Fleet Air Arm Museum (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Australian Fleet Air Arm Museum, formerly known as Australia's Museum of Flight, is a military aerospace museum located at the naval air station , near Nowra, New South Wales
. The museum was opened in 1990, although efforts to preserve artifacts related to Australia's naval aviation
history began in 1974. The museum houses aircraft used throughout the history of the Fleet Air Arm
, the naval aviation branch of the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN), along with other aircraft of relevance to Australia's aviation history, and memorabilia relating to Australian aircraft carriers. The museum includes 34 aircraft and helicopters in its collection. It is open to the public daily, except for major public holidays.
In 2000, the museum was re-named Australia's Museum of Flight and its role expanded to displaying artifacts related to Australian aviation. In 2006, ownership and management of the museum were handed to the Royal Australian Navy and it was re-named the Fleet Air Arm Museum.
The museum now displays more than 34 aircraft and many aviation artifacts.
Nowra, New South Wales
Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Located SSW and approximately by road south of the state capital of Sydney, it has an estimated population together with its twin-town of Bomaderry of 34,479. It is also the seat and commercial centre of the City of Shoalhaven...
. The museum was opened in 1990, although efforts to preserve artifacts related to Australia's naval aviation
Naval aviation
Naval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
history began in 1974. The museum houses aircraft used throughout the history of the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
, the naval aviation branch of the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN), along with other aircraft of relevance to Australia's aviation history, and memorabilia relating to Australian aircraft carriers. The museum includes 34 aircraft and helicopters in its collection. It is open to the public daily, except for major public holidays.
History
The Fleet Air Arm Museum can trace its origins to 1974 when a group of volunteers associated with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) obtained five obsolete RAN aircraft and began work to establish a museum for display of artifacts to present the story of Australian Naval aviation. $80m were raised from various sources for a large hangar and function centre. In 1990, the Australian Naval Aviation Museum Foundation was established to operate the museum.In 2000, the museum was re-named Australia's Museum of Flight and its role expanded to displaying artifacts related to Australian aviation. In 2006, ownership and management of the museum were handed to the Royal Australian Navy and it was re-named the Fleet Air Arm Museum.
The museum now displays more than 34 aircraft and many aviation artifacts.
Aircraft
- Aermacchi MB-326Aermacchi MB-326The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 is a light military jet aircraft designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer, there have also been single and two-seat light attack versions produced. It is one of the most commercially successful aircraft of its type, being bought by more than 10...
H - Auster J5GAuster Autocar-References:...
- CAC CA-22 Winjeel prototypeCAC Winjeel|-See also:-External links:* http://www.warbirdalley.com/winjeel.htm* http://www.dropbears.com/f/felix_noble/winjeel.htm* http://www.raafmuseum.com.au/raaf2/html/body_winjeel.htm...
- CAC WirrawayCAC WirrawayThe Wirraway was a training and general purpose military aircraft manufactured in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation between 1939 and 1946...
- Consolidated PBY Catalina
- de Havilland HeronDe Havilland HeronThe de Havilland DH.114 Heron was a small, propeller-driven British airliner that first flew on 10 May 1950. It was a development of the twin-engine de Havilland Dove, with a stretched fuselage and two more engines. It was designed as a rugged, conventional low-wing monoplane with tricycle...
- de Havilland Sea Vampire T22De Havilland VampireThe de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
- de Havilland Sea Venom F.A.W. Mk 53
- McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk
- Douglas C-47 Dakota
- Fairey Gannet AS1/4Fairey GannetThe Fairey Gannet was a British carrier-borne anti-submarine warfare and airborne early warning aircraft of the post-Second World War era developed for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm by the Fairey Aviation Company...
- Fairey FireflyFairey FireflyThe Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....
AS.5/AS.6 - Fairey Gannet T.2/T.5 training aircraft
- Grumman S-2E/G Tracker
- GAF JindivikGAF JindivikThe GAF Jindivik is a target drone produced by the Australian Government Aircraft Factory . The name is from an Aboriginal Australian word meaning the hunted one. Two manned prototypes, were built as GAF Pikas as a proof of concept to test the aerodynamics, engine and radio control systems,...
- pilotless target aircraft - Hawker Hunter F6Hawker HunterThe Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
- Hawker Sea Fury Mk 11Hawker Sea FuryThe Hawker Sea Fury was a British fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Navy by Hawker during the Second World War. The last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, it was also one of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built.-Origins:The Hawker Fury was an...
- Kalkara target aircraft
- Lockheed 10
- Lockheed 12A
- Mig-15 UTI
- Mig-17
- Sopwith PupSopwith PupThe Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very...
- Supermarine Sea OtterSupermarine Sea Otter|-Survivors:No museum holds a complete aircraft. Australia's Museum of Flight has the nose section of JN200, a Sea Otter which served with the Royal Australian Navy.-See also:-References:...
- Millicer Airtourer prototype
Helicopters
- Bell 47G-3B1 SiouxBell 47The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
- Bell UH-1B/1C Iroquois
- Bell UH-1H Iroquois
- Bristol Sycamore HR 50/51Bristol Sycamore-See also:-External links:* on the Bristol Sycamore* on the Bristol Sycamore*...
- Sikorsky S-55
- Westland DragonflyWestland Dragonfly|-See also:-External links:* Westland entry in the helis.com database*...
- Westland Scout AH-1Westland ScoutThe Westland Scout was a general purpose military light helicopter developed by Westland Helicopters. It was closely related to the Westland Wasp naval helicopter.-Design and development:...
- Westland Wessex Mk31BWestland WessexThe Westland Wessex is a British turbine-powered version of the Sikorsky S-58 "Choctaw", developed under license by Westland Aircraft , initially for the Royal Navy, and later for the Royal Air Force...
- Westland Whirlwind
See also
- Fleet Air Arm (RAN)Fleet Air Arm (RAN)The Fleet Air Arm , known formally as the Australian Navy Aviation Group, is the division of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA was founded in 1947 following the purchase of two aircraft carriers from the Royal Navy...
- Royal Australian Navy Heritage CentreRoyal Australian Navy Heritage CentreThe Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre is the maritime museum of the Royal Australian Navy. The centre opened on 4 October 2005 and is located within the Public Access Area on the northern end of Garden Island Naval base....
- Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm MuseumFleet Air Arm MuseumThe Fleet Air Arm Museum is located north of Yeovil, and south of Bristol. It has an extensive collection of military and civilian aircraft, as well as models of Royal Navy ships, especially aircraft carriers. Some of the museum has interactive displays...