Aircraft hub · 1947

Bristol Sycamore

The first British-designed helicopter in service — rescue work in a mahogany-and-fabric drawing room. The gazetteer currently lists it at 6 UK museums.

6
Museums
1947
First flight
180
Built
127 mph
Top speed
Early jet age
Era

Last verified 2026-07-11 against the gazetteer Compendium. Airframes move — confirm on museum pages before travel.

On charge

Where to see the Bristol Sycamore in the UK

The gazetteer records 6 Bristol Sycamore airframes (including cockpit sections and replicas where noted) across 6 UK collections, in 5 regions: London & Around, East of England, South West England, Midlands & Lincolnshire, Northern Ireland.

MuseumCityRegionAirframes recorded
Aerospace Bristol Bristol South West England Bristol Sycamore HR.14 XL824
Newark Air Museum Newark Midlands & Lincolnshire Bristol Sycamore III
Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum Bungay East of England Bristol Sycamore HR.14 XG518
Royal Air Force Museum London London London & Around
The Helicopter Museum Weston-super-Mare South West England Bristol Type 171 Sycamore Mk.3, G-ALSX
Bristol Type 171 Sycamore HC.14, XL829
Ulster Aviation Society (Maze Long Kesh) Lisburn Northern Ireland Bristol Sycamore HR.14 XJ918
Computed from the survey

Collection context

Types you’ll see alongside

Harrier family, Aérospatiale Gazelle & Alouette, de Havilland Vampire, English Electric Canberra, Gloster Meteor.

Where the type is thickest

South West England has 2 collections recording the type.

Marks and variants recorded

Bristol Sycamore HR.14; Bristol Sycamore HR.14 XG518; Bristol Type 171 Sycamore HC.14, XL829; Bristol Type 171 Sycamore Mk.3, G-ALSX.

Type notes

The Bristol Sycamore in brief

TypeBristol Sycamore
UK museums holding one6
Airframes recorded in this survey6

Serials are the gazetteer's survey snapshot of what each collection records on charge — restorations move between workshops and reserve hangars, so check the museum page for opening times and current display status before travelling. Every type across all 118 museums is indexed in the Compendium.

Aircraft questions

Frequently asked

How many Bristol Sycamore airframes are left in the UK?

The Aviation Gazetteer records 6 Bristol Sycamore airframes in UK collections.

Which museum has the most Bristol Sycamore airframes?

The Helicopter Museum has the most in this survey, with 2 recorded airframes.

CompendiumGazetteer