G-ALWF made available to visitors

The oldest surviving Viscount G-ALWF, c/n 5, housed in the Imperial War Museum Duxford’s 'AirSpace’ project was made available to visitors at the end of August in preparation for the Cambridgeshire airfield’s Spitfire 70th Anniversary Airshow on 2/3 September. The very impressive but yet to be completed complex, is getting near to housing its full complement of over 30 aircraft. With the process of installing aircraft within 'AirSpace' and the first phase of the exhibitions now complete, the Imperial War Museum Duxford was delighted to announce that 'AirSpace' will remain open.

G-ALWF totally stripped of paint while being prepared in July 2005

‘AirSpace’ tells the story of British and Commonwealth aviation from its earliest days to the present. While acknowledging the great innovations of the past, the exhibits are also intended to inspire the pilots and engineers of the future. The facility has been supported by a £9 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £995,000 from the East of England Development Agency. BAE Systems has also formed a partnership with the museum in developing ‘AirSpace’.

The facility has been built around the skeleton of Duxford’s former ‘Superhangar’, and the work has totally transformed and re-modelled the structure. When complete it will include exhibition, education, conservation and corporate event space.

G-ALWF as she appeared while in service with BEA in the 1950's

On the west side, ‘AirSpace’ will have an interactive exhibition area running the entire length of the building at mezzanine level – the first section of this is already fitted and some of the exhibits are operable. On the east side, the extension will include classrooms, education offices, a resource room, a corporate suite and a 200-seat lecture theatre. The building’s southern end has also been expanded to create a large conservation area, where visitors will be able to view work in progress.

The majority of the 30-plus aircraft exhibits are now in position. Of these 12 are suspended from the ceiling. HP Hastings C.1A TG528 is the latest to take its place in Hangar 5 for restoration before being moved into the new complex. Aircraft such as the Mosquito, Lysander, Lancaster, TSR-2, Lightning, Canberra, York, Vulcan, Swordfish, Spitfire Mk. XXIII, Sunderland, Oxford, Anson, Harrier and Buccaneer are now on public view. Concorde will also be on display to the public, including internal viewing. As work on the completion of the building and the preparation of new exhibitions continues, 'AirSpace' will be subject to occasional closures.

For more information contact the Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England CB2 4QR

Telephone 01223 835000 or visit the Imperial War Museum Duxford’s web site