Enjoy Night at the (Fleet Air Arm) Museum

There’s a rare chance to clamber over some of the legendary machines in naval aviation when the Fleet Air Arm Museum holds an open evening later this month.

Getting inside many of the exhibits is not possible, let alone sitting in the cockpits, which is why the museum throws open its doors in the evening on occasion for the serious enthusiast to take a closer look at some of the Yeovilton attraction’s gems.

Visitors will be able to peer inside the cockpit of Captain Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown’s Vampire LZ551/G – the first jet aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier in 1945.

Or they can take their seats in the cockpit of Concorde 002, a Westland Wessex Mk5 and or Lynx Mk3 helicopter.

Or inspect the cabin of the ‘King of the Junglies’, Sea King ZA 298, which has come through more scrapes than most aircraft, or take a closer look at the cockpits of the Harrier GR9 – the last version of the jump jet flown by Fleet Air Arm pilots – and, for comparison, its 1960s prototype, the Hawker P1127.

With the exception of the ‘flight deck’ area, the rest of the museum’s galleries will be open, with curators and volunteers on hand to answer questions and tell more of the secrets of the museum and its collection of aircraft.

The ‘Night at the Museum’ event takes place from 6pm on Thursday January 18 and costs £40 per person – booking in advance is required as spaces are limited: see www.fleetairarm.com.

Sensible clothing and footwear must be worn. Access to the aircraft is dependent upon your fitness levels and overall mobility – you’ll receiving a briefing from a member of staff.