Hangar 5; Conservation in Action

Hangar 5 is where a team of staff and volunteers work to preserve IWM Duxford's aircraft and large objects; the Conservation in Action team also look after art, artefacts, archives, photography, film, books and sound recordings.  Whereas the restored aircraft in Hangar 2 are used for flying, the aircraft and objects in this hangar are maintained in their current state to prevent further deterioration.

The Handley Page Victor here is the only aircraft of its type left in the world; originally a bomber when first flown in 1959, it was upgraded to an air-to-air refuelling tanker in 1965 before being retired and flying into Duxford in 1976.  The FMA Pucara here is an Argentine ground-attack aircraft that was deployed during the invasion of the Falklands in 1982; this aircraft was one of those captured.  The Avro Shackleton here was built in 1955 and lost in a crash in the Peak District during operational tests in 1956 when all on board were killed.  The Eurofighter Typhoon here first flew in 1997, but was decommissioned in 2006 and was moved to Duxford in 2009.  The Heinkel Salamander HE162 here is a single-seat jet fighter built in 1945, one of only 7 left in the world.  The Oberursel UR-2 rotary engine on display was actually used in one of the Fokker aircraft flown by Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron) in WWI.

Another really interesting visit to IWM Duxford; there is so much to see here.Read more