Solway Aviation Museum at Carlisle Airport

I had a road trip planned to Edinburgh for a long weekend with the wife, as she has never been to that lovely city. On the way back, we decided to visit a section of Hadrian’s Wall near Carlisle. On the way to this, I saw signposts to Carlisle Airport. As we came to the turnoff, the car unaccountably turned off the main road and headed towards the airfield – I got a severe ‘rolling of the eyes’ together with a theatrical ‘looking at the watch’ from the war department for that!


The mighty Avro Vulcan

It was a lovely sunny day, but very windy, not a great day for flying a taildragger with anything other than an into-wind runway, so in some ways, I was pleased that I hadn’t flown in as I would be worrying about the plane being tied down and any later take-off I would have to make (shades of the very sporting wind that I came across in Avignon – aaargh!).


McDonnell Douglas Phantom

As we approached I saw the distinctive outline of an Avro Vulcan bomber and signs to the Solway Aviation Museum - this just gets better and better! I had a quick poke around the entrance to the airfield, then drove to the Vulcan bomber. It was open and encouraged you to climb up inside and sit in the cockpit, but only if you paid at the museum first. So we drove around the corner to the museum and paid a modest £4.50 per person for admission. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time, so I had to dash around the static exhibition, which I am sure would have warranted at least an hour slowly reading my way around, but I just didn’t have the time. So out into the yard to have a look at the static aircraft on display.


Jet engine

And quite a collection they have too. I had to climb into and sit in the cockpit of the Canberra bomber, the first time I have been so close to this classic jet bomber. The a quick walkaround and photos of the Hawker Hunter, the McDonnell Douglas Phantom (ex-British Navy carrier specimen as indicated by the arrestor hook), the English Electric Lightning, the Vampire, a rather modified and ugly Meteor and a few other bits besides.


Jet engine


English Electric Lightning

I really wasn’t aware that Carlisle airport had a museum and such a good one at that. I would say it was well worth a proper, leisurely visit sometime.

Hadrian’s Wall? Edinburgh? Yeah, they were OK I guess!