Britain's civil and military aviation history finally takes off
05/06/2007
AirSpace, a major new £25 million project telling the story of Britain's civil and military aviation, past, present and future, officially opens on July 12th at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire, and looks set to appeal to families, enthusiasts, historians, veterans and schools alike.
Covering almost three acres, over 30 British and Commonwealth aircraft will be on display - both military and civil - including iconic machines such as the Vulcan, Lancaster, Lightning, Swordfish, Spitfire, Sunderland, Harrier and Tornado. Even Concorde will also be on display and accessible for internal viewing. There are also scores of complimentary exhibits including missiles, ground-handling equipment and a wide variety of piston and jet engines.
The aim of AirSpace is to tell the story of aviation using a mixture of fun and interactive exhibits - video, ‘hands-on’ displays, items to handle, computers, and historic objects. The story begins by introducing visitors to the general concepts and principles of flying, such as lift, thrust and aerodynamics, as well as looking at how the materials used to construct aircraft have developed over the years - from wood and metal through to complex alloys and space-age carbon fibre.
The role of pilots, how aircraft design has evolved and a glimpse into the future round off the story, ensuring visitors head into the main aircraft hall with an understanding of the significance of each exhibit.
Richard Ashton, Director of IWM Duxford, said: “This is a dramatic and inspirational celebration of Britain’s aviation heritage, which we hope will entertain, educate and inspire all those who visit. The exhibition clearly shows the impact of aviation on all of our lives.”
AirSpace also contains an area devoted to aircraft conservation, a range of supporting exhibition and gallery spaces, a purpose built suite of classrooms and education workshops, a conference facility and a 200-seat lecture theatre.
For further information visit the website linked below or call 01223 835 000