The Helicopter Museum, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

Aviation writer Elfan Ap Rees had been collecting helicopter paraphernalia for 20 years before he gathered a group volunteers and started the British Rotorcraft Museum in 1974. in 1988 the museum moved to its current site as The International Helicopter Museum and expanded dramatically, changing its name again, to the current one, in 2000.

It has recently restored the adjacent 1936 control tower and pilots' block, previously used by the Achilles Flying club, the latter building now housing the Weston Aviation Exhibition, recording the history of Weston-super-Mare Airport and its major occupants, the RAF, Western Airways and the Bristol Aeoplane Company (later Westland).

The museum has a modern, light and bright entrance and cafe, and the hangars are well laid out thematically, though, as is usual for aviation museums, pretty tightly packed. My visit was on 9 September.

Aircraft Reg'n Thumbs Notes
Advanced Technologies Inc CH1 ATI N8186E Rotors driven by high-presssure steam generated by hydrogen peroxide with a silver catalyst. Ex G-BXZN. Abandoned partly because hydrogen peroxide is very difficult to handle.
Aerospatiale AS332L Super Puma G-TIGE In the restoration hangar. With Bristow Helicopters from 1982 to 2014.
Aerospatiale SA365N Dauphin 2 F-WQAP First production AS365N, retained for development and testing, notably of fly-by-wire controls. Ex F-WZJJ.
Agusta A109GdiF MM81205 GdiF-128 Version with special avionics for the Italian Guardia di Finanza.
Agusta-Bell 47G-3B1 Sioux XT190 British Army, but spent its career with the UN in Cyprus (1966 to 1978).
Agusta-Bell 206C-1 Jet Ranger CC-49 In the restoration hangar. Served the Italian Carabinieri from 1974 to 2008.
Air & Space 18A G-BVWL Ex SE-HIE. Moderately successful two-seat autogyro derived from the Umbaugh U-18.
BAC Sea Wolf   Weston Aviation Exhibition. Anti-missile missile whose Blackcap rocket motor was built 3 miles away at Bristol Aerojet's Banwell plant.
Barnett J4B G-BWCW Built from a US kit from Barnett Rotorcraft Co, this autogyro never flew, and now lacks an engine and propellor.
Bell 47H-1 Bellairus OO-SHW Of 33 built, this was the only one sold in Europe, as Sabena's OO-SHW, later SE-HBE and LN-OQG. It was used by the Belgian Antactic Survey, then became G-AZYB.
Bell Jet Ranger sculpture   Gate guard. Donated by Barratt Developments in 2011.
Bell UH-1H Iroquis 66-16579 US Army - Vietnam and Gulf war veteran.
Bensen B-8B Gyro-Boat BAPC.289 One of around 10 rotor kite boats built in Glasgow by the General Developments Company Ltd around 1960.
Bensen B-8M Gyro-Copter G-BIGP Kit-built in the UK around 1980.
Bolkow Bo102 Helitrainer D-HMQV Military trainer usually attached to a scissor restraint with the instructor outside. Had a single rotor blade with a counterweight to restrict lift.
Brantly B2B G-ATFG  
Brantly B2B G-OAPR Ex N2280U. In the restoration hangar, currently registered and flightworthy.
Bristol 171 Sycamore 3 G-ALSX Company demonstrator built in 1951. In Tanganyika as VR-TBS 1957-60, then returned to Bristol Helicopters here for blade testing as G-48-1. Withdrawn 1969.
Bristol 171 Sycamore 14 XL829 The RAF's last Sycamore, built here in 1957.
Bristol 192 Belvedere HC1 G-BRMB 5th prototype, designed and built at Weston, used by the RAF as XG452 for testing and development. In long-term restoration.
Bristol 192 Belvedere HC1 nose XG462 Preserved after a crash in Libya in 1963.
Bristol Bloodhound Mk2   The RAF's surface-to-air missile 1964-91. Previously gate guard at RAF Museum, Hendon.
Campbell Cougar G-BAPS The last aircraft to be built by Western Airways at Weston (1973), this two-seat autogyro flew successfully with a temporary single seat. Then funds ran out.
Campbell Cricket G-AXRA In the cafe. Developed from the Bensen B8M by Campbell Aircraft, the UK licencee, 33 were produced 1969-71 - this was the 3rd.
Campbell Cricket G-BYMP In 1991 Campbell Aircraft was succeeded by Cricket Gyroplanes, who sold kits. This is one of them, completed in 1999.
Cierva C-30A G-ACWM Built by Avro in 1935, this was impressed into the RAF as AP506. Returned after the war, it was damaged by fire around 1959. There are plans to restore it.
