XG452 XG454 XG462 G-BAPS G-AXRA G-ACWM/AP506 G-AWRP G-AXFM G-AZAU – G-EHIL/ZH647/PP3 G-OIOI/ZJ116 F-WQAP XE521 XJ928/G-AOUJ 05-1482 – XV798 G-ASTP 67-16506 – G-WBAT D-HOAY G-PASA G-PASB 81+00 G-ORVB/BPS-3 2007 SP-SAY 9147 618 96+26 BAPC60 RCN 622 G-OTED XL811 G-ARVN 145872 S-881 S-882 S-886 A-41 F-OCMF 1058/CDL G-AVKE FR41 BAPC128 VZ962 WG719 ZE477 G-LYNX XP165 XV123 XT148 XT190 XS463 XT443/422 XM330 XM328/PO-653 XV733 XW839 ZS782 G-BGHF N114WG G-ELEC G-HAUL BAPC153 G-AOZE G-AODA XD163 XK940 XR486 – 05 | Aerospatiale AS332L Super Puma
Agusta A109A-IIGdF Agusta-Bell 47G-3B1 Sioux AH Mk.1 Agusta-Bell AB206C-1 Jetranger Air and Space 18A autogyro Barnett J4B Bell 47H-1 Bell 206B-2 Bell 206B-3 Bell 206B-3 Bell UH-1H Iroquois Benson B.6 Gyroglider Bensen B-8M Gyro-Boat Bensen B-8M gyrocopter Bensen B-8M Gyro-Copter Bolkow Bo.102 Helitrainer Brantly B.2A Brantly B.2B Bristol 171 Sycamore Mk.3 Bristol 171 Sycamore HC Mk.14 Bristol Belverdere HC.1 Bristol Belverdere HC.1 Bristol Belverdere HC.1 (nose) Campbell Cougar Campbell Cricket Cierva C-30A Cierva Rotorcraft Grasshopper III Cierva Rotorcraft Grasshopper III Cierva Rotorcraft Grasshopper III Cranfield Vertigo EH Industries EH101 EH Industries EH101 Merlin Eurocopter SA365N Dauphin Fairey Rotodyne Y sections Fairey Ultra-Light Helicopter Gyrodyne QH-50D Dash Hafner R II Hawker Siddeley Harrier Gr.1 Hiller UH-12C Hughes YOH-6A Cayuse Husband Modac 500 Hornet Julian Cd Wombat Kamov Ka-26 “Hoodlum” MBB Bo.105D MBB Bo.105D MBB Bo.105M McCulloch J-2 Gyroplane Mil Mi-1 “Hare” Mil Mi-2 Mil Mi-4 “Hound” Mil Mi-8P Mil Mi-24D “Hind” Murray M-1 Piasecki HUP-3 Retriever Robinson R22HP Saunders Roe Skeeter AOP Mk.12 Servotec Grasshopper II Sikorsky CH-37C Mojave Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw Sud Aviation SA 318C Alouette 2 Sud Aviation SA321F Super Frelon Sud Ouest SO1221 Djinn Thruxton Gadfly HDW-1 Vertol/Piasecki H-21C Shawnee Watkinson CG-4 Westland Dragonfly HR Mk.1 Westland Dragonfly HR Mk.5 Westland Lynx 3 Westland Lynx 800 Westland Scout AH Mk.1 Westland Scout AH Mk.1 Westland Sioux AH.1 Westland Sioux AH.1 Westland Wasp HAS Mk.1 Westland Wasp HAS Mk.1 Westland Wessex HAS Mk.1 Westland Wessex HAS Mk.3 Westland Wessex HCC Mk.4 Westland WG-13 Lynx Westland WG25 RPH Sharpeye Westland WG30 Series 100 Westland WG30 Series 100 Westland WG30 Series 200 Westland WG30 Series 300 Westland WG33 Westland Widegon 2 Westland Whirlwind 3 Westland Whirlwind HAR Mk.10 Westland Whirlwind HAS Mk.7 Westland Whirlwind HCC Mk.12 Westland Wisp WSK-Swidnik SM-2 |
Entree of the Helicopter Museum Weston-super-Mare
Aerospatiale AS332L Super Puma G-TIGE Bristow Helicopters
Agusta A109A-IIGdF MM81205 GdiF-128 Guardia di Finanza
Agusta-Bell 47G-3B1 Sioux AH Mk.1 XT190 Army Aviation
Agusta-Bell AB206C-1 Jetranger MM80927 CC-49 Carabinieri (Italian Police)
Bell 47H-1 G-OO-SHW
Bell UH-1H Iroquois 66-16579 US Army
Bensen B-8M Gyro-Boat
Bensen B-8M gyrocopter, G-BIGP and Air and Space 18A autogyro G-BVWL
Bolkow Bo.102 Helitrainer D-HMQV
Brantly B.2A G-ATFG
Bristol 171 Sycamore HC Mk.14 XL829 RAF
Bristol 171 Sycamore Mk.3 G-ALSX
Bristol Belverdere HC.1 (nose) XG462 RAF
Campbell Cougar G-BAPS
Campbell Cricket G-AXRA
Cierva C-30A Flying model
Cierva C-30A (G-ACWM) AP506 RAF
Cierva Rotorcraft Grasshopper III G-AWRP
EH Industries EH101 (G-EHIL) ZH647 PP3
Eurocopter SA365N Dauphin F-WQAP
Fairey Rotordyne model
Gyrodyne QH-50D Dash 05-1482 US Navy
Hiller UH-12C G-ASTP
Hughes YOH-6A Cayuse 67-16506 Maryland National Guard
Julian Cd Wombat G-WBAT
Kamov Ka-26 Hoodlum DDR-SPY Interflug
MBB Bölkow Bo.105M 81+00 Heeresflieger (German Army)
McCulloch J-2 Gyroplane G-ORVB
Mil Mi-1 Hare 2007 Soviet Air Force
