Hangar 3; Air and Sea

Hangar 3 is an original General Service Aircraft Shed - these are also known as Belfast Truss hangars because of their distinctive latticed Belfast Truss roofs - and now houses IWM Duxford's maritime collection of naval aircraft and boats dating from the First World War, the Second World War, helicopters from the 1950s and aircraft that served in the Falklands War.

There are many notable aircraft here, including the de Havilland DH.9 bomber from WWI, the cockpit of the A6M Zero - the most successful Japanese fighter aircraft type of the Second World War and the aircraft that would have flown against it in operations - the Grumman TBM-3 Avenger, as well as the de Havilland Sea Vixen and Hawker Sea Hunter (both with folding wings).  This impressive hangar is also home to the B43 "Ole Bill" double-deck, open-top London bus; built by AEC in 1911, it was used as troop transport in WW1, with capacity for carrying 24 fully equipped infantrymen and their kit.  There are also midget submarines and torpedoes on display!Read more