Aerospace Bristol

Aerospace Bristol
Location within Bristol
Location Filton, England
Coordinates 51°31′23″N 2°34′44″W / 51.523°N 2.579°W / 51.523; -2.579
Type Museum
Website Aerospace Bristol

Aerospace Bristol is an aerospace museum at Filton, to the north of Bristol, England. The project is run by the Bristol Aero Collection Trust and houses a varied collection of exhibits as well as Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, the final Concorde to be built and the last to fly.[1]

The nine-acre site on Filton Airfield, Bristol includes two First World War Grade II listed hangars,[2][3] providing over 5,000 m² of public exhibition space, 1,700m² of indoor learning spaces and workshops, plus over 5,000m² of outdoor learning and testing space. The exhibition covers over 100 years of aviation history through two world wars, exploring the role of aircraft in these conflicts, through the drama and technological advances of the space race and on to the modern day.

A new building between the two hangars houses Concorde Alpha Foxtrot and related exhibits. Its floor space is around 3,200m², and there are conference facilities including a lecture room, three meeting rooms and a studio space.[4]

Education and learning

The museum will have a fully equipped learning centre with specialist facilities for school and youth groups to deliver an inspiring and practical learning programme for schools and develop STEM skills and discover the possibilities of a career in engineering.[5]

Exhibition

The collection contains over 8,000 artefacts. There are several Bristol-built aircraft including Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, a Bristol Scout, a Bristol Fighter and a Blenheim IV (World War II Bristol Bolingbroke bomber, under restoration), as well as many scaled models. The exhibitions will be themed around the seven different eras of aviation with a separate hangar that celebrates the story of Concorde and its local connection.[6]

Era One: Pioneers 1903-1910 First Flights Featuring interactive exhibits and touch screen archive browsers.

Era Two: First World War & Beyond c.1914-1920 Shows the impact of World War I on Filton and features a Fighter and a Scout.

Era Three: The Growth of Flight 1920s-1930s Represents a time of major innovation in aircraft design, including a replica Bristol ‘Babe’.

Era Four: World War II c.1935-1945 Depicts the impact of World War II on Filton and aviation.

Era Five: Bigger, Faster, Further 1945-1960 The huge Brabazon airliner is represented here by its wheels and nameplate, alongside the Britannia fuselage. The two objects represent the growing importance of passenger aircraft to the aviation industry.

Era Six: Ocean Floor to Outer Space 1960-1981 Represents Bristol stepping into the space age. Three objects mark the transition into this era: a satellite, a missile and model of a supersonic aircraft.

Era Seven: Working across the world 1982-today Featuring a section of an A320 wing, the exhibit gives visitors an insight into the workings of today’s aviation industry.

The Concorde Hangar A 200m² space featuring Concorde Alpha Foxtrot. Designed jointly in Bristol and Toulouse, and built in Bristol, she was the last Concorde to be built and the last to fly.

Collections and development

2017

On 17 October, Aerospace Bristol opened its doors to the public. On 16 August, the Red Arrows performed a flypast in Concorde formation whilst members of the public formed the shape of Concorde on the ground. On 8 March 2017 a Sea Harrier was delivered to the museum site by an RAF Chinook airlift where it will go on display as part of the exhibition. 7 February saw the arrival of Concorde Alpha Foxtrot into the new purpose-built hangar at Aerospace Bristol.[7]

2016

On 26 May 2016, Aerospace Bristol held a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of the new Concorde hangar.[8] On 15 September, HRH The Princess Royal became the Patron of Aerospace Bristol for the next two years.[9] On 13 October, she visited the site to attend a 'topping out' ceremony celebrating a major milestone in the construction.[10]

2012 to 2014

In December 2012 the Bristol Post reported that BAE Systems, who were selling Filton Airfield for development, would be contributing the site and £2.4million in aid to a new museum including listed hangars, for which other corporate sponsors and a Heritage Lottery grant would be sought.[11][12][13]

In 2014, the trust was awarded a grant of £4.7 million by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Plans were begun for construction of a visitor centre, later named Aerospace Bristol and due to open in Summer 2017.[14][15]

The Concorde Trust, 2007 to 2012

The Concorde Trust, funded by the BAC, was formed in 2007, and produced applications for support for a new museum that would house Concorde, such as Heritage Grants. £343,543 from BAC 'restricted funds' was spent on consultants to make grant applications. Only one of these succeeded, an award of one million Euros from Airbus at Toulouse, to be paid when certain conditions were fulfilled. The Concorde Trust 2011 Accounts reported that it would wind up its affairs and merge into the Bristol Aero Collection Trust.[16]

Arrival of Concorde Alpha Foxtrot in 2003

Concorde Alpha Foxtrot (G-BOAF) flew into Filton in November 2003. Owned by British Airways, the aircraft was leased to Airbus UK and to allow BAC to arrange for the public to visit. Starting in August 2003 about 100 visitors a day toured the works and visited Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, guided by BAC volunteers, producing funds to support museum-building. In 2010 Airbus UK[17] closed the centre.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Home". Aerospace Bristol. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
  2. ↑ Historic England. "Triple Hangar at ST 60 806, Filton Airfield (1391563)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  3. ↑ Historic England. "Hangar at ST 598 805, Filton Airfield (1391562)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "First Class Event Spaces". Aerospace Bristol. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  5. ↑ "Education and Learning".
  6. ↑ "Exhibition".
  7. ↑ "Final Concorde to ever fly moves into new hangar". ITV News. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  8. ↑ "Taking off - Aerospace Bristol to start construction for the new home for Concorde!". Aerospace Bristol. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "HRH The Princess Royal becomes Patron of Aerospace Bristol". Aerospace Bristol. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  10. ↑ "HRH The Princess Royal attends topping out ceremony for Aerospace Bristol". Aerospace Bristol. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "British Aero Collection Trust gets connected for fundraising with Advanced NFP’s Donor Strategy CRM solution". charitytechnews.co.uk.
  12. ↑ Sauvebois, Marion (6 December 2012). "Bristol aviation museum project a step closer". Gazette Series. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  13. ↑ Marion Sauvebois. "Bristol Aero Collection Trust £13 million museum project backed by BA". Gazette Series.
  14. ↑ "Take-off at last for Bristol's £16m Concorde museum at former Filton airfield". The Bristol Post, 28 November 2014
  15. ↑ "Concorde wins £4.4m funding". Southwest Bristol. 28-May-2013
  16. ↑ "The Charity Commission - GOV.UK". charity-commission.gov.uk.
  17. ↑ "Airbus".

Coordinates: 51°31′23″N 2°34′44″W / 51.523°N 2.579°W / 51.523; -2.579

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