Mil Mi-2 SP-SAY
Mil Mi-4 Hound 9147 Czech Air Force
Mil Mi-24D Hind 96+26 German Air Force
Piasecki HUP-3 Retriever RCN 622 Royal Canadian Navy
Robinson R22HP G-OTED
Saunders Roe Skeeter AOP Mk.12 XL811 RAF
Sud Aviation SA 318C Alouette 2 A-41 Belgium Army
Sud Aviation SA321F Super Frelon F-OCFM Olympic Airways
Sud Ouest SO1221 Djinn 1058 CDL French Army
Westland Dragonfly HR Mk.5 WG719 Royal Navy
Westland Lynx 3 ZE477
Westland Lynx 800 G-LYNX
Westland Scout AH Mk.1 XP165 ETPS RAF
Westland Wasp HAS Mk.1 XT443 422 Royal Navy HMS Aurora
Westland Wessex HAS Mk.1 XM330 Royal Aircraft Establishment RAF
Westland Wessex HAS Mk.3 Barnett J4B G-BWCW
Westland Wessex Mk.60 G-ATBZ and Fairey Ultra-Light Helicopter G-OAUJ
Westland WG-13 Lynx HAS.2 XX910 FAA Royal Navy
Westland WG25 RPH Sharpeye ZS782 RAF
Westland WG30 Series 100 G-BGHF
Westland WG30 Series 100 G-BKGD British International Helicopters
Westland WG30 Series 200 G-ELEC
Westland WG30 Series 300 G-HAUL
Westland WG30-100 N5840T Airspur
Westland WG-33 BAPC153
Westland Whirlwind 3 G-AODA Bristow
Westland Whirlwind HAR Mk.10 XD163 RAF
Westland Whirlwind HAS Mk.7 XK940/911/T Royal Navy
Westland Whirlwind HCC Mk.4 XV733 Queens Flight RAF
Westland Widegon 2 G-AOZE
Westland Wideye prototype
Westland Wisp prototype
WSK-Swidnik SM-2 05 Polish Air Force
European Helicopter Industries Merlin EH101 ZJ116 (G-OIOI) RAF, seen here in RAF Museum London and now in Weston-super-Mare.
Overview:
- Location: Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England.
- Established: 1989, originally as a place to preserve and display the history of helicopters.
- Focus: Showcasing the development and use of helicopters throughout history, with an emphasis on their role in military, rescue, and civilian operations.
Exhibits and Highlights The Helicopter Museum:
1. Helicopter Collection:
- The museum boasts over 80 helicopters and related exhibits, making it one of the largest collections of its kind in the world. Notable aircraft include:
- Westland Wessex: A British utility helicopter used by the Royal Navy and other services.
- Westland Lynx: A modern British military helicopter with a distinguished service history.
- Bell 47: The famous helicopter featured in the popular TV show MASH*.
- Sikorsky CH-53: A large military transport helicopter.
- Harrier GR5: Although primarily a jet, the museum also features a number of VTOL aircraft, which are related to helicopter technology.
2. Military Helicopters:
- The museum has an extensive collection of military helicopters from different countries and periods, including:
- Sea King : Large military transport helicopter used by the UK and the US military.
- Lynx AH1 : British military helicopters with advanced weaponry systems.
3. Civilian Helicopters:
- A selection of civilian helicopters, including models used for air ambulance services, offshore oil rigs, and other civilian purposes.
- Some helicopters are used for private transport, showcasing the growing role of helicopters in everyday life.
4. History and Development of Rotary-Wing Aviation:
- The museum offers a deep dive into the evolution of rotary-wing aviation, from early experimental models to modern-day helicopters.
- Interactive Displays provide information on the engineering, design, and technology behind helicopter development.
Significance:
The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare is a unique and comprehensive destination for those interested in aviation history, technology, and the fascinating world of helicopters. It offers a hands-on experience with some of the most iconic helicopters, along with in-depth historical context and modern-day relevance.
Photos Rob Vogelaar