Solway Aviation Museum — collection photograph
NO-05

Solway Aviation Museum

Crosby on Eden · Northern England · Tickets £8

4.8
2,421 public map reports (survey July 2026)
15
Listed airframes
Open now
Fri–Mon 10.30am–5pm (May–Sep)
Opening times
Official site Map & location In gazetteer Find an aircraft
Station briefing

About this museum

Carlisle Airport's Solway Aviation Museum is the Cumbrian outpost of the V-force: a tidy indoor collection, a ramp of Cold War jets, and the singular Spadeadam exhibition covering the Blue Streak missile programme tested up the road — Britain's forgotten space programme, told by the neighbours.

Listed inventory: 15 airframes.

~12 on charge~6 Cold War jets~3 Trainers2 Vulcan & Canberra1 Helicopter
Star of the show

Vulcan XJ823 with pre-bookable crew-compartment visits; a Phantom, Lightning and Canberra (whose three-crew cockpit reviewers describe as 'unbelievably tight') complete the set.

Notable airframes
  • Vulcan B.2 XJ823, crew-compartment visits
  • F-4 Phantom & EE Lightning
  • The Blue Streak / Spadeadam story
Visitor intel

Weekend-centric opening; check before travelling. The Blue Streak section is the sleeper hit for anyone who thought Britain never did rockets.

Visitors liked
  • “GREAT visit and aircraft exhibits so accessible, many with open cockpits. Sit in the Vulcan, a 'claustrophobic' highlight.”— Steve Young
  • “Well made museum. Superfriendly staff and of course interessting planes....we had a great time.”— Re Ni
  • “A super air museum, well worth a visit. Where else in the world can one climb up into a Vulcan or sit in the pilot's seat in a Canberra. Knowledgeable guides. A joy to visit”— Keith Stevens

Public map reports · excerpted for reference · not reviews collected by this gazetteer

Visitor questions

Frequently asked

What are the opening times for Solway Aviation Museum?

Fri–Mon 10.30am–5pm (May–Sep). Verify current opening times with the museum before travelling.

How much does Solway Aviation Museum cost?

Adult admission is listed as £8. Check the museum's current prices before travelling.

Which aircraft can you see at Solway Aviation Museum?

The listed collection includes Avro Vulcan B.2 (XJ823), BAC Jet Provost T.4 (XS209), BAC Lightning F.53 (ZF583), DH Vampire T.11 (WZ515), Fairey Gannet ECM.6 (XA459). Aircraft move between displays, so confirm current holdings before travelling.

Does Solway Aviation Museum have parking or a cafe?

Parking is recorded on site; a cafe or restaurant is recorded. Check current facilities with the museum before travelling.

Aviation museums in Northern EnglandBest aviation museums in the UKWhere to see: avro 504Where to see: avro ansonWhere to see: avro ashton
Order of battle

Airframe checklist

Tick them off as you go. Identities are as held in the gazetteer survey — verify against the museum’s own labels if something has moved.

TypeIdentity
Avro Vulcan B.2 XJ823
BAC Jet Provost T.4 XS209
BAC Lightning F.53 ZF583
De Havilland Chipmunk T.10 WB584
DH Vampire T.11 WZ515
English Electric Canberra T.4 WE188
Fairey Gannet ECM.6 XA459
Gloster Meteor NF.14 WS832
Hawker Hunter F.51 XG190
Hawker Siddeley Trident G-ARPP
McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 XV406
Panavia Tornado GR.1 ZA475
Percival Sea Prince T.1 WP314
SEPECAT Jaguar T.4 XX146
Sikorsky Whirlwind HAR.21 WV198

Inventory last verified 2026-07-18: source 1. Aircraft move between sites; report corrections to the compiler.

Visit

Location & contact

Address
Aviation House, Carlisle Airport, Crosby on Eden CA6 4NW
Phone
01228 573823
Website
www.solway-aviation-museum.co.uk/
Hours
Fri–Mon 10.30am–5pm (May–Sep)
(from your local clock — verify before travel)
Gazetteer
NO-05 on the situation map