Cierva Rotorcraft Grasshopper III G-AWRP First flown in 1969, this twin-engined co-axial rotor project was cancelled in the early 70s on the death of James Weir, Cierva's financial backer.
Control tower and pilots' block   The control tower's cab was originally a cab shelter on Weston seafront, installed when the tower was built in 1936. Both buildings have been recently restored.
EH Industries EH101 G-EHIL ZH657 3rd prototype, a civil version testbed, first flown in 1988 and retired in 1999.
Elfan Ap Rees   Founder and leading light of the museum, also founder and editor of Helicopter International magazine.
Fairey Rotodyne fragments XE521 Including a fuselage section, the rotorhead, and a complete blade with its tip-jet. The compound helicopter airliner last flew in 1962, just before the government cancelled the project.
Fairey Ultra Light Helicopter G-AOUJ Ex UK Army XJ928 but the army's support was withdrawn and the project continued as a private venture. This, the 2nd prototype, first flew in 1958. It was fully restored in July this year using some parts from other examples or specially made. The only other surviving example is at the Midland Air Museum.
Gyrodyne QH-50D DASH DS-1482 Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter. American co-axial rotor remotely piloted surveillance and torpedo helicopter.
Hafner R2 Revoplane BAPC.010 The world's oldest surviving helicopter (1928) It was developed with the help of Juan de la Cierva in the UK. After some hovering flights it was abandoned, but rediscovered in 1961. The two large rear tiltable vanes are for yaw control/anti-torque.
Hiller UH-12C G-ASTP Bristow Helicopters - used as a trainer. Ex N9750C.
Hughes OH-6A Cayuse 67-16506 MD-NG US Army, Vietnam veteran.
Julian CD Wombat G-WBAT First flown in 1991.
Kamov Ka-26 Hoodlum DDR-SPY Interflug, later D-HOAY. Note the removable passenger module.
Liteco-Intora Atlas Firebird F-WGTX Using the same technology as the Advanced Technologies Inc CH1 (see above) this is a composite of the fuselage of another unfinished example, F-WGTZ, and F-WGTX.
MBB Bo105M (VBH) D-HZYR VBH = light observation helicopter. This is the last Bo105M built. Ex German Army 81+00.
McCulloch J-2 G-ORVB Two-seat autogyro designed in the US by Drago Jovanovich, 83 were built. This was used by the Bahrain Public Security Force as BSP-3, ex N4329G, later G-HEKY.
MIL Mi-1 (SM-1) Hare '07 yellow' Ex Polish AF 2007, in false Soviet markings.
MIL Mi-2 Hoplite SP-SAY Used in Poland by Zeus, a subsidiary of PZL-Swidnik who built it.
MIL Mi-4 Hound 9147 Czech AF. The first Russian helicopter in a British museum, 1992.
MIL Mi-8PS Hip '07 red' Polish AF 618 - VIP transport. In false Russian livery for the 2019 film 'Black Widow'.
MIL Mi-24D Hind Luftwaffe 96+26 01 96+26 Luftwaffe. Ex East German Army 618.
Murray M1 BAPC.060 Failed attempt at a co-axial helicopter by John Murray of Salford, UK in 1954. Missing ite engine and other bits.
Piasecki H-21C Shawnee FR41 French Army. In the restoration hangar.
Piasecki HUP-3 Retriever 51-16622 622 Canadian Navy. One of three they used in the Arctic. Later used by Piasecki as a chase plane as N6699D.
PZL-Swidnik SM-2 5 Polish variant of the Mil Mi-1 (SM-1 in Poland). The redesigned cabin has sliding side doors and a front stretcher hatch. Around 85 built.
Robinson R22-HP G-OTED Ex ZS-HLG, G-BMYR.
Saunders-Roe (Saro) Skeeter AOP12 XL811 British Army, built 1959, written off in a 1967 accident.
Slingsby T8 Kirby Tutor (TX-2 Cadet) fuselage BGA1759 RAFGSA 178 Under the roof of the Weston Aviation Exhibition. 2nd and 4th photos are rotated 180°.
Sud Aviation S01221S Djinn FR108 CDL Djinn = pixie. French Army. Basic two-seat helicopter with rotors driven by compressed air through tip jets. Performance was good and 178 were built.
Sud Aviation SA318C Alouette 2 A-41 Belgian Army. World's first production turbine helicopter.
Sud Aviation SA321F Super Frelon F-OCMF 335 Hermes. The sole example of this 37-passenger F variant. Leased to Olympic Airways in the summer seasons of 1968 and 69. Ex F-BMHC, French Navy 116, and F-BTRP.
