The Gatwick Aviation Museum is located in the village of Charlwood, in Surrey, United Kingdom on the boundary of Gatwick Airport.
History
Originally started in 1987 as a private collection by local businessman Peter Vallance, the museum became a registered charity in 1999 with the objective of providing awareness of local aviation history and as an educational centre for the general public, particularly for local students and schoolchildren. A close relationship exists between the museum and the Central Sussex College which uses the museum's facilities to provide practical training for the students taking aerospace courses. On 14 January 2013, Vallance died during heart surgery and, since then, the museum has been run by a charitable trust set up by Vallance to cover this eventuality.
The museum has a varied collection of aircraft, aircraft engines and over 500 aircraft models. The museum also has displays and artefacts related to local aviation history particularly Gatwick Airport. Aircraft on display include the Avro Shackleton MR3, Blackburn Buccaneer S1, English Electric Lightning F.53 and Percival Sea Prince.
In 2016, the new museum building first opened to the public. It houses many aircraft formerly kept outdoors although others in the collection, including some noteworthy examples, were disposed of by the trust in 2013. A shop, refreshment area, flight simulator and information on the history of Gatwick Airport can also be found in the building. The museum is open to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Vallance By-Ways airstrip
Vallance By‐Ways was a grass air strip in the grounds of the Gatwick Aviation Museum. The 465 m-long strip was m north of and roughly parallel to the main runway at Gatwick Airport.
Aircraft on Display
Outside
Avro Shackleton Mk.3 PH3 ("J" WR982) Blackburn Buccaneer S1 (XN923) Hawker Hunter F51 Percival Sea Prince T1 (WP308)
Indoors
English Electric Lightning F53 (53-671) de Havilland Sea Vixen TT.8 (XS587) de Havilland Venom FB50 (J1605) Gloster Meteor T7 (VZ638) Hawker Hunter T7 (XL591) Hawker Sea Hawk FB5 (XE364) Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR3 (XV751)