Watkinson CG4 Cyclogyroplane BAPC.128 Herbert Watkinson's human-powered flight project. After two quite successful cycle gyro pedal-powered autogyros had made short flights, this version was nearly complete when he died in 1977.
Westland Gazelle AH1 ((Aerospatiale SA341B) cabin ZB686 Built here in 1983.
Westland Scout AH1 XP165 First of 8 pre-production Scouts, closely based on the Saunders-Roe P531-2, and first flown 4 August 1960. With the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS) 1963-71.
Westland Wasp HAS1 XT443 422 1975 Cod war veteran, during which it crashed twice. Retired in 1987.
Westland Wessex 60 G-AVNE Starting as G-17-3, it was delivered to Bristow Helicopters in 1967, served in the far east as PK-HBQ, 9M-ASS and VH-BHC, and Nigeria as 5N-AJL, and retired in 1981.
Westland Wessex HAS1 XM330 Pre-production version used for trials in Libya and Malta, as well as with the RAE at Farnborough.
Westland Wessex HAS3 XM328 PO-653 53 Delivered to the FAA in 1960. Falklands veteran, retired in 1984.
Westland Wessex HCC4 XV733 Second of two HCC4s built for the Queen's Flight. Piloted by the Diuke of Edinburgh and other royals, and the first chopper to carry the Queen. Served 1969-98.
Westland Lynx (WG-13) XW839 5th prototype and oldest complete surviving Lynx. Flown from 1974 to the mid-nineties.
Westland Lynx 3 ZE477 Sole example built of this stretched anti-tank variant, ex G-17-24. Flew 1984-7.
Westland Lynx AH1 G-LYNX ZA500 ZB500 Westland's demonstrator, featuring BERP (British Experimental Rotor Programme) blades, broke the helicopter world speed record at 249mph (401km/h), which still stands.
Westland Lynx HAS2 XX910 Second prototype of the Navy Lynx, and first Lynx to fly a loop (1976). Grounded in 1981, but used for testing until 2000.
Westland WG-25 (WR-06) Wisp BAPC.446 Co-axial rotor remotely piloted helicopter carrying a TV camera. First of three built, flown 1976.
Westland WG-25 (WR-07) Wideye BAPC.445 Larger version of the Wisp, with a stabilised TV and retractable gear - 1979.
Westland WG-25 Sharpeye 'ZS782' BAPC.451 Wideye components were used in this windtunnel test model of a sleeker version. 1980.
Westland WG-30-100 fuselage N5840T Airspur Helicopters operated 4 WG-30s on schedules between Orange County John Wayne Airport and LAX 1983-4. Ex G-BKFF.
Westland WG-30-100 G-BKGD 2nd prototype, delivered to British Airways Helicopters in 1982 for North Sea operations as G-BKBJ, then British International Helicopters for the Penzance Scilly Isles route until 1993 retirement.
Westland WG-30-100 G-BGHF First prototype of this civil/ transport version of the Lynx. First flown 10 April 1979, retired 1985.
Westland WG-30-200 G-ELEC The only -200 built, first flown as -100 G-BKNV. Converted with General Electric CT7s replacing the RR Gems and re-registered with power line maintenance in mind, it was retired in 1998.
Westland WG-30-300 (TT300) G-HAUL The only -300 built, aimed at replacing the Wessex and Puma, but the EH101 was chosen instead. Ex G-17-22. Flew 1986-7.
Westland WG-33 BAPC.153 1978 mock-up of a proposed two-seat observation helicopter. With co-axial rotors and fly-by-wire controls, it was designed for novice pilots.
Westland WS-51 Dragonfly HR5 WG719 Royal Navy. Built in 1952 and retired in 1967. Ex G-BRMA.
Westland WS-51A Widgeon 2 G-AOZE Bristow Helicopters. In Nigeria as 5N-ABW from 1962-70.
Westland WS-55 Whirlwind 3 G-AODA Dorado. First flown in 1965, owned by Shell but operated by Bristow Helicopters including in Iran as EP-HAC, Trinidad as 9Y-TDA, and Malaysia. Later used for anti-tank missile testing, and retired in 1990.
Westland WS-55 Whirlwind HAR10 XD163 X The RAF's first Whirlwind, delivered in 1954. Operated in Malaya, Cyprus and Aden, later in the UK until retirement in 1979.
Westland WS-55 Whirlwind HAS7 XK940 911 Served the navy from 1957 to 1971 when it went to Autair International as G-AYXT. James Wilkie restored it to airworthiness in the 1990s.
Westland WS-55 Whirlwind HCC12 XR486 In the restoration hangar. In the Queen's Flight from 1964 to 1969 and often flown by Princes Philip and Charles. Not used by the Queen as it is single-engined. Sold to Whirlwind Helicopters Ltd in 1993 as G-RWWW.

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